Napa Valley Vintners Hit the Texas Trail

Napa Valley Vintners Hit the Texas Trail

Twice a year, the Napa Valley Vintners hit the road with principals and winemakers from member wineries, focusing each trip on region of the country. This year, the vintners are coming to Texas. This week they will host a mix of trade and consumer wine tasting events and educational programs in Houston and Dallas.

I’ll be attending today’s meeting at MinuteMade Park, usually the home of our Houston Astros baseball team, who are resting their bats after a long, so-so season. Will the Napa Valley Vintners, hit a home run today at MinuteMaid Park? Well, I’ll let you know. Follow my Twitter feed (hashtag #TasteNapa). There’s certainly a lot that we can learn in the Texas wine industry from the acknowledged “big boys and girls” of the wine world from Napa Valley.

The trade tasting event today will run from 1:30 – 4:30 pm. Tomorrow, the Dallas event will be held 1:30 – 4:30 pm at Cityplace Conference Center. Then, its on to Oklahoma City.

There are also ancillary tasting events as part of the Napa Valley Vintners Tour. For example, tonight “A Night in Napa” Women of Wine Charity Tasting for Houston Area Women’s Center 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (6:00 – 6:30 p.m. is VIP entry) $100/person, The Allen Center, 1200 Smith Street, Houston, TX 77002

Join the Women of Wine (WOW) as they raise money for a worthwhile cause while sipping on the very best from 11 Napa Valley wine producers. All money raised from this spectacular wine tasting will be donated to the Houston Area Women’s Center – a safe haven for women suffering from domestic or sexual violence.

*To purchase tickets, please visit http://www.wowcharities.org/events/fundraiser or call 713 532 6907.

In Dallas,  Meet the Vintners at Centennial Fine Wines & Spirits (three locations) Wednesday, October 13,  5:30 – 7:30 p.m. FREE

6805 West Northwest Highway store (tel. 214-368-4162): TURNBULL WINE CELLARS

8123 Preston Road store (tel. 214-361-6697): KRUPP BROTHERS ESTATES

15055 Inwood Road, Addison, TX store (tel. 972-239-5891): HONIG VINEYARDS

These in-store events feature great Napa Valley wineries and the people behind them–and they give customers a unique opportunity to purchase (and learn about) several limited-edition Premiere Napa Valley wines. Premiere Napa Valley is the NVV’s annual barrel tasting and auction, the American wine industry’s most prestigious gathering for the wine trade, held each February. Bidders from across the country and around the globe purchase the 200 unique, small-lot crafted-only-for-PNV offerings.

“Angels & Aces” March of Dimes Signature Chefs of Dallas Event, Wednesday, October 13, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., $300/person, Frontiers of Flight Museum, 6911 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas, TX 75209

The 15th annual Signature Chefs of Dallas will feature 20 chef’s dishes paired to Napa Valley wines. The evening will feature Lead Chef, Kent Rathbun and 19 other Dallas area top chefs. Festivities will begin with a VIP reception, followed by magnificent culinary samplings paired with exquisite wines from 40 of Napa Valley’s finest vintners. A live auction with one-of-a-kind items wrap up the evening’s festivities. Proceeds benefit research to find causes for birth defects and improve infant health. In addition, it provides support for perinatal education and programs about healthier babies.

*To purchase tickets, contact Katie Sperry at 972-232-1355.

Keenan, La Sirena, and ZD Wine Dinner at Abacus Restaurant, Wednesday, October 13, 6:30 p.m. $160/person (plus tax and gratuity), Abacus Restaurant, 4511 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, TX 75201

Enjoy amazing Napa Valley wines—and talk to vintners–from Keenan Winery, La Sirena, and ZD Wines, paired with a special menu at Kent Rathbun’s renowned Abacus restaurant.

*To reserve, contact Julie Baker at 214-520-0151.

Peju Wine Dinner at The Place at Perry’s, Wednesday, October 13, 7:00 p.m. $85/person (plus tax and gratuity), The Place at Perry’s Steakhouse, 2911 Routh Street, Dallas, TX 75205

Join Herta Peju for a multi-course dinner featuring a stellar selection of Peju Province wines, including the 2009 “Pink” (a special wine whose proceeds go in part to support breast cancer research and awareness.)

*To reserve, call 214-871-9991.

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More information on Napa Valley Vintners Association, go to: http://www.napavintners.com