Texas Wine Month Courtesy of Go Texan Wine

Though it hardly feels like it outside, Fall is officially upon us. For most people, that means football, autumn foliage and closed-toe shoes. For me it means, Texas Wine Month is here! And there’s no better way to enjoy Texas wine than on a few select road trips along the Texas Wine Trails, signing up for a few Texas wine pairing dinners, or stopping by for a few of the seasons wine and food festivals across the state. With something going in virtually all parts of the state, there’s really no excuse not to find a fantastic way to enjoy Texas wine this month. Here are a few choice events to check out.

September 30 & October 1

Texas Fall Fest

The 7^th Annual Texas Fall Fest kicks off Texas Wine month at Horseshoe Bay and Marble Falls a “Sunset Stroll” featuring wines from 18 Texas Wineries and tasty treats from 14 area restaurants on Friday evening. Restaurants include: Jack Allen’s Kitchen, Lantana Grill, Navajo Grill, VIVO, Rather Sweet Bakery & Café, Silver K Café, Salt Lick BBQ, The Gage Hotel, Iguana Grill, Kerbey Lane Café, Sideoats Café. Click her for a list of Texas wines. Saturday evening will showcase a wine auction, an evening stroll through Marble Falls’ historic Main Street, and a special dinner prepared by acclaimed Chef Lou Lambert.

September 29–October 23, 2011

The State Fair of Texas Wine Garden

Join Big Tex and a world of fried food for the great State Fair of Texas. While you’re there, stop over at the Texas Wine garden where each day there are tastings from different wineries across the state. Aside from tasting wines you may not have tried before, the garden offers a few great shady spots to sip wine, nibble cheese (that hasn’t been deep fried), watch fair-goers and on the weekends, listen to live jazz. Click here for details.

Courtesy of Go Texan Wine

October 4, 2011 at 7pm

Messina Hof Wine Pairing Dinner at Jack Allen’s Kitchen.

Chefs Jack Gilmore and Chris TenEyck have created a scrumptious southern-inspired lineup paired with selections from Bryan, Texas’ hidden gem, Messina Hof Winery. The evening will feature Messina Hof Winery owners, Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo and their rich Texas vintages perfectly paired with Gilmore and TenEyck’s cuisine. The menu includes chile-crusted seared scallops with apple crème fraiche; wild boar house-cured pork belly, pear and micro green salad with tomatillo honey vinaigrette, ancho-crusted wood-grilled quail with sweet potato crush and rosemary demi-glace; Texas blackberry-glazed sliced ribeye with shoestring crispy scallion parmesan fries and grilled fall vegetables; macadamia chocolate truffle wedge. All courses are paired with select wines from Messina Hof winery. $65 per person; reservations required.512.745.4713 or banquets@jackallenskitchen.com

October 7 & 8, 2011

Texas Reds Steak and Wine Festival

Aside from Aggie football, this is  a great reason to some to Bryan-College Station. Steaks. Wine. Music. Historic Bryan. Shops. Street Vendors… and more. The Texas Reds Festival has a Texas wine garden, a ribeye contest and a stage featuring live music all weekend. It is an absolute good old time—especially if you enter the grape stomping contest.

October 14-16, 2011

Big Bend Weekend Float Trip and Wine Pairing Dinners with Llano Estacado Wines.

You heard right: Big Bend and Wine! Outdoor lovers and Texas wine enthusiasts alike can enjoy one of the state’s most angelic state parks while floating through its canyons on the Rio Grande River. Finish the day with a gourmet dinner and wine tastings from Llano Estacado’s very own winemaker, Greg Bruni. There are just a few spots left. Click here for details.

Friday October 21, 2011, 7pm

Café Modern – Texas Wine Dinner Featuring Texas Wines from Llano Estacado Winery.

This event will allow guests to stroll the art exhibits and beautiful architecture of Fort Worth’s acclaimed Modern Museum of Art and enjoy a four-course prix fixe meal from chef Dena Peterson at Café Modern. Llano Estacado President Mark Hyman will present and discuss the wine pairings with each course. The tentative menu will include roasted eggplant, tomato and Latte Da goat cheese roulade with Texas olive oil and basil; crispy fried quail salad with roasted Texas sugar pears and molasses vinaigrette;  Strube Ranch petite filet with crispy gulf oysters, celeriac-potato puree and black pepper demi glace; Dr. Pepper-chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream. $75 per person. For reservations call 817-840-2157.

Sunday, October 9, 4-7pm

Flat Creek Estates Grape Jam Wine and Music Festival

Courtesy of Go Texan Wine

Head on out to Flat Creek Estates and celebrate Texas Wine Month with great local music from Acoustic Jungle and Mike and the Moonpies and Texas wine from Dry Comal Creek, Flat Creek Estate, Perissos Vineyards, Pillar Bluff, Pilot Knob Winery, and Stone House Winery. Enjoy an afternoon on the lawn listening to great music and sipping some of the best wine Texas has to offer. Click here for online ticket sales.

October 21, 2011, 7pm

Fall Creek Vineyards Wine Pairing Dinner at Fleming’s Austin

Nothing goes with a good red wine better than a steak. The folks at Fleming’s know their way around a steak. And to tell the truth, the folks at Fall Creek Vineyards know their way around red wine—try the 2006 Meritus and you’ll see what I mean. The menu has yet to be released, but the evening is sure to spotlight a few genius match ups with some of Fall Creek’s select wines (including a white or two) and Fleming’s delicious steakhouse treats. Call Fleming’s at the Domain for more information. 512-835-9463

October 22, 2011, 10am–11pm

San Saba River Pecan and Wine Jam

Though technically the Pecan Capital of the World, San Saba will host a festival featuring Texas shops, cooking demonstrations, live music from Asleep at the Wheel, and an array of tasty Texas food and wine. Participating wineries include: Alamosa Wine Cellars, Brennan Vineyards, Fiesta Winery, Inwood Estates Winery, Perissos Winery, Pillar Bluff Vineyards, Sandstone Cellars, Spicewood Vineyards, William Chris, and Texas Legato. Ticket information here.

October 1–30

Hill Country Wine Trail Special

And for those of you out on the Hill Country Wine Trail, for $15 you can take the entire month to enjoy tastings at all 27 wineries. (The wineries are offering a minimum of 1 and up to 3 complimentary tastes of wine (winery choice and/or discount may exclude reserves, ports and wines already discounted).

Thursday, November 3, 2011, 6:30pm, Fredericksburg

Cabernet Grill Grape Grower Wine Pairing Dinner

Perhaps one months just isn’t enough to celebrate Texas Wine. At least that’s how chef/owner Ross Burtwell of the Cabernet Grill in Fredericksburg sees it. And he’s got a Texas-wine list to prove it. Burtwell will host a special wine pairing dinner drawing on the expertise of acclaimed Texas grape growers Neil and Janice Newsom who grow grapes in the High Plains for some of the state’s best wineries. The dinner will highlight select wine pairings with the creative Texas Hill Country cuisine Burtwell specializes in. Dan Gatlin of Inwood Estates, who makes one of Texas’ most heralded Tempranillos, will join the Newsoms for the event, as will Gary and Kathy Gilstrap with Texas Hill Wineries. Contact Cabernet Grill for more information.