 22nd Annual
Texas Hill
Country Wine
& Food
Festival
By: Paula Biehler
Photography: Courtesy of
Texas Hill Country W&FF
It’s that time of year again for the 22nd annual Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival, (THCW&FF) known for celebrating the best of the region’s culinary offerings.
Honoring its multicultural roots, and with that expected Austin-centric vibe, THCW&FF unveils five days of tastings, winery luncheons, galas and seminars March 28-April 1 in and around Austin.
Festival highlights include seminars, cooking classes and winemaker luncheons at various Austin locations, kicking off with a Central Market cooking class, The Sauvignon Blanc Experience, with Chef John Ash presenting a taste comparison of Sauvignon Blancs from around the world and sharing his favorite small plate recipes. Winner of a 2005 James Beard Foundation award and 1985 Food & Wine “Hot New Chef,” Ash presides at John Ash & Company, which continues to be one of the top dining establishments in Northern California’s wine country.
Three of Austin’s own wine experts, and winners of Texas’ Best Sommelier competition in 2006, share the secrets of their favorite Texas wines in Three Sommeliers Take on Texas moderated by Devon Broglie of Whole Foods Market, Craig Collins of Prestige Cellars and Scott Cameron of Epicurean Wines.
Jeff Cox, well-known author of The Organic Cook’s Bible and TV personality of PBS’ Your Organic Garden, leads a panel of organic wine producers during An Organic Approach wine seminar. Joshua Wesson, renowned wine expert and co-owner of the national chain of wine stores, Best Cellars, explores both still and sparkling Rosé wines in A Bouquet of Rosés. He will also lead a panel of wine world mavericks in Fun and Funky, focusing on the irreverent disregard for tradition and new attempts to push the boundaries of winemaking toward wines that ooze with personality. Serious big red lovers will appreciate Big Impact Reds, as distinguished winemakers present their award-winning wines.
Parlez-vous francais? Enjoy a Texas Hill Country French repast at Becker Vineyards prepared by San Antonio French chefs with each course paired with a Texas wine grown from French grapes in Texas soil. Chefs include Thierry Burkle of Restaurant L’Etoile, Frederick Costa of Frederick’s, and Chef Jean Francais Pujual of Cafeggio.
Becker Vineyards was built around a reproduction of a 19th-century German stone barn housing the winery and tasting room. There are 46 acres of grapevines in production, including French Bordeaux, Rhone and Burgundian varieties. Located behind the Becker winery is a three-acre field of lavender, which Richard and Bunny Becker decided to plant after a trip to Provence in France. Their award-winning wines have been enjoyed at the White House, the Texas Governor’s mansion, and at President Bush’s ranch in Crawford.
Texas Disposal Systems’ Exotic Game Ranch, just south of Austin, has been a favorite venue for festival-goers, and this year’s event gets even hotter as guest chef Aaron Sanchez from Paladar in New York City sets the mood for Latin Sizzles, celebrating the exotic flavors, wines and rhythms of Latin America. Sanchez will also share his recipes at a Central Market cooking class during the festival, joined by some of Texas' finest chefs, including San Antonio’s own Diana Barrios of Los Barrios.
Enjoy the meal of a lifetime in the iconic cattle-baron splendor of the Driskill Hotel as six award-winning Texas chefs present the Texas Culinary Masters Dinner. Chefs to date include Austin’s David Bull and pastry chef Mark Chapman of the Driskill Grill, both named top chefs in the country by national magazines; James Beard Award-winner Robert del Grande of the legendary Café Annie in Houston; and Fort WorthBrian Olenjack of Olenjack’s Grille, whose previous restaurant, The Chisholm Club, was the recipient of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence in 2004.
 The culinary stars of Texas shine brightly on Friday night at Stars Across Texas Grand Tasting in the ballroom of the Austin Hilton Hotel. Over 30 wineries will be pouring, with more than 60 restaurants present, including some of San Antonio’s best, such as Silo, Francesca's at Sunset, Grey Moss Inn, The Lodge, Bin 555, Citrus at the Valencia Hotel and Lily's Cookies. Other stars include Stephen Pyles and La Duni of Dallas, Big Bend’s Gage Hotel and Austin favorites Hudson's on the Bend and Aquarelle.
The festival brings back its highly successful outdoor farmers’ market-inspired tasting event, From Texas Farm to Texas Table, on Saturday, March 31 from 10 am until 1pm at Austin Farmers’ Market, downtown at Fourth and Guadalupe. Local and guest chefs will pair up with regional farmers, cheese makers and sustainable-meat purveyors to create tasty dishes showcasing the freshest of Texas’ bounty.
Those in attendance will have a chance for one-on-one interaction with the chefs, winery owners and, most of all, members of the Austin Farmers’ Market Downtown. Recipes and suggested wine pairings will be available. This is a great educational experience on how to shop at a farmers’ market and to prepare fresh, healthy food.
Back on the banks of the San Gabriel River in Georgetown, the festival culminates with the traditional Sunday Fair, which draws close to 5,000 in attendance. It’s the best of Texas’ culinary scene — from five stages of culinary demonstrations, to over 50 food exhibitors sampling Lone Stars edibles, wineries from Texas and the world, live Texas music, a wine and spirits seminar tent, and four stages for chef demos, including a few Texas showdowns with an expected favorite chef competition between Chef David Bull of the Driskill Grill and San Antonio favorite, Chef Jason Dady of Bin 555.
For more information, visit www.texaswineandfood.org.
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