The Rinory’s conservation efforts truly start at home with the vineyard’s star attraction, Blake, a 4,000-plus-pound southern white rhino.
Eric Moreno for MySA
Here in the middle of the year 2026, I think it’s safe to say that the “secret” is out on the friendly Texas Hill Country village to our north, known as Fredericksburg. No longer a “hidden gem,” Fredericksburg is beset upon these days by antique hunters, peach pickers, wine aficionados, bachelorette parties and motorcycle clubs each weekend numbering in the thousands.
Having made regular pilgrimages in search of World War II history and Eastern European cuisine for decades now, I was firmly convinced that the ‘Burg had no more surprises left for a seasoned visitor such as myself.
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Spoiler alert, I was wrong.
According to Fredericksburg’s Convention & Visitors Bureau, there are over 75 vineyards within the city proper, but I believe I recently visited what is easily the most unique. They call it the Rhinory, and it is remarkable.
The Rhinory in Fredericksburg
The Rhinory’s story is one of heartbreak, conservation, devotion and pure Texas gumption. The vineyard’s owners were deeply and personally affected by the horrors of the illicit and illegal poaching trade on a trip to South Africa. They vowed to make a difference in the world, and they’ve done so by crafting world-class, award-winning wine and supporting rhino conservation worldwide.
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In 2022, they opened the property on a 55-acre ranch a short drive outside Fredericksburg proper on U.S. 290. Their conservation efforts truly start at home with the vineyard’s star attraction, Blake, a 4,000-plus-pound southern white rhino.
In 2022, they opened the property on a 55-acre ranch a short drive outside Fredericksburg proper on U.S. 290
Eric Moreno for MySA
The rhino in Fredericksburg
Visitors can sample the Rhinory’s wide array of acclaimed whites, reds and blends while getting a chance to watch Blake lounging in his pasture. You can also book a wine tasting and an encounter on Fridays and Saturdays.
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I was fortunate enough to have my own encounter, the Pinnacle Experience, recently, and my hosts extended the courtesy of samples of some of their signature whites, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Blake’s rhino keepers (along with the rest of our party, as encounters happen in groups of four) gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of Blake’s “barndominium” and taught us all about rhinos before our chance to step behind the metaphorical velvet ropes of his pasture.
For example, did you know a herd of rhinos is called a “crash?” The name “white rhino” is an unfortunate mistranslation of the Afrikaner word “widje,” which means “wide.” Also, if an immature male rhino is paired with a mature female, he will be permanently cast into the friend zone…
Filing all this away, I was allowed to reach my hands through the safety barricades to touch Blake. I kept hoping for a moment where we would lock eyes and have a soul-sharing moment, thus bonding us for life. While I touched his rough, unearthly hide, Blake was concentrating on his hay and alfalfa… Oh well, this is not my first one-sided relationship. I still consider him my new best friend, though.
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This was a magical day that I won’t soon forget. All the proceeds from these encounters go directly to conservation efforts of the Rhinory and their partners. Make a visit as soon as you can; you won’t be disappointed.