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    wine guy wednesday

    All the bottles being popped at Houston's 2-day Champagne festival

    Chris Shepherd
    Sep 25, 2024 | 4:28 pm
    La Fete Du Champagne Krug bottles

    It's an opportunity to drink some of the world's best champagne.

    Photo by Mikhail Lipyanskiy

    It’s that time of year again—I’m calling on all of you Champagne lovers out there!

    La Fête Du Champagne is coming to town with one hell of an amazing lineup of parties October 18-19. My wife Lindsey and I attended a couple of the events last year not knowing what to expect. It was more than I ever imagined by far!

    Let’s start with the list of events that are happening this year:

    October 18is a lunch at Navy Blue with Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle, which is where they will discuss The Art of Assemblage. Most Champagne houses’ prestige cuvées are vintage wines. Laurent-Perrier believes that by blending three complementary vintages they can create a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts, and I am here for it! Chef Jerrod Zifchak and the team at Navy Blue are putting together a menu like no other. They are just really amazing cooks, and we are lucky to have a place like this in our city. Price of the ticket is $425 plus tax, but look at this lineup!

    • Laurent-Perrier, Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV
    • Laurent Perrier, Vintage 2012
    • Laurent Perrier, Vintage 2008
    • Laurent Perrier, Vintage 2007
    • Laurent Perrier, Grand Siècle Nº26
    • Laurent Perrier, Grand Siècle Nº25
    • Laurent Perrier, Grand Siècle Nº24
    • Laurent Perrier, Grand Siècle Nº23
    • Laurent Perrier, Grand Siècle Nº23 en magnum
    • Laurent Perrier, Grand Siècle “Les Réserves” Nº20 en magnum

    Dinner on Friday, October 18th is at the newest restaurant by Aaron Bludorn and team, Bar Bludorn. Chef Alexandra Peña is at the helm of this new beautiful restaurant in the Memorial neighborhood. She is an absolute rockstar. I had dinner there the other night and damn, was it fantastic.

    I can wait to see what she and the team put together for this amazing dinner with one of Champagne’s oldest Grande Marquehouses. Founded in 1760, Lanson is well known for the remarkable aging potential of its wines. Larson style is influenced by the winemaking style of blocking malolactic fermentation and thoughtful, precise blending of only the best Grand Cru fruit.

    This is something to remember when you are tasting LansonLe Vintage Collection 1964 en magnum. Dinner starts at 6:30 and tickets are $950+ tax. Ready for the line up????

    • Lanson, Le Black Label NV en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Vintage 2012 en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Clos 2009 en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Vintage Collection 1996 en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Vintage Collection 1990 en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Vintage Collection 1989 en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Vintage Collection 1988 en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Vintage Collection 1985 en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Vintage Collection 1976 en magnum
    • Lanson, Le Vintage Collection 1964 en magnum

    And this is just day one!

    Wake up, get some electrolytes and coffee in you to clear the fog and let’s get your palate ready for day two!

    Saturday, we move to the OG Bludorn where two events that are happening. The first is a walk-around tasting from 12-2 pm with small bites. This event is already sold out but you can get on the wait list or double down (smart move if you ask me) and just purchase the Magnum package which is tickets to both events on Saturday. This is what Lindsey and I did last year and it was very, very impressive. Wanna see the lineup for the afternoon? Yeah. you do.

    Here it is:

