Write Off the Vine: Texas Wine News – Harvest Edition (The Vintage of the Century)

Write Off the Vine: Texas Wine News – Harvest Edition (The Vintage of the Century)

Well, it’s time to start harvesting the fruits of this year’s Texas vintage. By most accounts, growers and winemakers alike are referring to this year as the “Vintage of the Century” for the Texas wine industry. The pressures from late spring freeze and hail have been non-existent to light, something that has been a refreshing change after the past three years where they took a heavy toll. With the plethora of Texas grapes reaching their ripeness, this brings many opportunities for neighbors, tourists, amature winemakers and wine aficionados to get into the vineyards and join in the harvest at Texas wineries and on the Texas wine trails throughout the state. The harvest starts in July in the southern part of the state along the Gulf Coast and proceeds through the Hill country and up east Texas ending on the Texas High Plains in late September.

Here are some of the upcoming wine grape harvest activities (See below).

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Bluebonnet Grape Harvest Trail: Tickets Available

Touring the Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail on the Harvest Trail is your opportunity to celebrate grape harvest and crush in southeast Texas. See the winemaking process firsthand from vineyard to bottle. For the last two weekends in July 2010, the wineries along the trail will offer a select pairing of two wine tastings, plus each ticket holder will receive a limited-edition poster commemorating the Harvest Trail at their first stop. Take your commemorative poster to each participating winery and gather signatures to make this poster even more meaningful. In addition to the Harvest Trail activities, check with each winery along the trail to determine how they will celebrate harvest in southeast Texas with special events. Tickets for this event are available through LocalWineEvents.com. Please click the button below to purchase your tickets now.

This event will be posted through the last Saturday in July 2010. Your trail tickets are good on any of the dates, July 24-25 or July 31-August 01, 2010, regardless of when you purchase them.

More information at: http://www.texasbluebonnetwinetrail.com/events.asp

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Messina Hof’s 2010 Harvest Festival

Messina Hof’s Harvest Festival spans 5 weekends, from the 3rd weekend of July to the 3rd weekend of August, filled with many exciting wine-related activities.

Festival activities include:

– Grape picking

– Grape stomping

– Vineyard cuisine luncheons

– Touring and tasting

– Wine and food pairing parties

– Special dinners featuring unique menus

Your Fun Begins in the Vineyard at 8:00am…After a brief orientation, you and your group are sent off to our 42-acre estate vineyard to pick the grapes that will be placed into service! You may even break into a Sicilian song with the winemaker himself, Messina Hof Co-Founder, Paul Bonarrigo. These are the very grapes that will go into the making of Messina Hof’s award-winning port.

More information at: http://www.messinahof.com/harvest10.php

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Bernhardt Winery Harvest Event Saturday, July 10, 2010

After six incredible years of working the vineyard, a real grape harvest will happen at Bernhardt Winery with an estimated harvest of around 3 tons! We will be hosting a harvest festival followed by a catered luncheon.

More information at: http://www.bernhardtwinery.com/events.asp

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Haak Winery Harvest Festival Come join us!

July 17, 2010 9:00 am – 4:00 pm PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE ! ! !

The harvest begins at 9:00 am with the Blessing of the Harvest by local clergy.  A brief safety and harvest instruction will be given before everyone begins harvesting the grapes.  Door prizes are drawn throughout the day.  A wonderful lunch will begin serving at 11:00 am.  See menu below.  Other Texas Wineries will be on hand to offer tastings of their wines with a chance to purchase them.  This is an annual event that Haak Winery hosts.  We hope you all can make it out and enjoy the day.

We will always have our Deli open and available for meats, cheeses, Spreads and Breads.  No outside food or drink allowed.   Reservations are not required.  The event is free and children are welcome.

Bring your own Wine Glass if you prefer and a lawn chair to make sure you have a seat and even a picnic blanket.  We do not reserve seats so it is first come, first serve.  Dress appropriately for the weather. Entertainment: DJ Frankie Tambrella

More information at: http://www.haakwine.com/events/event_schedule.php

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Hill Country Wine Trail 2010 Harvest Wine Trail • Aug 6-8 & 13-15

The vitality of the wine industry in The Texas Hill Country begins each year in August with the birth of the next vintage. We invite you to savor the sight, sound, smell and taste of Harvest with the Texas Hill Country Wineries. Make your plans to join us for the 2010 Harvest Wine Trail, August 6-8 and 13-15, and enjoy a wealth of opportunities to immerse yourself in the experience and lifestyle of harvest.

As the wine trail should be, it’s all about the wine, each winery visit will include a minimum of 1 and up to 3 complimentary tastes of wine and a 15% discount on custom 3 bottle purchases (wine choice varies per winery: winery choice or consumer choice). Taste, enjoy, choose your favorites and take them home! You will also have the option to add to your wine experience by printing off the downloadable Label Collection Book from your confirmation email. Print this book, visit the wineries, take notes and collect labels or memorabilia from each winery as a great keepsake from your Harvest Trail trip.

More information and tickets at: http://www.texaswinetrail.com/events.html

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