Last weekend’s Austin Food & Wine Festival not only spotlighted an array of tasty treats, savvy cooking tips, and insider pointers on savoring wine and beer, but it also offered seminar with a more focused look at some of Texas’ top award-winning wines. In a panel discussion moderated by noted Texas wine expert Russell Kane, a roundup of Master and Advanced level sommeliers—including Craig Collins (MS), Devon Broglie (MS), and June Rodil (AS)—joined Food & Wine magazine wine editor Ray Isle on a discussion of six gold-medal winners from this year’s Dallas Morning News/TexSom International Wine Competition.

Of the total twelve gold medal wines from the competition, Kane narrowed it down to six wines that he felt captured a broader spectrum of the grape varietals Texas winemakers are succesful with, while still giving the audience something familiar to enjoy. 

Brennan Vineyards, Lily 2012 

First up was a selection from Brennan Vineyards, a white Rhone blend of Viognier and Roussane aptly called “Lily” for its beautiful floral aromatics and its silken fruit and floral palate.

Panelist June Rodil of the soon-to-open Qui Restaurant applauded the elegance of the wine saying, “It has a beautiful florality and this wonderful glycerol feel to it. I love suggesting white Rhone blends to people who enjoy Chardonnay as another option of a white wine that gives good weight and complexity, but has these added ‘pretty’ characteristics to it. This Lily is a perfect example.” 

Pedernales Cellars Viognier 2012

With a concentrated focus on Tempranillo and Viognier, Pedernales Cellars has been generating a lot of buzz in the local wine world. Their 2012 Viognier is a big hit, taking top honors not only in the Dallas Morning News/TexSom competition, but in the well-regarded Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo, as well is with a recent win from Lyon, France, where this single wine was the only United States wine given a Double Gold medal in the Lyon International Wine Competition.

“This wine is remarkably balanced and complex, not just as an American example of Viognier, but compared to anything around the world,” master sommelier Devon Broglie of Whole Foods Market said. “Especially at a price of about $17, I’d put this wine up against any viognier on the planet. It’s just delicious!”

Llano Estacado Cellar Reserve Tempranillo 2010

With perhaps the longest running stories in the Texas wine industry—aside from Messina Hof—Llano Estacado has made a name for its breadth of award-winning wines in the state. This Texas Tempranillo is a perfect wine to use as an example of what this type of wine should taste like.

“My overall sensory analysis on this wine is, it’s good,” exclaimed Isle. “It’s medium bodied, with good fruit and a tannic grip on the end.” 

Kiepersol Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Stainless 2010

Our April Texas Wine of the Month, this unusual example of Cabernet Sauvignon gives a full expression of concentrated fruit, without the added characteristics that oak often imparts to this big, bold grape.

“Cabernet is inherently tannic, but this is remarkably balanced,” said master sommelier Craig Collins of Dalla Terra Wines. “They accentuated the beautiful fruit flavors with pronounced blackberry while letting the tannin mellow out just long enough in stainless steel. This would pair beautiful with a good fatty steak. 

Bending Branch Winery Tannat

Who knew a grape that could put Uruguay on the wine world's radar could also be a great grape for Texas? Winemaker Robert Young figured this out a while back, and took a gamble that it might produce good wine.

“Tannat is like Malbec on steroids,” says Isle. “when made well, it has beautiful dark berry fruit and can be super tannic. This wine has a good acidity that makes it more floral and refreshing with hints of cranberry, strawberry and cherry. This is an expression of a wine that has been treated with a delicate hand.”

Messina Hof Tribute to Heritage Riesling 2011

You can, in fact, make food Riesling in Texas. Messina Hof’s Tribute to Heritage is a perfect example of that with it’s stunning fruit and floral off-dry characteristics. This is a “father and son cuvée,” which signifies one of the first blends founder Paul Bonarrigo and his son, Paul VII collaborated on at the winery. 

“I’m in love with Riesling,” says June Rodil. “It has the greatest range of characteristics than any white wine out there and it’s usually what professional sommeliers flock to as they learn more about wine. It’s something we drink to start a meal and finish a meal. This Messina Hof Riesling has beautiful floral notes and great balanced acidity. I’d drink this straight through an entire meal and enjoy every bit of it.”

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The panel concluded with Kane commending the great strides Texas wine has taken in recent years.

“This sampling of Texas wine really shows the breadth of well made wines that can be enjoyed in this state,” he said. “We’ve taken lessons from grapes in warmer climates and we’re looking to place like Chile and Argentina to figure out how to do things differently. It’s a new world out there, and Texas wine is really showing it has the chops to make great wine.”

If you’d like a chance to taste some of these wines, join the Texas wine conversation on Tuesday May 14, for a special Texas Wine Twitter Tasting where Gold Medal winners from the Dallas Morning News/TexSom International Wine Competition will be tasted and tweeted about starting at 7 p.m. Messina Hof Winery has collaborated with other Texas gold medal winning wineries to put together a special Twitter Tasting three-pack of wines for the next few months to allow anyone with an interest in Texas wine to give these wines a try.  

