Wine Dads on the wines they will enjoy on their special day.
I’m not a big fan of “wine days” like Chardonnay Day or Drink Wine Day (because isn’t every day ‘drink wine day?’). That said, I love Father’s Day because it shines the spotlight on all the great dads in our lives. So with this holiday around the corner, I thought it would be fun to feature some of my favorite wine dads in Austin and Texas Wine Country and share the wines they would like to enjoy on their special day.
I really admire these men and their focus on family despite working long hours in the wine world. This is a two-part series – will share a few more great wine dads next week.
Craig Collins, MS / VINTUS
One of two Master Sommeliers in Austin, Craig got his start in wine while an undergrad at Texas A&M when he worked at Messina Hof Winery in Bryan. He spent the next 20 years studying the beverage industry, passing the prestigious Master Sommelier exam in 2011. Now the sales manager of VINTUS import company, Craig is often on the road! (Fun fact: Craig collaborated with William Chris Vineyards to make the first Wanderer Series Relief Project wine to support the Southern Smoke Foundation.)
When home, he is greeted by his wife April and two young boys. For Father’s Day, they will grill outside and turn to something crisp and cold to beat the heat: the newly released 2014 Bollinger La Grande Anne is a top choice. Craig is also excited about the 2021 Chateau Minuty Rosé et Or from Provence. With orange spice and raspberry characteristic, Craig says it is definitely a more serious rosé that almost drinks like a red wine, great for long afternoons and pairs well with a lot of meats coming off the grill. (Pretty sure you can find this beauty at the new Neighborhood Vintner store in Westlake.)
Chris Brundrett, William Chris Vineyards
The owner of William Chris Vineyards in Hye, and co-owner of William Chris Wine Company that includes William Chris Vineyards, Lost Draw Cellars, Yes We Can Wine, Skeleton Key, and Grower Project, Chris is a Texas wine industry pioneer and serious advocate for the beautiful wines that are made in the Lone Star State.
His ideal Father’s Day is hanging with his two girls and wife under the oak trees at their house or on the Llano River. His wine pick would be the William Chris Hye Estate Vineyard Tannat, a popular wine grape in Texas that makes big, bold reds, paired with a braised leg of lamb that he loves to prepare in a clay pot served with some Barton Springs Mill blue corn grits.
Evan Davis, Spec’s
One of the newer dads here with a 2 ½-year-old son, Evan recently returned from an inspiring trip to Bordeaux, France, which impacted his imbibing habits at home. So not surprisingly, his pick for Father’s Day is the 2018 Chateau Pavie Macquin from the Saint-Emilion region. Pavie Macquin is perched high on the limestone plateau surrounding the ancient village, which is a World Unesco Heritage Site. The wine is made predominantly from Merlot, with notes of wild, exotic blue and black fruits mingled with grape flintstone vitamins, chewy blueberries and black currants. (Grape Flintstone vitamins are my kind of tasting note!)
A pretty darn good at-home chef, Evan would pair this pretty Bordeaux with Entrecote Bordelaise, a thick-grilled steak slathered in a red wine sauce with bone marrow, shallots and fresh thyme.
Sergio Cuadra, Fall Creek Vineyards
The director of winemaking at Fall Creek Vineyards for almost 10 years, Sergio began his winemaking career in 1994 when he worked his first harvest. He brought extensive warm-climate, grape-growing expertise to Texas after nearly two decades making wine in Chile at Concha y Toro and Caliterra.
While Sergio always loves a Carménère from Chile, he won’t say no to ice wine, either from Canada or Europe. The father of five children, ages 14 to 25, says ice wine is that perfect ending to a nice dinner, offering a whole new set of aromas and flavors to buckle up the experience.
Todd Duplechan, Lenoir
Lenoir (named after a native Texas grape also known as Black Spanish) is definitely one of my top spots in Austin, thanks to chef Todd and his wife Jessica who bring so much talent to the food and wine list. Like me this time of year, Todd enjoys crisp whites and juicy reds with a slight chill. After a day on the water – kayaking, fishing or swimming with his two boys – to celebrate Father’s Day, he will cook something in the backyard.
He will kick things off with J. Lassalle 1er Cru Brut Rosé, Cumières Champagne NV with notes of raspberry, brioche and savory dried herbs – well balanced and gluggable. Next up – and probably his favorite wine choice – is a 2019 Milan Nestarec ‘Forks Over Knives’ Rouge from the Czech Republic, a fun, energetic red wine, partially carbonic, that you drink with a slight chill and is perfect for barbecue. (Carbonic is a winemaking style that results in red wines being bright, juicy, sometimes with a bubblegum note. I love carbonic wines!)
Stay tuned for next week’s column that will celebrate a few more Texas wine dads. Cheers!
Denise Clarke is an avid wine enthusiast who loves sharing and teaching people about wine. She is a Certified Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier, WSET Advanced graduate and an expert on Texas wine. Owner of Denise Clarke PR, she currently represents Texas Fine Wine and the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Wine Marketing Program. She has lived in Austin for more than 30 years and when she is not swirling and sipping wine, she can be found on her bike, climbing every hill she can find.
Follow Denise on IG at @deniseclarkeTX for more wine recommendations.
