heard it through the grapevine€¦ · cracking the morse code on a visit to oxford 13 news from...

We’re Back! I know we’ve been missed. A�er a one year sabba�cal, The Great-

er Houston Chapter newsle%er, “Heard it through the Grapevine” has returned.

I want to thank our Editor and Chief, David Cole, for making this happen. I

would also like to thank those who contributed ar�cles for our return edi�on.

So what did you miss in 2016? We had another Rosé tas�ng along with Tem-

pranillo in which Llano’s 2015 Signature Rosé and Lewis Winery’s 2015 Rosé of

Mourvèdre were rated the best Rosés.

In the Tempranillo tas�ng (Texas vs. Old World), Bodegas Convento de las

Claras Heritage 2012 and Pedernales Cellars 2014 Tempranillo came out on top.

We also celebrated the 20th year anniversary of the Wine Society of Texas at

our State Mee�ng in Grapevine Texas in June. The weekend included wine

tas�ngs at Lost Oak Winery, Cross Timbers Winery and Anniversary Cake at

Messina Hof. The big event for the weekend was a food and wine dinner in the

event center at Sloan and Williams Winery.

The other highlight was a food and wine event at The Buffalo Soldiers Museum

in Houston. The sponsors were member Melvin Myers, Buffalo Soldiers Muse-

um, and Duchman Family Winery. In addi�on to tas�ng excellent wines from

Duchman Winery we learned about the history, tradi�on and outstanding con-

tribu�ons of America's Buffalo Soldiers from the Revolu�onary War to the pre-

sent.

This year we’ve had a food and wine event at Charivari and a tour and tas�ng at

Houston Winery, a sponsor. For the remainder of the year we have scheduled a

Pinot Noir tas�ng in May and a German wine tas�ng in the fall. We will also be

a%ending the state mee�ng in the Marble Falls, Texas area in June. In addi�on,

we are scheduled to host the 2018 annual mee�ng so we will be visi�ng differ-

ent wineries and facili�es to help plan our event.

We would like to welcome the following new 2016 members: Eva Biering,

Amanda Wu, Sophie Yang, Jeanne Henderson, Jennifer Wilke and Frederick Gill-

ham.

C H A I R M A N ’ S C O R N E R B Y E D D E N T

THE WINE SOCIETY OF

TEXAS - GREATER

HOUSTON

M A R C H 2 0 1 7

V O L U M E 8 , I S S U E 1

H E A R D I T T H R O U G H T H E G R A P E V I N E

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

B U F F A L O S O L -D I E R S N A T I O N -A L M U S E U M

P I C T U R E S

2

N E W S F R O M

M E S S I N A H O F 3

G R E A T E R H O U -S T O N C H A P T E R

O F T H E W S T

I N T E R N A T I O N A L P I N O T N O I R

T A S T I N G

3

L O O K , S W I R L , S M E L L , A N D

T A S T E

5

B R O K E N B A R -

R E L 6

2 0 1 7 A N N U A L

S T A T E M E E T I N G 9

W S T - G H C ’ S J A N U A R Y W I N E

E V E N T

1 1

C R A C K I N G T H E M O R S E C O D E O N A V I S I T T O

O X F O R D

1 3

N E W S F R O M F L A T C R E E K

W I N E R Y

1 7

W I N E S O F W A S H I N G T O N

S T A T E

2 0

E D I T O R ’ S C O R -

N E R 2 2

B E S T O F I T A L Y D I N N E R E V E N T

P I C T U R E S

2 3

L O O K , S W I R L , S M E L L , A N D T A S T E P I C -

T U R E S

2 6

B U F F A L O S O L D I E R S N A T I O N A L M U S E U M P I C T U R E S


N E W S F R O M M E S S I N A H O F


Messina Hof is Celebrating it's 40Th Anniversary. Originating in 1977, born from two cultures Sicili-an (Messina) and German (Hof). Merrill and I have always believed with God's Grace everything is possible.

Starting with 1,300 gallons production in 1983 to today's production of 165,000 gallons. We are the largest producer of Texas Wine.

This year at the Houston Livestock Rodeo International Wine Competition Messina Hof Won 5 Over All Best of Class Champions and 15 Texas Class Champions. All together we won 26 International Awards.

We have wineries in Fredericksburg, Grapevine and in Bryan.

Our 3 Core Values are Family, Tradition and Romance.

Join the Fun at Messina Hof and Join our Family.

Sincerely,

Paul V Bonarrigo, Chairman

Messina Hof Wine Cellars, Inc.

G R E A T E R H O U S T O N C H A P T E R O F T H E W S T

I N T E R N A T I O N A L P I N O T N O I R T A S T I N G

JoinTheGreaterHoustonChapterofTheWineSocietyofTexasonMay6th

atthehomeofmemberJeanneHendersonstartingat5p.m.Wewillsam-

pleninedifferentPinotNoirsfromFrance,Germany,NewZealand,Califor-

niaandOregon.Allwineshavereceived90plusratingsfromWineSpecta-

tororWineEnthusiast.WewillstarttheeveningwithaglassofProsecco

andendwithTawnyPortwithdessert.

DetailsDetailsDetailsDetails

Date – May 6, 2017

Place – Home of Jeanne Henderson 12 Holly Tree Lane, Spring, Texas 77373. Time: 5 p.m. - Un�l

Cost: $20.00 for Wine Society Members and $25.00 for Non Members.

You can reserve a spot by sending a check, made out to “Wine Society of Texas – Greater Houston

Chapter”, to Bill Pape at 80 Woodhaven Wood Drive, Woodlands, and TX. 77380. If you are bringing

a non-member/guest, please provide their name on the a%ached form.


International Pinot Noir Tasting

May 6, 2017

Members

Name of A%endees: _________________________________________ ______________

Address: __________________________________________________________

City: ________________________________ State___________________ Zip ____________

Telephone: ________________________________ email_____________________________

Event ___________________x $_20______ = _____________

Non-Members

Name of A%endees: _________________________________________ ______________

Address: __________________________________________________________

City: ________________________________ State___________________ Zip ____________

Telephone: ________________________________ email_____________________________

Event ____________________ x $ 25______= _______________

REGISTRATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAY 1, 2017 OR WHEN WE’RE SOLD OUT WHICHEVER OCCURS

FIRST - NO REGISTRATION/SALES AT THE DOOR

SPACE IS LIMITED TO 32 PEOPLE

Please make checks payable to “Wine Society of Texas – Greater Houston Chapter”

Send Payment to: Bill Pape – 80 Woodhaven Wood Dr. – The Woodlands, TX, 77380

Telephone -281-367-1783

NO REFUNDS – If you are unable to a%end, please consider your payment as a much appreciated tax

deduc�ble dona�on to the Wine Society of Texas

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

R E G I S T R A T I O N F O R M


OnMarch25th,ourchapterhadanevententitledLook,Swirl,Smell,andTasteatoneofHouston's10best

wineries,HoustonWinery.HoustonWineryisalocalboutiquewineryneardowntownHouston.Itwas

startedin2013byEdieAnandJonBurger.EdiehandlesoperationsandJondirectsthewinemakingactiv-

ities.ThewinerypurchasesthemajorityofitsgrapesfromprofessionalgrowersacrossthestateofTexas.

UrbanwineriesareontheriseacrossCalifornia,sotheysaidwhynotTexas.Therewere26personsin

attendancethatincludedchaptermembersandpotentialnewmembers.Thebelowlistedwineswere

sampledalongwithlighthorsd'oeuvres.

Thewineswesampledwereasfollows:

BlancduBois-Texas,2015.Greatnose,loadsofgrapefruitwithahintofstonefruit.

Viognier-TexasHighPlains,2015.2016TEXSOMSilvermedal.ThisViognierwasfermented

instainlesssteelandisunoakedtopreservethefruit<lavors.Thewineisloadedwithhoney-

suckleandmelonwithabaseofminerality.

SpanishRosa-Texas,2015.Dryrosewithnotesofcranberryandstrawberry.BasedontheBlack

Spanishgrape.Greatfruit<lavors.

RoughneckRed-2015.TrulyallTexasRedblend.ClassChampion2017HoustonRodeo

WineCompetition.ConsistsmostlyofNortonfromEastTexasandPetitVerdotfromtheHigh

Plains,butincludesCabernetSauvignon,BlackSpanish,andTempranillofromtheTexasGulf

Coast.

PetitVerdot-TexasHighPlains,2015.SilverMedal2017HoustonRodeoWineCompeti-

tion.Rich,darkredwinewithgreatstructureandtannins.Darkfruitwithhintsofvanillaandto-

bacco.

TheHoustonian-Texas,2015.BronzeMedal2017HoustonRodeoWineCompetition.Traditional

rubyportwinemadefromTexasgrownBlackSpanishgrapes.

L O O K , S W I R L , S M E L L , A N D T A S T E

B Y E D D E N T


For Hilda Ysusi, the 27-year-old chef

and owner of Broken Barrel, inspira-

�on emanates from preceding gener-

a�ons of cooks in her family, Julio

and Julia, coupled with her own years

of training and travels.

The restaurant’s name pays tribute

to a broken barrel, always overflow-

ing with flowers, outside her grand-

mother’s home in Mexico. Yes, it

was cracked. But her grandmother,

Julia, preferred it that way. For Hilda

it epitomized, on each visit, the love

of her grandmother and the promise

of a remarkable meal des�ned to

emerge from the kitchen. Spurred by

some of Julia’s fascina�ng dishes,

Hilda has created a unique and eclec-

�c menu for her own Broken Barrel.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Hilda’s earliest memories are as a budding sous chef for her father (and

Julia’s son), Julio, in the family kitchen that was ground zero for weekend culinary adventures. Like his

mother, Julio lived by the French impera�ve of going to the market, choosing the freshest ingredients,

and developing dishes based on the offerings of the day. Not wedded to cookbooks or recipes, Julio

improvised and excelled. Hilda speculates that her father may have aspired to be a chef, but in line

with expecta�ons for a male of his genera�on, he pursued a more tradi�onal profession and became

one of Mexico’s most renowned tax experts while never giving up on cooking.

Hilda, on the other hand, can’t remember a �me when she didn’t want to be a chef. As a teenager, she

went off to boarding school in Switzerland, learning about cooking and pastry at a Cordon Bleu-

sanc�oned ins�tute and honing her skills before enrolling in the pres�gious Culinary Ins�tute of Ameri-

ca in Hyde Park, New York. While at the CIA, she earned degrees in both Baking and Pastry Arts as well

as Culinary Arts before heading off to work in restaurants whose cuisines ranged from tradi�onal

American to sushi.

B R O K E N B A R R E L - - A N E W E A T E R Y I N T H E W O O D L A N D S F U S E S G E N E R A T I O N S O F

I N S P I R A T I O N W I T H C U T T I N G E D G E F L A V O R S

B Y M E R I L M A R K L E Y

Chef Hilda Ysusi


In addi�on to training as a chef, Hilda qualified as a Level One sommelier and has relished crea�ng a

large and diverse wine list for Broken Barrel including a number of choices by-the-glass. She even has

one Texas wine on offer, Pleasant Hill’s Sangiovese 2014, but has embarked on a quest for more.

The adventuresome approach to cooking, absorbed at her father’s side, meant that even vaca�ons

were turned into culinary quests. While paragliding over the lush green highlands of Colombia she

spied a coffee planta�on and asked her instructor if they might visit. As it turned out, he knew the

owners and asked them if he could bring Hilda for a tour. Located far from the nearest town and not

accustomed to visitors, the planta�on owners spent the balance of the day showing Hilda the groves of

coffee shrubs and trees, along with their organic farming methods, culmina�ng in a crash course in

how to roast superior coffee. Marshaling the bounty from their farm, they improvised a feast of locally

grown meats and vegetables topped off by some of the best coffee Hilda had ever tasted. The experi-

ence informs the spirit of Broken Barrel – impromptu, informal, and chock-full of unforeseen delights.

On seUng foot in Broken Barrel one senses Hilda’s desire for an eatery evoking the atmosphere of her

family’s home where food and wine were shared in a comfortable ambiance of friends and family,

complemented by the aromas and sounds of the kitchen. The design is contemporary and open, with

the kitchen visible behind a low brick wall. The high ceiling, and the tall windows opening out onto

Lake Woodlands, create a haven for lingering over wine while sharing plates of delectable food, wheth-

er at the spacious bar, in the dining room, or on the pa�o.

My husband, Michael, and I first encountered

Broken Barrel on Valen�ne’s Day, before the

official opening, when a prix fixe menu was on

offer. The starter was a salad of charred

sweet corn (esquites) with an avocado may-

onnaise and a dus�ng of chili powder. The

second course included Japanese fried chick-

en, made from dark meat with the lightest of

zesty breadings blended with Asian spices.

The seared scallops, with lemon orzo and or-

ange beurre blanc, were swee�sh, succulent,

and perfectly cooked. As the main course,

Michael opted for duck confit with roasted

potatoes, one of his favorite dishes and his

litmus test for a great restaurant. Hilda’s in-

terpreta�on of this French country staple did

not disappoint. The duck skin was crispy, the

B R O K E N B A R R E L - - A N E W E A T E R Y I N T H E

W O O D L A N D S , C O N T .


flesh tender and flavorful, the twice-cooked potatoes conjuring

spud perfec�on. There was no doubt of Hilda’s culinary chops.

Although seldom a lamb-eater, I was intrigued by the descrip�on

of homemade cocoa pasta and lamb ragu with citrus mascarpone.

The blend of flavors was subtle and sa�sfying. Accompanied by an

Argen�ne Malbec from Maal Wines called Biu�ful (yes, that’s the

correct spelling), the meal proved the perfect roman�c repast,

complete with a vista overlooking the lake as the sun was seUng.

We have returned since then, including with friends Julie and

Dave, to enjoy sharing the small plates: crispy olives with garlic

lemon aioli, the grilled octopus with carrot hummus, chorizo oil, and charred cherry tomatoes, the

pulled duck tostadas and, our new favorite dish, the baby beets with orange, labneh (Lebanese style

yoghurt), and crackling dust. Most memorable of all was joining Hilda and her family for the grand

opening, with Julio and 94-year-old Julia in a%endance, cheering on this gi�ed chef embodying the next

genera�on of a family’s passion for food.

Broken Barrel

1950 Hughes Landing Blvd. #1900 (at the end of Restaurant Row overlooking Lake Woodlands)

281-719-8542

www.brokenbarrelwoodlands.com

Open Monday-Sunday for lunch and dinner (brunch from 10-3 on Saturdays and Sundays)

Happy Hour from 3:00 to 6:30

Complimentary valet parking un�l 5 pm and $5 from 5 pm

B R O K E N B A R R E L - - A N E W E A T E R Y I N T H E

W O O D L A N D S , C O N T .


The 21st State Mee�ng of the Wine Society of Texas will be held in Mar-

ble Falls, Texas this year from June 9th to the 11th and will be hosted by

the Permian Basin Chapter.

I hope you can a%end this wine filled weekend and share all the fun with

your fellow members.

Cheers!

Shirley Choate

State President

June 9June 9June 9June 9thththth Hampton Inn on the Lake (Host Hotel) 704 First Street, Marble Falls, Texas 7:00 – 9:00 pm Flat Creek Enoteca (directly across hotel parking lot) 112 US Hwy 281, Marble Falls, Texas Welcome Reception with Flat Creek Wines and food on the patio June 10June 10June 10June 10thththth 8:45 am Bus arrives at Hampton Inn on the Lake and begins boarding 9:15 am Bus Departs

10:00 am Arrive at Solaro Estate Winery Tasting conducted by Olivia Rabalais, Court of Master Sommeliers

11:45 am Bus Departs 1:00 pm Arrive at Perrisos Winery Box Lunch, Tasting and Tour conducted by Seth Martin, Owner & Winemaker

and Brent Poppy, Intern and Wine Society of Texas’ Scholarship Recipient

3:30 pm Bus Departs 4:00 pm Arrive Hampton Inn on the Lake

6:00 pm Bus begins boarding 6:15 pm Bus Departs

6:45 pm Arrive at Torr Na Lochs Vineyard & Winery Wine Dinner with Karen Deberry, Owner Live Auction benefiting Wine Society of Texas’ Scholarship Fund

9:30 pm Bus Departs 10:00 pm Arrive Hampton Inn on the Lake

2 0 1 7 A N N U A L S T A T E M E E T I N G

W I N E S O C I E T Y O F T E X A S

J U N E 9 T H – 1 1 T H , 2 0 1 7


Host Hotel Information: Hampton Inn on the Lake 704 First Street Marble Falls, TX

Phone 830-798-1895 (ask for Peggy Franklin) Special Group Rate Code – WST

Special Room Rate $159 City View and $189 Lake View. Rate covers King and Double Queen. You can either call or reserve on line. There is a two night minimum and the block will expire on May 1, 2017. Any rooms not picked up by that time will go back into general inventory. You must make your own room reservations.

2017 Annual State Meeting

Registration Form

NAME OF ATTENDEES: ______________________________________________________

ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________________

CITY: ______________________________ STATE: __________ ZIP ___________________

TELEPHONE: _______________________ E-MAIL _________________________________

_______ X $245 = ____________ TOTAL PACKAGE

_______ X $ 35 = ____________ ENOTECA ON THE PATIO

_______ X $125 = ____________ SATURDAY TASTINGS, TOURS AND BOX LUNCH

CHOOSE FROM: ________ HAM ______TURKEY

_______ CHICKEN SALAD _________ ROAST BEEF

_______ X $100 = ____________ TORR NA LOCHS VINEYARD WINE DINNER

____________ TOTAL REGISTRATION FEES

REGISTRATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY JUNE 1, 2017 – NO REGISTRATION AT DOOR

You can register on our website and pay through PayPal at: www.winesocietyoftexas.org

Make checks payable to: WST – Permian Basin Chapter Send Payment or credit card information to: Wine Society of Texas C/O Shirley Choate 1009 South CR 1110

Midland, TX 79706

Credit Card Information ________ Visa ___________ MasterCard

Card Number: ________________________________ Expiration Date: ______________________

Cardholder Name: _____________________________ Signature: ___________________________

Credit Card Billing Address if different from above: _______________________________________

_______________________________________

2 0 1 7 A N N U A L S T A T E M E E T I N G

W I N E S O C I E T Y O F T E X A S

J U N E 9 T H – 1 1 T H , 2 0 1 7


On January 22, 2017, we held our first event for the year. A�er a three year absence we

went back to Charivari Restaurant, one of our chapter favorites, for a Best of Italy food and

wine event. In addi�on to an excellent Italian food and wine pairing, members Dawn and

Ross Asher, discussed their recent visit to Italy and especially their stay in Tuscany.

During the dinner Pablo Valqui, the representa�ve for the wine distributor discussed the

different wines we tasted and why they were chosen. He also offered to do a German

wine tas�ng event for our chapter.

We ended the a�ernoon by holding a wine cork pull, with the proceeds going to the Wine

Society of Texas’ Scholarship fund. We had approximately 34 bo%les of wine donated and

each cork cost $10. All corks were sold and this event was well received by the 40 people

who were in a%endance.

W S T - G H C ’ S J A N U A R Y W I N E E V E N T


T H E G R E A T E R H O U S T O N C H A P T E R O F T H E

W I N E S O C I E T Y O F T E X A S P R E S E N T S

The Best of Italy at

Executive Chef Johann Schuster

www.charivarirest.com

Sunday, January 22 ,2017 @ 4:30 pmSunday, January 22 ,2017 @ 4:30 pmSunday, January 22 ,2017 @ 4:30 pmSunday, January 22 ,2017 @ 4:30 pm

MenuMenuMenuMenu

Vegetable Invol�ni & Grissini

Ital.�Voveti�Prosecco

*****

Piedmontese Wild Mushroom Riso%o

Pinot�Grigio,�Barone�Fini

*****

Granita

*****

Lamb Chops à la Tuscana

Stefano�Farina�“Il�Paladino”�(Rosso�Toscano)

OR

Bronzini Filet over Riso Vernero

Stefano�Farina�“Solers”�IGT�(Super-Tuscan)

*****

Moro Oranges Carpaccio& Vanilla Gelato

Ruffino�Moscato�d'Asti


I first glimpsed the magnificent gothic spires of Oxford on my ini�al trip to Europe, as a 19-year-old, on

the Vassar Madrigal Singers’ tour. The highlight of our journey was singing in Oxford’s Holywell Music

Room, a concert hall where the �tans of the 18th century music world, Handel and Haydn, had also per-

formed.

However, there had been li%le �me between rehearsals and performances to explore the city. I had

always wanted to go back and so was delighted when my husband, Michael, proposed that we spend a

few days there in conjunc�on with a business trip to London. His desire was not born of academic curi-

osity or classical music but rather sprang from the Inspector Morse TV series that began in 1987 and

ran through 2003, followed by sequels called Inspector Lewis and prequels called Endeavour (a�er

Morse’s improbable first name). Making lavish use of the city and its colleges, the series have excelled

at transforming fans into tourists while sparking a co%age industry of Morse-related offerings.*

The Inspector Morse novels, from which the TV series derived, were the brainchild of Classics scholar,

crossword maven, and Cambridge graduate, Colin Dexter. His fic�onal policeman was an Oxford grad-

uate, curmudgeonly bachelor, aficionado of grand opera, and veteran �ppler who never touched wine.

The murders Morse inves�gated involved complex lives and plots. Homicides sprang from jealousy

(whether roman�c or academic), philandering, revenge, drug-dealing, or to put an end to blackmail.

Weapons of choice included poisons, scarves, classic cars, and occasionally a firearm, but only if con-

nected with a genteel bit of hun�ng. Perpetrators included Oxford dons, aristocrats, choristers, under-

graduates, and opera-goers. Thankfully, the real murder rate in the city falls far below the fic�onal

body count.

Numerous Oxford colleges, with their gothic and neo-gothic architecture surrounding a quadrangle of

me�culously mowed and manicured grass, formed the backdrop for many a murder or encounter with

a suspect. Exterior shots of Inspector Morse and his protégé, Inspector Lewis, en route to yet another

murder scene, also took them by the Radcliffe Camera, the Sheldonian Theatre, and under the Bridge

of Sighs. One murder even took place during a performance at Holywell Music Room.

C R A C K I N G T H E M O R S E C O D E O N A V I S I T T O O X F O R D

B Y M E R I L M A R K L E Y


Opera�ng under various pseudonyms, and supply-

ing a guest room for the murder of a fic�onal

American tourist, was the Randolph Hotel, the

base of opera�ons for our stay in Oxford. Its pe-

�te and cozy bar was the site of many a conversa-

�on between Morse and Lewis as they puzzled

over clues. Now named the Morse Bar, it is a

magnet for fans of the show hoping to encounter

Colin Dexter on one of his regular visits.

Our sojourn in Oxford began by bus from

Heathrow Airport a�er an overnight flight from

Houston. No ma%er how o�en we traverse the

English countryside, we are charmed by the �dy

villages, the neatly groomed pastures, and the

lambs gamboling about in the late spring sunshine.

That these locales have been inhabited since the dawn of history leaves us half expec�ng to see a

knight or two galloping past.

A�er checking in at the Randolph, we headed out to explore. But not before confron�ng the biggest

who-done-it of our journey – how the bellman got back to the entrance through the maze of narrow

corridors connec�ng the various structures fused onto and now comprising the hotel. Instead, we

learned to just follow our noses to the sumptuous English breakfast that awaited us each morning in

the elegant dining room. We chuckled as we recalled the banker’s wry observa�on from another long-

running Bri�sh series, Chef, set at a restaurant on the outskirts of Oxford. “If you want a good meal in

England, eat breakfast three �mes a day!”

We dared not spend all our �me obsessing over

breakfast when this city of architectural gems beck-

oned and the gray clouds were li�ing to reveal a

somewhat sunny a�ernoon. We set out through

the pedestrian zone to Christ Church College; the

University’s largest, and home to a gothic cathedral

that is the world’s smallest. For a �me, Christ

Church was called King Henry VIII’s College. Gazing

out from a full-length portrait, he s�ll surveys the

great dining hall that inspired the one at Hogwarts

in the Harry Po%er films. The college and its color-

ful gardens were featured o�en on the Morse se-

ries as well.

C R A C K I N G T H E M O R S E C O D E , C O N T I N U E D

Randolph Hotel

Morse Bar


Being lovers of gothic architecture and always on

the prowl for interes�ng stylis�c elements, the

buildings comprising the college, as well as their

interiors, are a feast for the eyes. The wooden

carvings inside the cathedral, of elaborate fleur-de-

lis and fantas�c animals, are among our favorites.

While lingering there, we found ourselves over-

whelmed by emo�on as we contemplated that, but

for this church, we probably would never have

met. It was here that John Wesley worshiped dur-

ing his student days and was ordained as a minis-

ter. Eventually he rebelled against Anglican teach-

ings to found the Methodist Movement whose first church was in Oxford. He later visited America and

established Methodist churches which came to include, a century or two later, the one in Sherman

Oaks, California where Michael and I met almost three decades ago.

By the �me we le� Christ Church College it was geUng late and �me for us to pick up some snacks at

the Marks & Spencer’s Simply Food on our way back to the hotel. The shops, found in many European

ci�es, never fail to remind us of our years living in Paris when the signature M&S sandwiches and Indi-

an-inspired foods provided a welcome break from the glories of French cuisine. We were relieved that

our favorites were on offer in Oxford, including free range egg & watercress sandwich, chicken �kka

sandwich, cheddar cheese ploughman’s sandwich, fresh mango spears, and sweet Thai chili coriander

crisps (potato chips).

The next day, a�er a grand English breakfast at the Randolph, including eggs, rashers (bacon), ham,

sausage, blood pudding, toast, and coffee, we crossed the street to visit the Ashmolean Museum. The

first museum associated with a university and founded in 1677 with the collec�on bestowed by Elias

Ashmole, the Ashmolean is s�ll free of charge for its visitors. We explored the rooms filled with Old

Master pain�ngs, Renaissance Italian ceramics, and an intriguing collec�on of finger rings, all the while

recalling Morse episodes in which the clue to solving a murder was found among the Ashmolean’s col-

lec�ons.

Renova�ons since Morse’s �me include a roo�op restaurant

with lovely views of the city. It ended up providing the most

memorable meal of our trip. Michael had half of a roasted

poussin (young chicken) while I had the spring fri%ata and S�l-

ton cheese plate. We had no problem polishing off a bo%le of

Cuvée Alice, a light and fruity red wine from Château Ollieux

Romanis in Corbières (Languedoc). The desserts were stun-

ners. Michael had chocolate mousse with salted caramel


Christ Church College Garden


(threatening to order a second) and I had poached pear on pain

perdu. Suitably for�fied, we finished up with a stroll through the

archaeology collec�ons.

We awoke on our final day in Oxford to what had made a bigger

impression on me than breakfast during my first visit – the sound

of church bells ringing all over the city on Sunday morning. There

didn’t seem to be as many this �me, nor did they go on for as

long, but their sound was a reminder of the music that first

brought me to this city so many decades ago.

Music was the theme for our final meal before heading back to

London. We arranged to meet up with Emily van Evera, who lives

outside Oxford. Emily is originally from Minnesota but came to

England to pursue a career in Early Music and has long been so-

prano-of-choice for performances of the Baroque and before. We

had not seen each other since college and so there was a lot of catching up to do at the Old Parsonage

over roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, the tradi�onal Sunday carvery meal. The most delicious ele-

ments were fresh asparagus with hollandaise sauce and a molten chocolate dessert, all accompanied by

a pleasing Malbec.

We hated to bid farewell to Oxford but we take comfort in visi�ng, virtually, with each new episode of

Endeavour. The second one, called Fugue, offered one of the most exquisitely atmospheric scenes ever

shot for the apprehension of a murderer, while the characters channeled the second act of Tosca.

Filmed on the roof of Trinity College, the seUng sun seems to ignite the gilded torches atop ornamental

urns at the “magic hour” so prized by cinematographers, ligh�ng the way to heaven for the hapless vic-

�ms of a serial killer.

While we may not have cracked his code, we loved every minute of our visit to Oxford and the chance to

wander through loca�ons made memorable by Inspector Morse.

*The Oxford of Inspector Morse and Lewis by Bill Leonard (The History Press, 2010) is available all over Oxford, in-

cluding at Blackwell’s Bookshop where several scenes in the series were shot.

Macdonald Randolph Hotel h%p://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/macdonald-randolph-hotel/

Marks & Spencer Simply Food h%p://www.marksandspencer.com/c/food-and-wine

Christ Church College h%p://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/

Ashmolean Museum h%p://www.ashmolean.org/

The Old Parsonage h%ps://www.oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk/food-and-drink/

Inspector Morse h%p://www.itv.com/hub/inspector-morse/MORSE

Next �me – a quick trip to Lisbon and an introduc�on to the remarkable food and wine of Portugal.


Emily and Meril


The Flat Creek Winery Experience Now Includes a Premier Disc Golf Des9na9on!

Texas's First Winery Disc Golf Course : One of Three Winery Courses Na9onwide

Flat Creek Estate Winery & Vineyard, a premier Texas Hill Country des�na�on northwest of Aus�n, is

pleased to announce the Grand Opening of their new Disc Golf Course. In line with their reputa�on of

offering top quality wines and agritourism experiences, Flat Creek hired renowned Disc Golf Designer

John Houck to create the course. The 18-hole course features mul�ple eleva�ons, creek crossings, and

beau�ful vineyard views. The course includes both recrea�onal and professional tees making it a fun

experience for beginner and top level disc players. The course is the first designed around a vineyard

in Texas and one of only three winery courses in the United States.

Flat Creek's first tas�ng room, Trooper's Den, has recently been converted into a Pro Shop selling discs,

bags, and other accessories. The selec�on of Pro Shop items was a new challenge for Owners Rick &

Madelyn Naber and Director of Business Opera�ons Amanda Koraska. With li%le knowledge or experi-

ence in the disc golf world, the team reached out to area players for advice on items to stock. "The

early support of the disc golf community has been amazing," reports Amanda Koraska.

The team created a separate Facebook page to record the progress of the course and disseminate in-

forma�on about the upcoming grand opening. Since late October, the page has amassed over 400 fol-

lowers and a number of 5-star reviews. "We've got a good feeling about 2017. We've reached a whole

N E W S F R O M F L A T C R E E K W I N E R Y


new market through our disc golf course. Many of our visitors live in the neighboring Lago Vista, Ce-

dar Park & Round Rock area. Some didn't know there was a winery in their backyard. We look forward

to hos�ng lessons, scrambles and tournaments in 2017," says Koraska.

Upon the January 28th Grand Opening, the course became one of a few "pay-to-play" disc courses. As

the sport con�nues to grow and a possible addi�on to the 2020 Olympics is discussed, more players

are seeking be%er quality courses. The hope among players and organizers is that the "pay-to-play"

courses will elevate the sport and its legi�macy. "We were a li%le concerned at first that we might get

some push back regarding $20 greens fees but players have been very recep�ve to the experience dur-

ing the course preview. Consensus is that disc golfers are willing to pay a fee in return for a quality,

well-maintained course," says Koraska.

The course is another amenity in the expanding Flat Creek business. In addi�on to the course, the 80-

acre estate also includes a 20-acre vineyard with walking paths, a tas�ng room overlooking a 10,000

case wine produc�on facility, and a fine-dining restaurant with a rus�c wood-fired oven. The Flat

Creek business includes Flat Creek Enoteca, an urban wine bar that opened in 2014 in the Hill Country

town of Marble Falls. The ever-expanding business focuses on crea�ng excep�onal guest experiences

and the new disc golf course is right on target.

See Our Facebook Page (www.Facebook.com/FlatCreekDiscGolf) or Website

(www.FlatCreekEstate.com) for classes, tournaments and special disc golf events!

The Bistro at Flat Creek Estate Launches New Spring Menu

F L A T C R E E K W I N E R Y , C O N T I N U E D


The Bistro is excited to bring to the Texas wine community an updated seasonal menu for spring. The

new menu includes re-designed burgers and chicken sandwiches, new fresh salads, and an expanded

offering of desserts. Look for a new brunch menu launch in May!

See Our Facebook Page (www.Facebook.com/TheBistroatFlatCreekEstate) or Website for New Menu

Releases, Winemaker Dinners and our popular Star Gazing Events!

Flat Creek Enoteca Donates Over $1,500/Month to Candlelight Ranch

As part of the Flat Creek non-�pping model, guests are invited to donate "�ps" to a local charity. At

the urban wine bar, Flat Creek Enoteca, generous guests donate over $1,500/month towards helping

disabled and at-risk youth experience the beau�ful Texas Hill Country through specialized summer

camp programs at Candlelight Ranch.

Candlelight Ranch's Vision

To be a recognized leader and resource for nature-based programs that transform lives.

Candlelight Ranch's Mission

Candlelight Ranch provides therapeu�c and educa�onal nature-based experiences to enrich the lives of

at-risk youth and children with disabili�es.

Learn more about Candlelight Ranch at www.candlelightranch.org

F L A T C R E E K W I N E R Y , C O N T I N U E D


We had briefly visited Washington state wineries in the past and wanted to taste more great wines. Our first day there, we ventured to Januik Cellars and Dave really liked their 2013 Sy-rah; it rated 91 points in Wine Advocate and is now sold out. Although we could have spent a long weekend in Woodinville’s multiple tasting rooms representing the Seattle area, Tri-Cities, Walla Walla and other parts of the state, I decided to visit the actual wineries. Dave wanted to see the trellising of the grapes and the soil.

Since we were so close, we climb/walked Mt. Rainier’s National State Park. It is the tallest mountain in Washington. We were there at peak sub-Alpine flower sea-son, the best in years. Although there were reports of bears the week before; we didn’t run into any. I was sur-prised I was able to actually climb/walk 7.5 miles with a knee that was playing up.

Next, we visited the co-owners of McCrea Cellars, Robert and Susan Neel, because McCrea was the first winery dedicated to Rhône varietals in Washington State. I was thrilled to spend a couple of hours on the front

W I N E S O F W A S H I N G T O N S T A T E

B Y T E N L E Y F U K U I


porch of their Seattle area home tasting McCrea wines. We whiled away a beautiful afternoon with great hosts at their renovated Craftsman early 1900s home. Their 2010 Syrah had a black pepper nose with a dark jammy scent. Doug McCrea started the Syrah trend in Washington and is the leading Rhône Ranger. Most importantly Mr. Neel rec-ommended wonderful Washington win-eries with Rhône white wines.

We drove across the Cascade Mountains and tasted Treveri Cellar’s sparkling wines in the Yakima area. I particularly liked the Brut Blanc de Blancs due to its green apple and brioche taste. Another great sparkling wine was their Muller-Thurgau Sparkling which tasted like a citrusy Riesling. Sorry, it’s sold out now. I also enjoyed Bunnell Family’s 2015 Viognier which won Gold at the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition. In addition I enjoyed their 2014 Roussanne while Dave preferred their Petit Bec from 2010. Alexandria Nicole had an excellent 2015 Reserve Viognier which had scents of honey suckle, pear and melon. For dinner at J. Bookwalter’s Winery I en-joyed their duck confit salad while Dave raved over their duck confit stroganoff. I liked their 2015 Old Vine Chenin Blanc with its pear scent. We were really surprised at Mercer Cellars to see a saddle from the 2016 Houston Rodeo competition for Top Pacific Northwest Wine. I en-joyed their 2015 Viognier with its cantaloupe aroma. It was fermented in a clay amphora. In Walla Walla, L’Ecole no. 41 had great red wines especially the 2014 Estate Cabernet Franc, Seven Hills Vineyard which was redolent with plum and peppercorn. We need to return to Washington again, we have only scratched the surface of their wonderful wines.

W I N E S O F W A S H I N G T O N S T A T E , C O N T I N U E D

E D I T O R ’ S C O R N E R

WWW.WINESOCIETYOFTEXAS.ORG

Wine Appreciation Through Education

Newsletter E-mail:

[email protected]

T H E W I N E S O C I E T Y O F T E X A S - G R E A T E R H O U S T O N

It has been about 18 months since our last issue of “Heard it Through the Grape Vine”. During this �me

I have refurbished Tenley’s new office and se%led in at the “re�rement” job that I took a�er leaving

DuPont. Both of these endeavors con�nue to consume at least double the �me that I was expec�ng but

I am finally able to allocate the �me necessary to produce a newsle%er for the Greater Houston Chapter

of the Wine Society of Texas. This job isn’t really difficult. All you have to do is send out a call for ar�-

cles and everyone else does the work. I can always count on Ed and Meril for ar�cles and Sandra for pic-

tures from our wine events. Flat Creek and Messina Hof are frequent ar�cle contributors and occasion-

ally we even get contribu�ons from other chapters of the Wine Society of Texas. All that I really have to

do is take all of the contribu�ons and cut and paste them into the so�ware used to generate the news-

le%er but it s�ll seems to take a lot of �me and energy. The one big change that is really helping is that I

now have a ghost editor. That’s right, Tenley is back, applying all of the skills that she learned while

earning her first degree, in English, to review the newsle%er. It may not sound like much, but this is the

final touch that provides the polished and professional appearance that our members have come to ex-

pect.

So now it is your turn. What I really need to con�nue issuing a quality publica�on is original content

from ALL of our readers. John, Nancy, Ross; all of you have years of experience with wine, and all it

takes is a li%le effort to write about an interes�ng wine that you tasted or a restaurant that you visited.

And it doesn't have to be a Greater Houston Chapter member. We have had great ar�cles about wine

trips from the Permian Basin Chapter and there are scholarship recipients doing interes�ng work to

promote the Texas wine industry that we would all love to hear about. In the coming months I will be

sending my ar�cle requests out to everyone and the WST-GHC expects your best.

Thanks,

Dave

PS: I know that I said that it was easy, but I lied. You will agonize over word choice, sentence structure

and grammar. But remember, sharing your thoughts and experiences is what this is really all about.

Remember — Wine Apprecia�on Through Educa�on.


B E S T O F I T A LY D I N N E R E V E N T P I C T U R E S


L O O K , S W I R L , S M E L L , A N D T A S T E P I C T U R E S

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