Write Off the Vine – Texas Wine News: Holiday Edition

Write Off the Vine – Texas Wine News

To the Tune of Auld Lang Syne…

The traditional song for ringing in the New Year in almost every English speaking country in the world is Auld Lang Syne. This New Year Song is generally credited to Robert Burns, but earlier versions of this ballad precede his time. Burns combined a common Scottish folk song with his own lyrics to arrive at the version commonly sung on New Year’s Eve. What is the meaning of this New Year’s Eve Song? Auld Lang Syne is about old friends who have parted and meet again. To celebrate their long friendship, they share a drink together and reminisce of memories from long ago.

A Rare, Five-Legged Arthropod Turkey

To the readers of the Blog at VintageTexas.com, I also want share with you a photo of the Christmas turkey that my daughter Caroline and I prepared for this year’s celebration. To satify all takers, we located this rare, five-legged arthropod turkey. This was the only way we could get the amount of dark and white meat to work out right.

Actually, we creatively added a package of three turkey legs to our 16 pound turkey. Everything was brined for three days in a concoction of apple juice, white wine, salt, sugar and rosemary and oregano and it cooked-up nicely to thunderous applause from the family.

I also wish you all a happy, hearty and healthy New Year. Please celebrate responsibly and enjoy the following Texas wine news stories. I will be looking for you in the new year.

Write Off the Vine – Texas Wine News

Tour Texas Wine Country, the Perfect Holiday Gift

Take a tour of Central Texas’ wine country (home to more than 14 wineries) in style via luxurious sedans and limos, even in a hot-air balloon. Phone 512-329-7007. Toll-free 800-940-7007. http://www.texaswinetours.com.

Tiny Winery in Orange, Texas Stuns the Big Guys with Win

Alfred Flies of Piney Woods Texas Winery just might be the David of the Goliath Texas wine world.

Texas has become a wine-rich state, with wineries scattered from the picturesque Hill Country to West Texas. The state boasts numerous vineyards with hundreds of acres of old-vine, heritage-style grapes, large facilities and master winemakers.

But the 85-year-old man in Orange, Texas with six acres of native Texas muscadine grapes humbled all the rest when his semi-dry Texas Moon Magnolia wine took home the Top Texas Wine award at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition last month.

For more: http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=94024792

Wine.com Releases Their List of Top 100 Wines for 2008

The Wine.com 100 list for 2008 shows customers are choosing both quality and price, with 94 of the wines rated 90 points or higher from leading wine publications and over 70 wines priced under $20. The Wine.com 100 list also demonstrates your demand for notable brands such as Silver Oak, Caymus, Dom Perignon, Cakebread, Duckhorn, and Jordan.

For list of the top 100 wines, go to: http://www.wine.com/v6/winemarketinglist.aspx?list=128&s=100&cid=100

Bonarrigos Pioneered Texas Wine Industry

Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo have pioneered the Texas wine industry with their Messina Hof winery in Bryan.
 
Little did Paul Bonarrigo know when he moved from the east coast to Texas in December 1971, he would be making history as a Texas wine maker. Paul received his Physical Therapy degree from Columbia University, served in the Navy for three years, and then received a great job offer from St. Joseph Hospital to start a Physical Therapy Department. Paul also started a private physical therapy practice as a side business which continues to the present. During one of his treatment sessions, he met Ron Perry who was working on his PHD dissertation on the economic feasibility of growing grapes in Texas.

For more: http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2008/12/19//greater_houston_weekly/top_of_the_week//1217_houston_wine_walk.txt

Wine Matters: Food, music sprouting among the vines for 2009

As the year draws to a close, many are planning for next year’s challenges. The folks who make up the Hill Country wine scene are no exception.

Though the economy may seem uncertain, projects large and small are under way at wineries from New Braunfels to Mason. Here’s what a handful of vintners and winery owners have on hand for 2009:

Alamosa Wine Cellars in Bend is looking forward to harvesting its first graziano and tannat this year, owner Karen Johnson says. She and her husband, Jim Johnson, also will be planting verdelho, which is a grape that does well in Spain’s warmer climates.

For more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/Wine_Matters_Food_music_sprouting_among_the_vines_for_2009.html

Happy New Year!!

Russ Kane – http://VintageTexas.com/blog

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2 Comments

  1. Happy New Year….its 2009.

    I just want to say that I have enjoyed your blog in 2008 and hope for even more fun and educational reading in 2009.

    Toast to Texas, Texas wines and the People of Texas.

    Cheers

    Texan in the Woods

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