are they crazy?

CultureMap Wine Guy Chris Shepherd reveals the wine den serving up possibly the craziest pricing in Houston

Lees Den Wine Guy Wednesday Chris Shepherd

Our Wine Guy discovered that the entire wine list at Lees Den isn't actually marked wrong.

Photo courtesy of Lees Den

Editor's note: Long before Chris Shepherd became a James Beard Award-winning chef, he developed enough of a passion for wine to work at Brennan's of Houston as a sommelier. He maintains that interest to this day. When Chris expressed interest in writing about wine-related topics for CultureMap, we said yes.

In this week's column, he shares his favorite spot for drinking bottles of wine at deep discounts. Take it away, Chris.

Man, have I got a spot for you! A few months back I was asked by CultureMap food guru Eric Sandlerif I would write up the nominees for the Tastemaker Award nominees for Wine Program of the Year. Most of them I knew pretty well but a few places were new and I hadn’t been yet.

So I got on the interweb of knowledge and took a gander at some of the programs. All of these wine lists are, in my opinion, award-winning. They are thoughtful, some small, some big, but all of them bad ass.

One really caught my eye, and I couldn’t believe it — so I had to experience it for myself firsthand. Are you ready to drink killer wines at absolutely killer prices? I thought the whole list was marked wrong. To my happiness, it wasn’t.

Enough suspense. Get your ass to Lees Den! I feel like I am taking advantage of the situation by ordering the things that I feel are underpriced, but that’s the entire list!

Chrisanna Shewbart is the general manager and wine director. She has assembled just an outstanding variety of things which you can drink on site or take to go. I would say sit back, relax, order something delicious from the wine list. Then hit the food menu, which is also delicious.

I haven’t seen Comte Lafond Grande Cuvee 2020 in so long. It’s freaking delicious, and at $65, I want more! Even better, it’s in this pirate-looking bottle that makes it just plain fun. Order two and start pillaging!

Let’s dive more deeply into this list now. It’s divided into styles. When it comes to delicious bubbly, Lees Den offers method Champenois and Ancestrial (think pet net and such). Then come the rosés, followed by orange (skin-fermented whites), then whites divided by style — crisp, light, and full. Then the light, medium, and full reds. You will know many of these labels, and you should ask about those you don’t.

Here are a few things that I want to drink. If you drink it all before I get there, I will know it’s you! For the bubbly world, here are some of my favorites:

Soter Mineral Springs Brut Rose, 2018 for $85
Ruinart Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc , NV for $90. Both for me, hands off.
Roederer Cristal, 2007 for $250. Who does that???

On to the rosé and whites. Let’s go!

Robert Sinskey Vin Gris rosé for $40. Just take my money.
Domaine La Borderie which is a still Chardonnay from the Champagne region of France. There are a few producers that are making still wine from that region and this is a really great example.

Moving on to the red side of life.

Big Sun Energy Grenache: $31, Las Jaras Glou Glou: $38
Hirsch Vineyards San Andreas Fault: $80
Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2020: $110
Gaja “Sito Moresco,”2018: $70. Just stop it! This is insanity in the best possible way!

I hope that by writing this I don’t mess it up for everyone! (Editor's note 2: Well Chris, you are the Wine Guy. )The list is deep, thoughtful, sometimes adventurous, and sometimes safe. Most wine lists have a few steals that the sommelier just loves and wants people to try.

At Lees Den, that’s the entire list.

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Contact our Wine Guy via email at chris@chrisshepherdconcepts.com.

Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. Last year, he parted ways with Underbelly Hospitality, a restaurant group that currently operates five Houston restaurants: Wild Oats, GJ Tavern, Underbelly Burger, Georgia James, and Pastore. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a non-profit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $10 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund.

Lees Den Wine List Wine Program chefs wine

Best dining hall ever

Boutique Houston market brings stellar sandwiches to Rice University

Photo by Julie Soefer

Local Foods Market is opening its second location on the Rice University campus.

A new chapter in Houston’s dining scene unfolds as Local Foods Market opens its doors at Rice University’s Brochstein Pavilion on Wednesday, November 20. Building upon the success of the Rice Village market, which opened in 2021, the new eatery offers an expansive menu and beverage program alongside artisan goods.

“This feels like a homecoming for me. I’ve spent a lot of time at Rice with my family, enjoying the tree-lined pathways, attending football games, and even taking some special courses there as a middle schooler,” Benjy Levit, Local Foods Group founder, said in a statement. “I hope Local Foods Market at Rice University will serve as a backdrop for others to make great memories.”

This newest concept, open to the public as well as Rice students, faculty, and staff, will feature Local Foods’ signature dishes, such as the 'crunchy' chicken sandwich ($16.25), made with oven-roasted chicken breast, nut-seed crumble, and crushed chips on a pretzel bun. Staying true to its ethos, the restaurant sources ingredients from local purveyors like Atkinson Farms, Swift Hill Farms, and Blue Horizon Seafood, while also catering to diners with gluten-free and vegan options.

Fellow Local Foods Group restaurants will also contribute to the expanded menu, including fresh pasta from the newly-opened Milton’s and breakfast tacos from Maximo — made with tortillas that use nixtamalized heirloom corn. The culinary team is led by chef-partner Dylan Murray and executive chef Geoff Hundt, with guidance from culinary and creative director Seth Siegel-Gardner.

“When selecting a food vendor to rejuvenate the Brochstein Pavilion, we sought one that values thoughtful ingredient sourcing, sustainable practices, and awareness of the varied dietary needs of our students and employees,” said Beth Leaver, Rice's senior executive director and chief hospitality officer.

No campus eatery would be complete without espresso, and the restaurant continues its partnership with Greenway Coffee to craft espresso-based drinks including Local Foods’ signature Honey Iced Coffee.

The market will also boast a curated beer and wine list, including offerings from Saint Arnold Brewing Company, helmed by Rice alum Brock Wagner. Guests will be able to sip on a custom Cabernet-forward blend, a Local Foods Group and William Chris Vineyards collaboration, before it expands to the hospitality group’s other concepts.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Local Foods Market is opening its second location on the Rice University campus.

Ben Rosenblum Studio reimagined the 6,000-square-foot space while honoring the original structure by Thomas Phifer and Partners. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase freshly landscaped grounds, while museum-inspired lighting and a striking black quartzite order counter create a cozier, more inviting atmosphere. Garnish Design advised on the renovation and contributed furniture selections to complete the space.

Local Foods Market at Rice University will operate Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm and on weekends from 9 am to 5 pm. The venue, which can host private events for up to 300 guests, is now accepting bookings.