May 25, 2009 - Austin Wine Festival
The Texas Hill
Country wine region is the “#2 Fastest Growing Wine
Destination” in the nation. So it’s no wonder
that even thunderstorms couldn’t keep the crowds away
from this
year’s Austin Wine Festival at The Domain.
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We dropped by on Saturday
the 23rd for the VIP & Media Hour during the opening
festivities, and ran into Sterling Affairs
head maestro Larry Kille, who was heading up the culinary
offerings in the VIP tent. He plied us with an awesome
maple-glazed quail and fork-tender beef tenterloin, both served
with crispy roasted carrots and a cheese-tinged polenta.
We finished off our snack with his S’mores parfait
- which paired nicely with the Haak Vineyards Blanc
du Bois that we sampled.
Around the festival
grounds, more than 30 Texas wineries - plus several from out of
state - were setting up shop, along with dozens of area
restaurants and food purveyors. The Austin Wine Festival
is a winery owned festival, and the “only direct to
consumer sales festival” - meaning festival guests can
buy wine by the glass, bottle and case. Plus the festival
boasts a great line-up of live music, seminars, and guest chef
demonstrations.