Write Off the Vine: Texas Wine News – March 10, 2012
Winegrowing Regions of Texas
Texas has eight officially recognized winegrowing regions; these are known as American Viticultural Areas (AVA). The most important features that characterize a winegrowing region are the interrelated factors of climate, soils, and topography.
This website presents general descriptions and technical data to characterize the growing conditions within the AVA of Texas. It further provides an interactive geographic information system (GIS) that enables detailed spatial exploration of each AVA.
More: http://txwineregions.tamu.edu/
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DLW 2012 will be held April 27-29 in Denver
DrinkLocalWine.com will hold its fourth annual conference April 27-29, 2012 in Denver, focusing on Colorado wine. The state’s industry is one of the most unique in the wine business; its high altitude produces growing conditions that are different from all but two or three other regions in the world.
More: http://www.drinklocalwine.com/2011/07/dlw-2012-will-be-held-april-27-29-in-denver.html
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Why Mess with the Texas Wine & Grape Industry?
By Patricia M. Roth (WineBusiness.com)
Hats off to the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association for another successful conference & trade show at the San Marcos Embassy Suites. This annual event is also when TWGGA brings on its new board members. High Plains grape grower Bobby Cox was sworn in as the new president. Bobby follows Gary Elliott, the owner/winemaker of Driftwood Estate Winery. Ron Yates of Spicewood Vineyards is president-elect.
“The economy is good, wine sales are strong, and Texas wines are starting to be better received in the market,” Bobby said, following the show. He added that the High Plains region is starting to attract capital from outside the area, including younger people. “That’s extremely positive.” Bobby would know. He’s known as a pioneer in the region and now works as a consultant with the wine industry’s best. Bobby talked about expanding the wine “universe” with some of the unique varieties that grow in Texas, such as Vermentino and Trebbiano.
More: http://www.winebusiness.com/blog/?go=getBlogEntry&dataId=97745
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Sigel’s Celebrates Texas With Spirits, Beer and Wine
By Hayley Hamilton (D Magazine/SideDish)
In celebration of our recent Texas Independence Day, Texas Flag Day and Sam Houston Day (all of which occurred last Friday, March 2) Sigel’s is holding a TexasFest with a Lone Star sized celebration of all things Texas including some of the state’s best beer, wine and spirits. This Saturday from 1pm-4pm at the Sigel’s-Elite on Fitzhugh 24 Texas beers, 20 Texas spirits and 8 Texas wines will be poured including beer from Deep Ellum Brewery, Rahr and Sons, St. Arnold, Real Ale and more, with spirits from Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka, Tito’s Vodka, Dripping Springs Vodka, Pecan Street Rum, Waterloo Gin, Rebecca Creek Whiskey, Balcones and more, and wine from Lone Oak including their San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition winning Viognier.
More: http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2012/03/07/sigels-celebrates-texas-with-spirits-beer-and-wine/
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Texas WineSlinger a Must Read for Lovers of Wine
By Ron Saikowski / Houston Wine Walk
Every once in a while I encounter a great read about wines. One recent find is “THE WINE SLINGER CHRONICLES.” Wine lover, Dr. Russ Kane, has been roaming the Texas highways visiting wineries and vineyards researching the best, average, and bad of Texas wineries and vineyards.
His two-plus years of research has culminated in a collector’s history of the evolution of grapes and wines in Texas, starting from the early Spanish missionaries’ efforts in growing grapes and making wines to today’s technologically advanced vineyards and stainless steel, glycol-cooled fermentation tanks surrounded by rooms of oak barrels with aging wines.
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March 10: Second Saturday Concert Kickoff
Singer/songwriter and novelist Mike Blakely kicks off the 2nd Saturday Concert of 2012. This is Mike’s third time to Swinging Waters to perform at the winery; the Buchanan Dam resident has 11 albums of original TexAmericana music to his credit. This is a family-friendly event, and there will be plenty of wine to go along with the music. 1 p.m. March 10 at Singing Water Vineyards, 316 Mill Dam Road, Comfort
More: http://texas.localwinos.com/2012/03/tx/the-other-46/texas/march-10-saturday-concert-kickoff.html
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Texas Wine and Rogue Art Festival
Join us for a wonderful afternoon of wine tasting and art! Featuring 20 wineries, a tremendous viewing of artists and their works from around Texas, and, of course, delectable foods. Free admission! $10 at the door buys six tasting tickets & a souvenir wine glass. $5 for four additional tickets.
Children are allowed, as well as, well-behaved pets on leashes. The location of the event is 841 N. Main St., Salado TX.
More: http://saladowinefestival.com/
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Wine Festival in Refugio This Weekend
The annual event is a chance for local wineries to showcase their latest vintages to Texas wine enthusiasts. This year’s gathering also celebrates the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Refugio, organizers said. Tickets are $10 for two days of wine tastings, gourmet foods and local bands at the historic Heritage Park located in downtown Refugio. A commemorative wineglass will be given with admission.
What: Texas Independence Wine Classic
When: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
Where: Heritage Park in Refugio, U.S. Highway 77 at West Street
Expect gourmet cheeses on hand, gyros, artisan breads and delectable desserts such as gourmet chocolate.
More: http://entertainment.caller.com/?p=9389
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Wine Time – Tasting Notes: This Week in Wine Blogs
By Jeremy Parzen (HoustonPress Blogs/Eating Our Words)
VintageTexas: While we were celebrating the Texas repatriation of Houston native son and U.S. wine celebrity Ray Isle, it seems that top Texas wine blogger Russ Kane was not pleased by the fact that Ray didn’t include any Texan wines in his recommendations is his Eatocracy.CNN.com post “Pairings for Tex-Mex: Wine not?”
29-95: Top Houston wine (and sports) writer Dale Robertson delivered this fantastic profile of another Texan wine celebrity, Vanessa Treviño Boyd, wine director at Philippe on Post Oak. Vanessa was just named one of the top sommeliers in 2012 by Food and Wine.
More: http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2012/03/tex_mex_wine_russ_kane.php
Great News God Bless Texas Wine. Paul Bonarrigo Messina Hof Winery