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 Marie Courselle.

Winemaker Marie Courselle

Photo courtesy of Vins de Bordeaux

Winemaker Marie Courselle.

Anthony's song

Prolific Houston pizza chef fires up a new Italian restaurant in River Oaks

Anthony's New York Italian interior

Courtesy of Anthony's New York Italian

Anthony's New York Italian is now open near Central Market.

One of Houston’s most prolific pizzaiolos has quietly opened a new restaurant in River Oaks. Anthony Russo, founder of Russo’s New York Pizzeria, has opened Anthony’s New York Italian in the former Pie Tap Pizza space at 3748 Westheimer.

While Russo is known primarily for his fast casual restaurants that sling New York-style pies, Anthony’s New York Italian is both more personal and more upscale. It takes inspiration from his Italian heritage — his father grew up in Naples and his mother grew up in Sicily — as well as Russo’s Italian Restaurant, the Galveston eatery his parents operated for almost 20 years.

“We had veal, lobster, Gulf snapper, a lot of nice, classic dishes. There’s where I grew up in the kitchen,” Russo tells CultureMap. “I was always around fine dining restaurants. My mom and dad used to bring in chefs from Italy. They were excellent chefs. That’s what we had in Galveston for 18 years.”

With Russo’s at more than 50 locations, the time felt right to open a more upscale concept. Partially inspired by New York restaurants such as Carbone and Quality Italian, Russo thinks Houstonians will appreciate his high-end take on Italian American fare.

The menu includes lobster fra diavolo, a 24-ounce prime porterhouse, bone-in veal parmesan, frutti di mare (shellfish with tomato sauce over pappardelle), and more. In addition, the dish utilize Italian olive oil that’s pressed by one of the chef’s friends. Anthony’s also makes all of its doughs, sauces, and sausage in house.

Of course, Russo is making pizza, too. They’re baked in imported Italian ovens using slightly different dough and sauce recipes — along with imported mozzarella and burrata — than his more casual restaurants.

And, no, Russo isn’t concerned that a pizzeria lasted less than a year in the space.

“I feel confident this location is going to be a killer for us. We make homemade pasta on site here, fresh from scratch.” he says. “We're bringing fresh lobster. We're bringing fresh clams. We got a nice veal chop. I mean, these are all chef-selected ingredients. I don't think anybody's doing that in town right now.”

The restaurant is still in such early days that it doesn’t have its own website or social media pages yet. For now, diners can follow Russo on Instagram for updates.

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A post shared by Anthony Russo (@chef_anthony_russo_)

Anthony's New York Italian is open for dinner Monday-Thursday beginning at 4 pm. It’s open for lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday beginning at 11 am. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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