Want to learn about local vintner dinners, wine seminars, and free wine tastings? Check out the Houston Wine Calendar   

Wine Growing Regions of Texas 

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Texas Wine Grape Varieties and Clones

The basic principle to apply when selecting wine grape varieties with which to start a vineyard is to match the varieties to the climate. Texas vineyards are located in all parts of the state, which encompasses a wide variety of climatic conditions requiring varying considerations. Temperature is the most important climatic factor and one of the concerns in Texas is hot temperatures during the fruit-ripening portion of the season. In many regions of the state, there are additional concerns over potentially damaging cold temperatures in the dormant season and Spring frost damage to young shoots. Read More

Texas Wine Vineyards

The new Texas wine industry has prospered well since its rebirth in the early 1970's. Growers in all areas of the state have planted vineyards with great success. Charm, challenge, and fun have overpowered many viticultural necessities every grower must learn and accomplish. Start small; wine growing is the ultimate test for wanting and knowing what to do versus being able to do it. Read More

 Texas Vineyards Growing in Numbers and Respect 

The Wine Club, a congenial, long-established group, recently devoted its monthly get-together to Texas wines. Jerrie Jackson, who put on the event with her husband, Tom, wasn't certain what the response would be. Read More

Escorted Wine Tours in France from a former Houstonian - contact Rosemary

Coming Soon -- Reader Reviews of Houston's Wine Bars [send your reviews to us at HoustonWine@aol.com]

The American Wine Society, Houston Chapter, has grown from 8 original members in 1999 to about 50 today! Their mission is to encourage residents in the local Gulf region to explore, enjoy, and learn more about wine. 

The Wine Society of Texas  is dedicated to enhancing the appreciation of wine, especially Texas wines, educating the experienced as well as the beginning wine taster, and promoting the wine makers, and grape growers.

GustoTastings-Houston was created because the founders wanted to share their enthusiasm and passion for wine, spirits and cigars in a fun and comfortable learning environment.

Denman Moody (www.winewiththewedding.com)

Sterling Minor (www.sterlingwineconsultant.com)

Wine With Altitude -- Summer Wine Sipping in Colorado 

"Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talking about a little place called Aspen." Dumb and Dumber  (1994).  Houstonians have, for years, flocked to Colorado to escape the heat of summer.  Houston Wine offers the following wine tips for Houstonians who travel to the Rockies Read More

Texas Wine Imports - The Latest Ruling

by Sterling A. Minor

In 2005, the United States Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional laws of Michigan and New York that restricted out-of-state wineries from directly shipping their wine to consumers in the state [Granholm v. Heald]. Since that time, many states, including Texas, have modified the state’s law. Texas law now allows out-of-state wineries to ship, and Texas consumers to receive, unlimited shipments of a winery’s own wine.

However, consumers have fared poorly when the seller is a retailer rather than a winery. Read More

There are now 103 professionals who have earned the title Master Sommelier in North America.  Of those, 89 are men and 14 are women.  There are 168 professionals worldwide who have received the title of Master Sommelier since the first Master Sommelier Diploma Exam.  Houston is home to Guy Stout and Drew Hendricks, two members of this elite group.

Guy Stout is one of only 168 Master Sommelier (MS) in the world. He is also a Certified Wine Educator (CWE), and on the Board of Directors of the Society of Wine Educators. He is a founding member and Board of Director of the Texas Sommelier Association, specializing in education for the hospitality industry in Texas. Guy has been recognized as a Houston Icon for his contribution to the Wine and Food Industry of Texas.

He is the Corporate Director of Beverage Education for The Glazer’s Family of Companies, covering 12 states.

Guy has been the guest featured “wine expert” on the PBS cooking series Cucina Amore with Damian Mandola and Johnny Carrabba, founders of the Carrabba’s Restaurant Chain. He has appeared on a number of radio and television talk shows covering wine and food.c Guy is a member of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and owner of Stout Vineyards in the Texas Hill Country AVA, producing Syrah grapes and selling them to local wineries.

He is an active wine judge for a variety of national competitions; including the L. A. County Fair, Dallas Morning News, Jefferson Cup, Texas Open and Houston Rodeo Wine Competition.

He is also a graduate of the Wine and Spirits Management Institute at the University of Houston Hilton School for Hotel and Restaurant Management, where he is a guest lecturer. Guy is a member of the Houston Food and Beverage Managers Association, and an active spokesman for the adult beverage industry.

Drew Hendricks' mastery of wines at his young age and his levels of expertise and involvement in the wine industry is hard to match. In the winter of 2008, Hendricks achieved his Master Sommelier diploma. He was awarded second place at the National Chaine des Rotisseurs Young Sommelier Finals competition, and is the winner of the 2007 International Chaine des Rotisseurs Young Sommelier Competition. As co-founder and board member of the Texas Sommelier Association, he has co-hosted that organization’s three Texas Sommelier Conferences. Wine and Spirits magazine named Hendricks a “Best New Sommelier” in 2005.

Jonathan Honefenger traces his wine interest to a study abroad program in college. Traveling in Eastern Europe, he researched a study on the wines before, during and after communist rule. Armed with a working knowledge of Tokaji, he returned to the US to complete a history degree and to start a career in politics. But Honefenger soon realized that he wasn't cut out for that world and returned to his hometown of Houston. He got a job as a server at El Meson, and started to take courses through the International Sommelier Guild. He also completed both the Certified levels through the Court of Master Sommeliers. Honefenger then moved on to Brennan's of Houston as a sommelier, where he worked until Hurricane Ike destroyed the restaurant in 2008. In the aftermath, he helped open a wine bar called Vinoteka Poscol. and served as sommelier at Tony's. He was named one of 2009's best young sommeliers in Wine & Spirits magazine and won third place at the Texas Sommelier Conference's best sommelier competition in 2009. Houston bloggers report that Jonathan can be found at Branch Water Tavern these days.

