Sip Texas Tours is the latest business venture of Alex Sione and he will approach this endeavor as he does everything: with undeniable grit and a passion for excellence. Alex was born and raised on a small island in the South Pacific, Samoa, where that ethos was ingrained in him leading him to represent his country in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. A few years later, he met his wife, Cheryl Crenwelge, and after having their first child, made the difficult decision to move back to Cheryl’s hometown, Fredericksburg, to pursue a better life for themselves and their child. Of course, things weren’t that simple. Alex was training to represent his country in the Olympics yet again at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, being bestowed the honor of carrying the Olympic torch for his country.

Alex and his wife Cheryl have lived in Fredericksburg for over 25 years. They have three children and have integrated themselves into this community over the years, always endeavoring to give back. Alex and Cheryl are active volunteers within the 4-H organization, supporting numerous programs and assisting in developing the Hill Country Grandstand Turkey Show. Additionally, they are active within their church, Holy Ghost Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg.

This is not Alex’s first business venture. He co-founded A&L Moving (donating the “A”) and is the founder and current president of Allied Moving & Services. While starting any business is challenging, Alex thrived in these environments because of his customer service-oriented attitude and attention to detail and experience. This has helped Allied Moving and Services to grow exponentially over the past four years with most customers becoming repeat customers and many becoming lifelong friends. This passion for excellence and customer experience led to the opportunity to start Sip Texas Tours. Never one to turn down a challenge or an opportunity, Alex jumped right in.

In his 25 years in Fredericksburg, Alex has seen firsthand the development of the wine industry. He has built relationships with the owners and sommeliers moving them into and around town allowing him exclusive access to and understanding of the wine industry. It is these relationships that help set Sip Texas Tours apart. Alex is excited to combine those relationships with his outstanding customer-oriented attitude to ensure guests enjoy their time in the Hill Country and learn what makes it so special.

Like everything in Fredericksburg, Sip Texas Tours is a family business through and through. Alex and Cheryl’s son, Dylan Sione, graduated from Texas A&M in December 2023. It was at Texas A&M that Dylan discovered his appreciation of wine. Dylan signed up for “Horticulture 416 - Understanding Wine” to try wine with his friends during their senior year (Yes, it’s a real class; he also took and was a TA for a Texas Barbecue class). Through that class, Dylan began to understand the intricacies of different wines and how small changes substantially impact wine. Dylan was able to nurture this interest by regularly attending “Spirited Learning,” a program hosted by Texas A&M Horticulture that brings different Texas wineries to campus to talk about their history and to sample their newest blends and vintages.

After spending a semester in D.C. working with the House Committee on Agriculture to develop a new Farm Bill, Dylan came back to assist in developing Sip Texas Tours and lending his expertise in curating wine tours that highlight the best of the Hill Country while remaining accessible to anyone with an interest in wine.