Spring is in the definitely in the air (my allergies wholeheartedly agree!) which means it’s the perfect time to visit Texas wine country! Here’s what’s going on in April.
Texas Hill Country Passport Event
Tickets are now on sale for the Wine & Wildflower Journey, which will be happening from now through April 22nd at over 40 wineries in the picturesque Texas Hill Country. This event is the second of four self-guided passport events Texas Hill Country Wineries hosts throughout the year, allowing consumers to experience a world of wine at a variety of participating wineries.
With the purchase of a digital Event Passport, consumers can taste at up to four wineries per day over the course of each event, as well as receive exclusive discounts on bottle purchases.
Passport tickets are $100/couple or $65/individual and are valid for the duration of the celebration. (With the average winery tasting fee being $25/person, the total value of the passport is over $950!) You’ll have 26 days to discover Texas wine and take in the colorful Hill Country wildflowers.
Pedernales Cellars Wine and Wildflower Dinner
There still time to get in on the Pedernales Cellars Wine and Wildflower Dinner happening Saturday, April 9. Dinner begins at 6pm and runs until around 9pm. And if the weather cooperates, they have the dinner on the fabulous deck so guests can enjoy the sunset and view.
And what a menu!
- Course 1: 2020 Chenin Blanc paired with Lion’s Main Mushroom Cakes
- Course 2: 2019 Dry Rose paired with Smoked Salmon Tarts
- Course 3: 2014 Tempranillo Reserve paired with South Texas Antelope Trio
- Course 4: 2014 Family Reserve paired with Wild Boar and Spring Vegetables
- Course 5: 2020 Kyla Pet Nat paired with Brie Bites with Fresh Berries
Tickets are $180 / person (gratuity included).
Inaugural Texas Wine Auction
The inaugural Texas Wine Auction will take place Saturday, April 9 at 6pm at Vista Oaks Event Center. The event will feature an evening of live and silent auctions, music performances by The Powell Brothers, and culinary delights with wine pairings presented by Texas chefs and wineries. Top winemakers from all over Texas will be ready to share their best wines.
Texas Wine Revolution is a 501(c)(3) organization. The auction was developed to bring together a collective of Texas wineries and winemakers to showcase the beauty of 100% Texas-grown wine and raise money for some incredible organizations.
Beneficiaries of the event include Hill Country Memorial Foundation, which will establish a medical mobile unit providing wellness services throughout the Hill Country for underserved populations including employees of restaurants, wineries, vineyards, and other hospitality personnel. In addition, an endowment to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Viticulture & Fruit Lab will help with research and development to further the Texas Wine industry. Now who can’t get behind this?!
Texas Fine Wine April Tasting
The bi-monthly Texas Fine Wine series, Talk and Tastes, is back this month. The series features the wines of the producers that Texas Fine Wine represents. On April 14, they will feature single four vineyard wines – 2018 Bending Branch Tannat from Newsom Vineyards, 2020 Duchman 2020 Roussanne from Oswald Vineyard, 2019 Pedernales Petite Sirah from Farmhouse Vineyards, and 2019 Spicewood Tempranillo (black label) from Dutton Vineyards.
The tastings are always informative and is a great opportunity for folks to not only learn about the featured wines, but also about other goings-on in the Texas wine industry.
William Chris Easter Egg Roll
It’s springtime which means Easter and all that goes with it. Join William Chris for an Easter egg roll at the winery on Saturday, April 16 from 11am-3pm. It’s sure to be a rolling good time. Y’all see what I did there, right?
Fall Creek Paint & Sip Party
The folks at HelloAustinTX are bringing the paint party to Fall Creek’s Driftwood location on Friday, April 22. The party starts at 6pm and tickets are $25. HelloAustinTX has been partnering with wineries, breweries, etc. since 2014 to put on fun paint and sip events. I love Fall Creek’s Driftwood location with its gorgeous patio area complete with beautiful gardens, lush vineyards, and majestic oaks that make it difficult to leave. And I’ve been told that my painting gets better with wine. IJS…
Messina Hof Wine & Roses Festival
Join Messina Hof on Saturday, April 23rd and Sunday, April 24 at their estate in Bryan, Texas, for their 38th annual Wine & Roses Festival! Visitors will be able to enjoy live music, shop a vendor fair full of products from local artisans, participate in pairing experiences, vote for the next Texas Artist Wine Label Competition winner, compete in their Grape Stomp Competition, and of course, taste award-winning Texas wines!
I’ve stomped grapes at Messina Hof in the past and it’s a lot of fun!
Can’t bear to leave Fido at home? Well, you’re in luck. On Sunday, April 24th Messina Hof is putting on its Waggles and Wine event as part of the festival!
The pooches are guaranteed to have a PAWsitively good time while their humans can hang out with other dog-lovers and sip on plenty of award-winning Texas wine! And the event is FREE to the public, so what better way to spend a Sunday?
Texas Wine Collective Tasting Series – Texas vs California
The folks at the Texas Wine Collective (whose fun tasting experiences I’ve previously covered) will put three of their Texas wines up against three California wines on Sunday, April 24. The Collective is home to 3 wineries – Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery, and McPherson Cellars and known for their unique tasting opportunities. I can’t wait to see which wines will be featured. And as usual for them, the wines will be paired with fun bites. Tickets are $55.00 per person, with two sessions available – 12:30 or 2:30.
Becker Vineyards Annual Lavender Fest
Join Becker Vineyards for all things lavender as they put on their 23rd annual Lavender Fest. The event will take place Saturday and Sunday, April 30 and May 1 at the winery.
The festival will feature artisans, vendors, musicians, food trucks, live music, and of course wine tasting. Special events during the festival include a specially curated lavender luncheon and a lavender and bites pairing experience on Saturday, as well as a Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday. Tickets start at $45 and go up from there depending on the different experiences enjoyed.
Signor Vineyards Spanish Language Tastings
I so love this and am surprised we don’t have more of this in Texas. Signor Vineyards now has an option for Spanish Speaking wine enthusiasts to book a Tasting in Spanish with Enrique Hernandez.
Enrique is an excellent communicator in both English and Spanish, and his warmth, charm, and passion are universally appealing. The tastings are currently available on Thursdays from noon to 5:00 pm.
Coming Next Month…Mother’s Day Brunch at Kerrville Hills Winery
Why not give mom what she really wants? Wine! Next month, Kerrville Hills Winery is celebrating mom with a Mother’s Day brunch. Brunch will feature bottomless wine cocktails (#winning), along with pancakes, breakfast sausage, eggs benedict casserole with hollandaise sauce, fruit salad, and more! Tickets are only $60 and are bound to be a hot commodity. Plan accordingly!
Texas Wine Spotlight – Lost Draw Cellars Picpoul Blanc
One of southern France’s oldest varieties, I still remember when I was first introduced to this wine and fell in love with it. Loosely translating to “lip stinger” due to its natural lively acidity, the Texas versions are dangerously easy drinking wines. Green fruits (apple, pear, melon) along with some citrus and minerality makes them great for warm days. The Lost Draw Cellars ($30-35) Picpoul is a perennial drinker in our house. I got my most recent bottle at local wine shop, Houston Wine Merchant but it’s also available online from the winery.
While I loves me some bubbly with fried chicken, the acidity in Picpoul made me think it would play well here. Well, my initial thought was a fried shrimp po-boy, but you get the idea. And yes my friends, it did indeed fit the bill. The acidity loved the salt and fat in the chicken and did a good job of cleansing the palate between bites. Now excuse me while I lick my fingers…
And y’all be sure to get out there and enjoy some Texas wine and Texas hospitality!
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