Saree Mulhern, Wine Director for Mark's American Cuisine on Westheimer, developed an interest in food and wine while working in a restaurant in Gainesville, Florida during college.  Her interest in the hospitality industry led her to Hawaii, where she worked at Chef Roy Yamaguchi’s Kahana Bar and Grill in 1999.  As a Manager-in-Training, she assisted in managing the wine room and doing inventory.  Realizing an enthusiasm and natural tasting ability, Saree decided to focus more on developing herself in the wine industry. Promoted to Assistant General Manager in 2001, Saree moved to Roy’s Restaurant in Denver, Colorado, where she was able to develop her passion for fine food, great wine and exceptional service, thus beginning to make a name for herself. 

Two years later Saree opened Zoe’s in Virginia Beach, Virginia as Proprietor/Sommelier, earning a reputation as one of the areas’ top wine professionals.  She garnered many awards for both the restaurant and wine program including the Four Diamond Award, 2004-2005, Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence”, 2004-2005 and the Wine Enthusiast Award of Distinction in 2006.  Saree, herself, was a finalist in the competition, Best Young Sommelier in America, Mid-Atlantic Region. 

Before joining Mark’s American Cuisine as Sommelier in June 2007, Saree worked briefly for the Fountain Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and for the Hilton Hotel in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in both properties as Sommelier. 

Saree is a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers, was featured in Chalk Hill’s 2007 Sommelier’s

Sean Beck, CertifiedSommelier , is responsible for the wine served at Backstreet Café, Hugo's and Trevisio in Houston.  He has accumulated information on wine that would be remarkable for a wine enthusiast twice his age. But at a mere 30, Sean's in-depth knowledge of and appreciation for wine is definitely remarkable. He has a sharp palate and "nose" that can sense when the right pairing happens. Add that talent to a mind that retains practically everything it encounters, and the result is an enologist that ranks among the best. Sean recently received the title of Iron Sommelier after winning a local sommelier competition that raised money for children with cancer.

The Houston Wine Consultant

by Sterling A. Minor

This week we look at wines made primarily using the Merlot grape. Merlot is, by far, the most widely planted red grape in France . It is in fact the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux , which many people think of as Cabernet Sauvignon territory. Read More

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announces winners of wine competition

After more than 1,800 wines were tasted and judged, the winners were.... Read More

 Vintners suffer hangover from too much wine

Good stuff is flooding the market and dragging down prices worldwide. [details]

The Pinot Noir Chronicles, Part 13

Your window into the life of a specialty Pinot Noir grower
in Napa Valley. [details]

Rodney Strong Vineyard Becomes Sonoma County's First Carbon Neutral Winery

Leading Advocate of Solar Energy and Sustainable Farming is Now Carbon Neutral [details]

Wine Study Shows Price Influences Perception

A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but slap on a hefty price tag, and our opinion of it might go through the roof. At least that's the case with the taste of wine, say scientists from the California Institute of Technology and Stanford University. Read More

Dry Creek Vineyard Continues Partnership with U.S. Sailing

Six-year relationship places the winery as the "Official Wine for Sailors" Read More

Denman's Wine Blog is written by Houston oenophile and wine consultant, Denman Moody;

Fork and Cork is a wine blog written by Dale Robertson  for the Houston Chronicle;

Charles M. Bear Dalton writes a Bits & Pieces, a weekly wine column for Spec's newsletter;

Cleverley Stone covers the Houston restaurant and wine scene at blog.cleverley.com;

CulinaryThymes is a Houston based website that provides entertaining, informative commentary and trusted recommendations in a fun and concise format. The site is edited by Alyce Woodman Eyster, who for six years served as publisher and editorial director of Culinary Thymes magazine.

Houstonian Robyn Tinsley is managing editor of www.WineSkinny.com, a website that provides information and descriptions about wine, food pairings and ways to happily incorporate wine into your daily lifestyle;

Houston attorney Tom Casagrande publishes Blue State Carpetbagger's Red State Wine Blog.  Tom provides an idiosyncratic journal of some good inexpensive wines available in Houston;

Anonymouseater is another Houston attorney who writes Food in Houston, a fun and brutally honest blog about the Houston restaurant scene;

Mandee Willey describes herself as an amateur just trying to find her way through the vines.  In Houston Uncorked  she provides  her views about Houston wine spots and shares her love of wine with area residents;

Celebrated Houston restaurant critic, Alison Cook, writes the Cooks Tour  blog for the Houston Chronicle;

Graphic designer Joe Power and attorney Amy Corron Power , "The Wine Wonkette", publish Another Wine Blog, a sophisticated and entertaining blog that you'll find addictive;

The Wine Cult is a local Houston group of wine lovers who think that anyone can have a voice in the world of wine;

Drink Dogma is a cocktail and wine blog from the owner of the Anvil Bar & Lounge in Houston;

Houston Wine Tastings provides information about Houston  wine tastings, happy hours, wine dinners and other fun oenophile events;

Cepage Noir is written by Christopher Massie, certified sommelier and former owner of Christopher's Wine Warehouse in Houston.  You'll enjoy his take on the (hack) Houston wine bar scene;

Houston Wine Geeks at Ruggles Cafe Bakery is an informal group of wine enthusiasts focused on the ins-and-outs of wine appreciation and wine education;

Vintage Texas is a wine blog in search of Texas terroir.