Wine Life - Houston

Rob and Bonnie Lloyd of Lloyd Cellars. Rob and Bonnie Lloyd were in Houston in November to meet with a small group of local wine media to share their story and their Lloyd Cellars wine at Savoir . The Lloyds have family in town and were here for the holidays. Their wines are currently on the shelf at Total Wines. Rob Lloyd immersed himself in wine after graduating from UC-Irvine. He moved to Napa and put his dream in motion by working harvest at Cakebread followed by a job at the Stag's Leap Wine Cellars tasting room. These experiences motivated him to go to UC- Davis to get his Masters in Enology. After graduating, he continued immersing himself in California Chardonnay with positions at La Crema and Rombauer. He would co-found JaM Cellars and be their original winemaker launching the top selling Butter Chardonnay brand. He eventually opened a consulting firm and started his own wine projects with wife, Bonnie. Bonnie Lloyd moved to San Franscico in 1996 to continue her career in...

Barbera is a favorite varietal for nights that I cook Italian food at home and it has been a favorite wine with pizza this winter. This pairing was most recently enjoyed together at Coppa Osteria in Rice Village. A cold evening drove my husband and I to the inside of Coppa instead of enjoying the evening out on the patio as we typically do. Coppa Osteria is one of my favorite restaurants for pizza and it is also a favorite gathering spot with my extended family. I am all about the traditional Naples-style, Neapolitan, Pizza Napoletana or however you prefer to refer to it and Coppa Osteria does it well. I rank it as one of my top 5 in Houston. We have consumed a variety of Italian wines over the years on our pizza nights there as Coppa Osteria has a well priced book of wines to pair with their cuisine.   Lately, it has been all about Barbera and this Elio Altare Barbera d’Alba 2019 was exactly as it should be, easy to enjoy with notes of black cherry and violet and a fresh, lingeri...

Rosie Cannonball located on Westheimer is a restaurant where you can expect to find some unique wines. A ladies lunch led to the enjoyment of one of my favorite wines from the Dão wine region in Portugal, the Casa da Passarella 2012 Encruzado.  I was in the Dão at Casa da Passarella in late November of 2018 on a cold but beautiful morning and had the opportunity to taste with Paolo Nunez, the winemaker since 2008. Though most people associate the country of Portugal with fortified Port wines and rich reds, I was most excited to visit Dão to taste their white wines and learn about their most elegant of white grapes, Encruzado. The Oxford Companion to Wine describes it as "the jewel in the crown, making age worthy varietal wines that may be crisp and fragrant or more Burgundian if barrel fermentation is employed." Prior to my 2018 trip, I had not been able to successfully locate a bottle in Houston. Now, it is on the wine list at Rosie Cannonball for $75. At almost a decade ol...

I went in thinking about onion soup or croque madame but then a table near me received their special of the day and I decided to follow their lead. For Throwback Thursday today, here’s a look at a late lunch at Cafe Rabelais that I enjoyed last month in Rice Village in Houston where this affordable bottle of Bourgogne wine from Irancy was imbibed. A busy day of shopping led to an unusually large lunch. The wine was so enjoyed, that a few more bottles of this charmer were purchased to take home as well.  Café Rabelais has one of the best French wine lists in Houston with excellent choices at every price point and a discount on wines to go. Irancy is a village in the Grand Auxerrois region of Bourgogne in France. It sits on the right bank of the Yonne river, about ten miles south of Auxerre and southwest of Chablis. The region is known for producing a classic, savory style of Pinot Noir that is a perfect accompaniment to a meaty meal like this one.

Alicia Lini at Coppa Osteria While everyone in the world seems to know about our oppressive hot and humid summers in Houston, Texas, not everyone knows about our beautiful springlike weather that we enjoy throughout the fall and often through much of winter. Alicia Lini was in town in November showcasing the easy pairing nature of her family's Lambrusco wines with a group of local wine and food writers on the patio at Coppa Osteria. The day was sunny and bright with a gentle breeze, making it not only an ideal day to enjoy al fresco dining in Houston but a perfect afternoon for some chilled Lambrusco. If you were a child of the 70s or are a little older, then you grew up with the knowledge gained from a TV commercial that Lambrusco wines are nice. The Lini family does not make that particular brand of the wine but theirs are definitely nice. Founded in 1910 by Oreste Lini, the brandname takes the 910 from that date, the winery is now being run by the fourth generation. The family m...

Sourced from the Premier Cru village of Vertus located in the Champagne region of France, this non-vintage Madame Zero Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru Growers cuvée is 100% Chardonnay which has been vinified in an Extra Brut style before being aged for 48 months minimum on the lees to create a beautifully balanced, fresh and elegant sparkling wine. Found on the Deal of the Day Champagne menu at A'Bouzy for $58 a bottle and enjoyed with the Seafood Pot Pie during Sunday Brunch. This recommended bottle of bubbles was a winning wine in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's 2022 Rodeo Uncorked competition.

From the January 2022 issue of Galveston Monthly magazine, travel on the California Zinfandel Trail from Paso Robles to Lodi and learn about the Golden State's favorite grape.