This weekend, a host of well-known chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, and restaurateurs will descend upon Austin for the second annual Austin Food & Wine Festival.

To prepare for this weekend's food and wine festivities, Texas Monthly spoke with a few of the local and celebrity chefs from this year's lineup.

Here, Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar in New York City talks about her fascination for Austin, kolaches, and barbecue, what David Chang has taught her, and writing a second cookbook. 

Layne Lynch: Welcome back to Austin! What made you decide to return for year two, and what are some things you'll be participating in at the festival?

Christina Tosi: I'm pretty much madly in love with Austin. I was born in Ohio and raised in Virginia. My first trip to New York City was when I moved, so needless to say I had never been to Austin until two years ago. I've been back eight times since. It is easily my favorite place to visit. Having to go for work is the best excuse ever! At the festival, I'll be teaching an intro to Milk Bar cakes called Take On Cake. I'll talk about the theory and thought behind several techniques from the cake itself, the layers and fillings, why I refuse to cover the cakes sides, etc. Spoiler alert: I'll be slicing up and serving chocolate chip cake. On Saturday, I'll be walking the savory line at the Rock Your Taco event. I'll be rocking my love letter to New York City on a white corn tortilla with brisket, pastrami, Russian-dressed slaw and sauerkraut, pickled mustard seeds, and toasted caraway seed.

LL: A lot of Austin pastry chefs I've talked to credit you for bringing a newfound energy and creativity to the pastry scene. If you could be so kind, would you describe your creative process and how it translates to the dessert plate?  

CT: That's an awfully generous statement and way too much credit! When I first opened Milk Bar, I was quite adamant about making sure it was a true, honest reflection of life and food through my eyes. There was no intention beyond that. I credit everything else to the masses that received it so enthusiastically. I am also incredibly fortunate to be given a canvas to create within the Momofuku name. 

My creative process is pretty simple. Milk Bar is an unyieldingly collaborative environment. Everyone is asked, encouraged, and required to participate. Inspiration has to be pure. There is a big difference between being inspired and being influenced. I think of creating as walking to the beat of your own drum. It's not being crazy or different just because. It's really checking your idea at the door and being honest about it. A good idea is inspired, honest, and pure. A good idea is not wacky to be wacky or trendy to be trendy. Creative minds inspire creativity. It's kind of like improv. The rules are there, and there are no bad ideas. We just go from there. All it takes is an honest heart, a love for food, and anywhere from one day (Milk Bar's cereal milk), to twenty-four months (Milk Bar's birthday cake), to four years (Milk Bar's pancake cake)!

LL: Are there any restaurants, bars, or bakeries you want to check out while you're in Austin? How about any local pastry chefs?

CT: Yes! I always check on Laura Sawicki, a pal from New York City back in the day; her flavors never lie! Jodi Elliott from Foreign & Domestic's Saturday Bake Sale. I always go to Elizabeth St. Cafe and buy one of every pastry. Gourdough's Doughnuts. Kolaches from anywhere they're for sale. Philip Speer and the whole Uchi team. Callie Speer [at Swift's Attic] always has something awesome she's working on. I'm also going to check on Paul Qui and his team at [Qui's] pre-opening.

I am forever on a queso quest and a migas taste test. Amaya's Taco Village is always an important stop, as is Snow's for barbecue and their sneak attack pecan pie. Saturday morning I plan to bust a move to Lexington first, then hit up Foreign & Domestic after. I could go on my seven-day agenda, but I'll spare you!

LL: You work closely with David Chang. He's one of the most knowledgeable and opinionated chefs in the industry. What is the greatest lesson he has taught you thus far?

CT: When Momofuku was still quite small, we spoke a great deal about the value we put in our staff and the importance of growing what we do in order to create opportunities for the great people on our teams. We're breaking the chain of what you typically find in a restaurant: a great staff that ends up leaving or moving on because there's no real long-term room for growth. We are only as good and strong as our dedicated team. Challenging the rules is vital. We're pushing to pay the staff as much as possible, providing benefits to all the staff, and providing real room for growth, as well as every other aspect – food, style of service, etc.

LL: What is your perfect dessert?

CT: My perfect dessert is quite vague. It's balanced, has a depth of flavor, a point of view, texture, and is inspired. Not influenced; there's nothing worse than that. It has a connection that's made; an "aha" moment. A conversation between the maker and the eater. In my mind, every dessert has the potential to be a perfect dessert to me. 

LL: What's next from you? Can we expect to see a new cookbook or bakery anytime soon?

CT: Yes! I just sold Milk Bar Life to Clarkson Potter and have begun writing it. We don't have a firm publication date yet, but I imagine it will be out sometime in 2014. It's all about the culture, community, and heart of Milk Bar. The silly things that drive us, the inside jokes that keep us smiling every day at work, and the off-the-menu food that fuels our creativity and inspires us to keep pushing.