This Sunday, the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas will host its 12th Annual Stephan Pyles Celebrity Chef Dinner & Live Auction at Stephan Pyles restaurant in Dallas. Among the handful of world class wines selected for the dinner pairings, we’re happy to report that Texas’ own Pedernales Cellars will showcase their 2008 Family Reserve.

The foundation is a non-profit organization that began in 1997 to help fund culinary education through a membership of passionate food and wine enthusiasts. These are people who are serious about the food they eat and the wine they drink, but they also care about giving back to the community–particularly through events like this.

The dinner is part of the organization’s series of programs throughout the year that benefits the annual Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship, which is awarded to a Texas culinary student through an Iron Chef-style competition. Named for Stephan Pyles, one of the original founders of Southwestern cuisine and the first chef in the Southwest to win a James Beard award, the scholarship is the largest of its kind in the country granting $15,000 to the winner.

This year’s winner, Renee Morgan of Austin will be kicking off the five-course seated wine dinner with a special selection of appetizers including bone marrow brûlée tartlet and country ham and Gouda-grit fritters during the evening’s opening champagne reception. Each course of the dinner will be prepared by chefs representing all areas of Texas including Chef David Garrido of Austin, Chef Jason Dady of San Antonio, Chef Joel Harrington of Dallas, Chef Nick Badovinus of Dallas and Chef Rebecca Rather of Fredericksburg. Accompanying each course is a wide range of wine pairings spanning the globe from Italy, Alsace, Oregon, Burgundy, and yes, Texas.

“We are very excited to showcase the Pedernales Cellars Family reserve at this dinner alongside wines from Oregon, France and Italy,” says Marshall Jones, executive director of the Wine & Food Foundation of Texas. “We think it is important, as The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas, to highlight the Texas culinary and viticultural arts whenever possible. We have 6 great Texas chefs and we are serving a great Texas wine!”

The 2008 Pedernales Cellars Family Reserve is a nontraditional blend of predominantly Tempranillo grapes with the backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to give the wine a different complexity and structure than the straight Tempranillo wines for which the Stonewall (between Johnson City and Fredericksburg) winery is known. The wine is a balanced blend of dark raspberry and blackberry, for which Tempranillo is known, as well as earthy qualities of leather and hints of chocolate and licorice (especially on the nose.) In layman’s terms, all of these characteristics together make for a full-flavored, well-rounded wine with great tannic texture and medium acidity, making it a great wine for food.

The Family Reserve is made from 100% Texas grapes, as are all of the wines from Pedernales Cellars, a commitment the Kuhlken family made when launching the winery in 2006. The winery truly began as a family endeavor with pioneering efforts of Larry and Jeanine Kuhlken who planted their first Hill Country grapes in the early 1990s. Since then, their son David, and son-in-law, Fredrik have developed a full scale wine production operation complete with a 15,000 square-foot winemaking facility built directly into a hillside and the helping hands of David’s sister (Fredrik’s wife), Julie, who designed the wine labels, and David’s wife, Heather, who helps with photography and tasting room design.

“We have really all worked together to bring this winery to fruition,” says David Kuhlken who serves as winemaker and head of operations for the winery. “Our goal is to keep all of our wines within a Texas appellation and to work with grapes that work well in Texas. Our experience has shown that so far, Tempranillo is one of the best performing grapes.” (Which is why more than 50% of their production is invested in wines made from Tempranillo.)

And while the 2008 Family Reserve is worthy of a dinner pairing up against some other amazing world class wines–as well as the hefty $50 price tag–the winery’s entire stable of wines is worth a look. Particularly their 2009 Tempranillo Reserve made from all Hill Country Tempranillo grapes (as opposed to High Plains, which they also use to make a different Tempranillo) and an aromatic, dry 2010 Viogner bright with notes of honey and peach. The lion’s share of the wines produced by Pedernales Cellars are Tempranillo with Viognier a close second, but you’ll also find a considerably strong Merlot as well as a a dry rose of Garnacha (or Grenache) and a fantastic Rhone-style blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.

But keep an eye out for the 2009 Family Reserve, which is scheduled to release next week. I’ve been sipping it while writing this post, and I have to say that while the 2008 Family Reserve is a wonderful wine, it is a little untamed when first opened, while the 2009 drinks smoothly right from the start. But don’t take my word for it. Both wines would be worth a side-by-side vertical tasting to see which way your palate leans.

Either of these wines could stand up to a classic steak dinner, but at Sunday’s Stephan Pyles dinner, the wine will find an elegant pairing with cider-roasted quail, butternut squash grits from Dallas chef Nick Badovinus.

Below is a sneak peek at the full menu. The event is expecting around 100 wine and food enthusiasts, but you don’t have to be a member to attend. Anyone looking or great food and wine are welcome to attend. Tickets are still available here, and while the price is a steep $150, keep in mind it is for a good cause. All proceeds go directly to the Stephan Pyles Culinary Scholarship. So, if you plan to find yourself in Dallas with no plans this Sunday, I highly suggest you check it out.

- Jessica Dupuy

David Garrido – Austin

Scallop with Bacon-Potato Ball, Red Jalapeño Crema

and Pumpkin Seed Chardonnay Jello

2010 Evening Land Vineyards Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay, Burgundy

Stephan Pyles & Joel Harrington – Dallas

Bay of Fundy Salmon Confit with Horseradish Panna Cotta,

Honey crisps and Manchego Chicharron

2008 Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

Nick Badovinus – Dallas

Cider Roasted Texas Quail, Butternut Squash Grits,

Luxardo-Walnut Compote

2008 Pedernales Cellars Family Reserve

Jason Dady – San Antonio

Pan Seared Lamb Loin with Root Vegetable Spoonbread, Fennel,

Wild Mushroom and Smoked Huckleberry Bordelaise

2007 Fontanafredda Barolo “Serralunga”

Rebecca Rather – Fredericksburg

Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Garrison Brothers Bourbon,

Bacon Caramel Sauce and Caramel Ice Cream

2007 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve