Nancy and Pete Toppan
Vivian Wright serves her Trash Can Nachos.
Texas is one of the oldest wine growing states in the U.S. with vines planted here more than a hundred years earlier than California or Virginia. The advent of the Temperance Movement and Prohibition virtually eliminated the Texas wine industry, which did not experience a revival until the 1970s, beginning with the founding of Llano Estacado and Pheasant Ridge wineries in the Texas High Plains near Lubbock and the La Buena Vida winery in Springtown. Only Val Verde winery survived. The Texas wine industry still feels the effects of Prohibition today with a quarter of the state’s 254 counties still having dry laws on the books. Until 1977 you could not plant grapes to be used in wine production in dry regions. Presently it is the fifth largest producing state behind California, Oregon, Washington and New York. The Texan wine industry is continuing its steady pace of expansion and has gained a reputation as an established wine growing region in the U.S. Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have the highest number of plantings in the state. Also there are more than 270 wineries in Texas with The University of Texas System being the largest wine producer in the state.
In the spirit of Cinco de Mayo and a celebration of Southwestern Fare, the Wine Stewards celebrated a tasting of Texas wines at the home of CT Robertson and Brenda McKenzie. To encourage a wider appreciation of the Texas wines available, members were required to bring a bottle of Texas wine from a winery other than Llano or Becker. Each member gave a short presentation on the wine selected and the history of the winery. The main purpose of the Wine Stewards is to learn and explore while socializing with neighbors and friends. Learn and explore translated into taste and toast. Coupled with servings of Vivian’s Trash Can Nachos and a slice of Brenda’s decadent Texas sheet cake, the evening evolved into another pleasant memory for the Robson Wine Stewards.