Category Archives: Andrew Chalk

by | February 4, 2014 · 8:04 am

Go Texan: 80% Of Consumers Favor The 100% Rule

GO-TEXAN--229x300by Andrew Chalk

The public comment period on a rule change that I proposed to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) – that a wine carrying the ‘Go Texan’ mark be required to be made only from Texas grown grapes – ended in December. We are now in a second public comment period that ends on February 10th. In the meantime, I have obtained the submissions of the first public comment period and analyzed them. The results are interesting…

69 comments were received by the TDA;

I divided the results into five categories.    Continue reading →

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by | February 3, 2014 · 9:23 am

Go Texan: Texas Department of Agriculture Muddies The Waters

GO-TEXAN--229x300by Andrew Chalk

Following their surprise decision to open a second comment period on changing the Go Texan rule that 0% of the grapes in a wine marked ‘Go Texan’ must come from Texas, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) published what they call ‘clarifying comments’ on my rules change proposal to make the Go Texan mark on a wine require 100% Texas grapes in the bottle.

Far from clarifying, the TDA’s comments might be better described as ‘muddying’ as they confuse the revenues coming in to the Go Texan program with revenues coming in to the Texas wine industry. The TDA staff comments are not signed by one individual (the attorney’s name at the end is a procedural requirement), so they represent the department’s view. In other words, responsibility for changing the 0% rule ultimately goes up the chain of responsibility to Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Todd Staples.

The full text of the TDA comments is here, and I urge you to read it. It  brings into sharp relief the outdated way of thinking about the Texas wine industry and the New Texas Wine Industry.    Continue reading →

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by | January 31, 2014 · 4:56 pm

San Antonio Cocktail Conference: The Final Night Party

IMG_3244.640x480Every Event Must Have Clean Glasses — The Work Crew at SACC

by Andrew Chalk

Every good thing must come to an end and the 2014 San Antonio Cocktail Conference certainly did it in style. They closed the sidewalks on Houston Street and set up a stroll from John Besh’s Lüke all the way across the river down to Bohanan’s Prime Steaks and Seafood. Then they threw a late night party at the Charline McCoombs Empire Theatre hosted by The 86 Company and featuring barn-stomping cover band The Spazmatics.   Continue reading →

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by | January 31, 2014 · 11:21 am

San Antonio Cocktail Conference 2014: Friday was ‘Texas Spirits Night’

IMG_3208Live Music Throughout The Night

by Andrew Chalk

One of the hottest destinations in San Antonio right now is ‘Pearl’, a mixed use residential, retail and entertainment complex centered around the old Pearl brewery. The brewery is being completely gutted to make way for a new Kimpton Hotel that rejuvenates the fine architectural details and southern elevation of the old brewery. I recommend a visit.

I’ll drink to that or, rather, I did on the second night of the San Antonio Cocktail Conference this  month. It was Texas Spirits Night and, having written about the burgeoning Texas wine industry many times, it is reassuring to see that the same phenom is rampant in the spirits world. Whether you want whiskey, vodka, gin or tequila, it is all available from in-state and you have the choice of several producers too.     Continue reading →

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by | January 30, 2014 · 9:13 am

Shinsei and Duckhorn Vineyards Team for Wine Dinner

shinseiby Andrew Chalk

When Shinsei, the perpetually popular pan-Asian restaurant near the corner of Inwood and Lovers and Duckhorn Vineyards, the revered Napa Valley wine producer, collaborate for a top end dinner, the results are bound to be impressive. The show they put on last week did just that with wines like Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2012 and Duckhorn Merlot 2010. And wines from Duckhorn’s other labels as well: Migration Chardonnay 2011, Goldeneye Pinot Noir 2010 and Paraduzz Z blend 2010 dessert wine.    Continue reading →

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by | January 28, 2014 · 11:32 am

San Antonio Cocktail Conference 2014: Scenes From Opening Night

IMG_3136Dripping Springs Vodka Girls Didn’t Want Prohibition Back

by Andrew Chalk

January 16th-19th was the San Antonio Cocktail Conference – one of the coolest weeks of the year in the coolest city that nobody knows about! While Steve waited for takeoff in the Crave G5 out of Lew Sterrett International, I headed does The Austin Autobahn (aka SH130) making it in about 4hrs. Here, as they say, is my story…  Continue reading →

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by | January 27, 2014 · 9:36 am

Prosecco Is The New Black

IMG_3419_640x480by Andrew Chalk

So here’s the story. A rep. sends me a black bottle with a black label containing Prosecco, the sparkling Italian wine that sells for half the price of Champagne (and about the same price as Spain’s sparkling wine, Cava). The label has stiletto’s all over it and the name is Stlto (which I think is Italian for stiletto, but with a spelling error because the Italian for stiletto is stiletto). Not only does this appear to be marketed at chicks it even has an all-female winemaking team.    Continue reading →

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by | January 24, 2014 · 11:40 am

The Fairmont Has a Coming Out Party

New Pyramid Bar 2by Andrew Chalk

After what seems like an interminable silence, the Fairmont Dallas invited the media to come and see all the new things that they have. On the inorganic side, a $10m renovation has seen the rooms upgraded and the Pyramid Bar given a makeover. On the organic side, Leigh Mills has arrived from Sous Chef at Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri (a property which has been recognized with accolades from numerous publications including Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler).as Chef de Cuisine and Eric Burrell, from the Ritz-Carlton organization, as pastry chef. Both have a good chance to make a big impression on the city with The Fairmont – Dallas as their platform. After all, that is what André Natera did.    Continue reading →

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