Write Off the Vine: Texas Wine News for January 9, 2009

Write Off the Vine: Texas Wine News for January 9, 2009

Wow, 2009 is starting off with a bang. Lots of excellent wines to taste, new things to learn, and great wineries to visit. See below….

The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas: Wine 101 Class – Wine & Sushi

Wednesday, January 14, 2009; Time: 6:30 P.M. – 8 P.M.
Where: Kenobi Restaurant & Sushi Bar; 10000 Research Blvd. in the Arboretum Austin, Texas 78759. Cost: $50 for Foundation Members and $60 for general admission.

Love wine? Love sushi? Love sommeliers? Join us this Wednesday evening at Kenobi Restaurant & Sushi Bar for our first class in 2009, Wine 101, with top Austin sommelier Devon Broglie! This fantastic class is designed for those with limited wine experience. Wine 101 will cover basic wine topics, such as wine theory, evaluation, methods and most importantly, tasting! Although this session will be introductory in style, novices and connoisseurs alike will enjoy absorbing some new wine facts and trivia.

Wine List:
Avinyo Cava Brut, Penedés; 2007 Hunter’s Sauvignon Blanc; 2007 Villa Masetti Pinot Grigio; 2005 Three Saints Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley; 2005 Serenity Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara; 2006 Razor’s Edge Shiraz McLaren Vale; 2006 Château Bellevue Lussac-St. Émilion Les Griottes

“Small Bites” Menu by Chef/Co-Owner John Park (subject to change):
Citrus Sea Bass; Maguro Crudo; Seiho Scallops; Sirloin Yakitori Skewers; Rib-eye Maki;
Coffee Rubbed New York Strip

To register for this event, visit www.winefoodfoundation.org or call us at the Foundation office, 512-327-7555. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis and are non-refundable. To become a member of the Foundation in 2009, visit www.winefoodfoundation.org.

Fodor’s Features Fine Wines of the Texas Hill Country

Newsflash: You don’t have to go to Napa or the Saint Ynez Valley to sample good wine. Vintners across Texas are abuzz with hearty blends of wine that have started turning heads from wine spectators worldwide. Some of the most talked about wines originate in the Hill Country, straight from the region’s arid limestone earth–the same type of soil you’d find in northwest Italy, southern Spain, and Provence.

The best time to come is when wine-related festivals are underway. These include the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest held at the end of October, the Gruene Music & Wine Fest held in the beginning of October and the San Antonio New World Wine & Food Festival at the beginning of November. If you come in the spring, you’ll be treated to the splash of wildflowers (including the vibrant bluebonnets) along the roads and Austin’s Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival in mid-March.

The [Texas] Hill Country has been turning out wines since the 1970s…..

For more and Fodor’s recommended wineries to visit: http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/texas/the-hill-country/feature_30008.html

TEXAS ENOLOGY OUTREACH PROGRAMS – Spring 2009

A new dimension has been added to the T. V. Munson Viticulture Enology Program through state funds provided by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The Munson Program at Grayson County College was awarded funds to provide training seminars in enology at sites across the State of Texas. The following schedule provides information on the seminars that will be held at various times and sites during the spring semester. They are honored to provide this training and welcome your attendance.

Roadmap to Developing and Designing a Commercial Winery – $100; January 12 – 9 am – 5 pm; Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center; 4801 LaCrosse Avenue, Austin, TX

From the idea stage to how to get your first vintage in the bottle, this seminar provides a road map on how to develop and design your commercial winery. From business planning, to developing wine styles, licensing, and facility issues you will be provided a series of checklists to facilitate your planning. Other topics include sizing your initial winery facility, planning for growth, cooling systems, waste water handling, crush pad design, equipment integration, and alternative power sources such as solar and geo-thermal.

Speakers: Gary McKibben, Johnson McKibben Architects & Owner/Winemaker of Red Caboose Winery, Meridian, TX; Bob White, Owner/Winemaker of Texoma Winery, Whitewright, TX.

Wine Styles and Techniques: American Hybrids – $100; February 16 – 9 am – 5 pm, Cat Springs, TX

Examination of wine style and techniques utilizing American hybrid grape varieties. Wine making and marketing considerations as varietals and as blends. A review of Munson varieties with commercial wine production potential. Wine styles for Blanc du Bois and Black Spanish.

Speaker: Dr. Charles Edison, Bel Lago Vineyards and Winery, Cedar, MI and Dr. Roy Renfro, T. V. Munson Viticulture Enology Center, Denison, TX

For more information on these and other 2009 outreach programs: http://www.tvmunson.org/Outreach%20Schedule%20spring%2009.pdf or http://www.tvmunson.org/