Santé

This November, you can pop (big) bottles in Houston to toast women winemakers

When it's time to celebrate something, celebrate big. We're talking 3-liter bottles of wine big, and that's what the Bordeaux wine region is sending to Texas in honor of its women winemakers.

These rare double magnums will be poured by the glass at select local restaurants and wine bars beginning the first week of November.

"The people of Bordeaux have always been our most dynamic force and source of innovation," says Bernard Farges, president of the Bordeaux Wine Council. "It is exciting to showcase the collective talent of the many women winemakers who are contributing so much to enrich our region."

Texas is a new addition to this second-annual event, which launched in 2020 in New York City.

"We are honored to work together with our wineries and importers to support our hospitality partners in Texas through these challenging times, and are tremendously grateful for the outpouring of support we have already received," Farges says.

In Houston, Vins de Bordeaux hosted a kick-off party at CRU Food & Wine Bar on October 26. The soiree let guests taste 18 3-liter bottles from 12 different all-women producers and winemakers.

Beginning November 1, all Houstonians can taste these wines for themselves at CRU Food and Wine Bar, Pappas Bros Houston, and River Oaks Country Club.

The participating women winemakers and châteaux representatives from Bordeaux represent the rich diversity of their region and are presenting a selection of wines that span renowned reds to dry and sweet whites. The featured wineries this November in Texas include:

Château Biac (Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux), Youmna Asseily, owner
Citran (Bordeaux Supérieur), Sophia Sanchez, general manager
Château Haut Mazières (Bordeaux), Gwen Corre, export manager
Château La Freynelle (Bordeaux blanc), Véronique Barthe, owner and winemaker
Château La Rame Bordeaux & Bordeaux blanc), Angelique Armand, winemaker
Château Larrivaux (Haut-Médoc), Bérangère Tesseron, owner and winemaker
Château Rol Valentin (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru), Alexandra Robin, owner and winemaker
Château Simon (Sauternes, Graves), Pauline Dufour, owner and winemaker
Château Thieuley (Bordeaux rouge & Bordeaux blanc), Marie Courselle, owner and winemaker
Clarence Dillon/Clarendelle (Bordeaux rouge & Bordeaux blanc), Erika Smatana, export manager USA
Les Vignerons Reunis De Monsegur (Bordeaux), Valérie Gosselin Conche, commercial director

Make your reservations now at the participating restaurants, and get ready to toast these remarkable women.

Winemaker Alexandra Robin.

Winemaker Alexandra Robin

Photo courtesy of Vins de Bordeaux

Winemaker Alexandra Robin.

when I dip, you dip

Heights restaurant's new lunch service will only offer 1 sandwich

La Lucha french dip sandwich

Courtesy of La Lucha

La Lucha will begin serving French dips on Friday, June 12.

If a sandwich hall of fame existed, one of its plaques would surely be devoted to the French dip. Its combination of thinly-sliced beef, tangy horseradish sauce, and a savory au jus is a winning formula.

Beginning Friday, June 12, Heights restaurant La Lucha will be showcasing two takes on the venerable sandwich when it starts serving them for its new Friday-only lunch service, which will be held from 11 am-2 pm. To be clear, the two sandwiches (plus fries) will be the only menu items available at lunch — apologies to anyone hoping to ease into the weekend with La Lucha staples like fried chicken or the pharmacy burger.

The two sandwich choices are: a West Coast style French dip that’s just shaved meat and au jus or an East Coast style that adds provolone and caramelized onions. Both are served with horseradish aioli on bread from Houston’s Royal Bakery that “gets crispy and delicious,” according to executive chef Bobby Matos.

The meat is the same prime rib that newly opened steak joint Star Rover, La Lucha’s sister restaurant, serves as part of its viral, “I ate the 76’er” eating challenge. Priced at $26, the sandwich offers a healthy seven ounces of thinly-sliced beef.

“They’ve done this at Little Sparrow in Atlanta but for late night. It’s been a huge success and people are digging it,” Matos explains about the motivation to introduce the offering.

Limiting the menu to two variations of the same sandwich, fries, and beverages — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic — allows La Lucha to offer its Friday lunch service more easily than if Matos had to staff the kitchen to parepare its full menu.

“It’s just bringing more people to the Heights and giving them a chance to get to know our restaurants,” Matos adds. “There are still people who don’t know about La Lucha, and it’s been eight years.”

Although Matos moved to Texas from California, he says he prefers the East Coast French dip. “I want cheese and onions on mine. I like cheese on French dips,” he says.

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