    • Delamotte, Brut NV
    • Delamotte, Blanc de Blancs NV
    • Delamotte, Blanc de Blancs 2018
    • Delamotte, Rosé NV
    • Dom Pérignon, Vintage 2015
    • Dom Pérignon, Vintage 2006 - Plénitude 2
    • Dom Pérignon, Rosé Vintage 2009
    • René Geoffroy, Expression 1er Cru Brut NV
    • René Geoffroy, Lieu Dit Tiersaudes Blanc de Noirs 1er Cru Brut Nature 2019
    • René Geoffroy, Lieu Dit Houtrants Complantés 1er Cru Brut Nature NV
    • René Geoffroy, Rosé de Saignée 1er Cru Brut NV
    • Lanson, Le Black Label NV
    • Lanson, Le Rosé NV
    • Lanson, Le Green Label NV
    • Lanson, Le Vintage 2012
    • Laurent-Perrier, Vintage 2012
    • Laurent-Perrier, Grand Siècle Nº26
    • Laurent-Perrier, Grand Siècle Nº23 en magnum
    • Laurent-Perrier, Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV
    • A. Margaine, Brut NV
    • A. Margaine, Extra Brut NV
    • A. Margaine, Cuvée M NV
    • A. Margaine, Special Club 2015 or 2016
    • Moussé, L’Orage NV
    • Moussé, Les Fortes Terres 2019
    • Moussé, Eugène NV
    • Moussé, L’Esquisse NV
    • Vilmart & Cie, Grand Cellier NV
    • Vilmart & Cie, Grand Cellier d’Or 2019
    • Vilmart & Cie, Cœur de Cuvée 2016
    • Vilmart & Cie, Emotion 2015

    Damn, I love these wines, but you’re going to need a nap before dinner — it's like nothing you have ever seen. It’s an absolute party and what dreams are made of for Champagne lovers. It’s a full-on onslaught of all your senses in the best possible way, because this is a culmination of wines from both days and so much more with so many surprises!

    Sommeliers are everywhere pouring so many different Champagnes at lightning speed. Every time you turn your head there is something different to taste! The food that chef Chase Voelz and his team are putting out is some of the best around — this night is no exception. I highly, highly recommend this event. Last year, I almost had a change of plans and couldn’t make it, but it worked out that we could and I would have been kicking my own ass if I missed it.

    Drink responsibly and get a ride share. I emphasize this again, ride share please. Just trust me because you will want to sample a lot of things.

    Ticket prices to Saturday are $200 for the tasting in the day which are sold out, $750+tax for the Gala in the evening, or what seems to be the best bet is the Magnum package that is $800+tax. The magnum package is exclusively for Amex Centurion and Platinum card holders. ,

    Head over to the website for tickets. Until last year, this event was not held in Houston, and I had always wanted to travel to attend one. Thanks to Aaron and Victoria Bludorn, Cherif Mbodji. and all of the teams at Bludorn, Navy Blue, and Bar Bludorn it’s happening in our beautiful city.

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    Where to Eat on New Year's Eve

    25 Houston restaurants celebrating New Year's Eve with caviar, bubbles, and more

    Brianna McClane
    Dec 23, 2025 | 10:30 am
    The Henry restaurant new year's eve
    Photo courtesy of The Henry
    The Henry, one of the city's newest hotel's, invites diners to enjoy a three-course meal that includes chicken frites.

    Whether 2025 was great, awful, or just meh, there’s no reason not to end it on a high note. Houston restaurants are celebrating with indulgent menus featuring caviar, lobster, and steak, along with plenty of bubbly. Food and booze aren’t the only draws — many of these New Year’s Eve celebrations also bring DJs, live music, and even aerial performances into the mix.

    Bari Ristorante
    Life’s a circus at Cirque du Bari, the restaurant’s New Year’s Eve fete, where the adjoining lawn will be transformed into a whimsical experience complete with stilt walkers. A DJ will keep the atmosphere festive until 2 am, with patrons encouraged to “dress to join the circus.” Two dinner seatings are available from 7–7:30 pm and 9:30–10 pm, followed by a champagne toast at midnight.

    Camaraderie
    Find fan favorites and limited features on the menu at Camaraderie, such as roast muscovy duck breast in a cherry and foie gras jus, and a meringata with white truffle gelato and hazelnut praline. Reservations are required to snag this $98 per person curated menu. Seatings are available from 5 pm-10 pm.

    Doc’s Jazz Club
    Montrose’s new jazz club is sending off 2025 with 7 pm and 10 pm performances by Tianna Hall and the Houston Jazz Band. The four-course dinner opens with black-eyed pea soup and a grape-arugula salad, followed by a choice of stuffed pork tenderloin, 6-ounce Black Angus filet, or seared halibut. End on a sweet note with a spiced, red-wine poached pear and cinnamon whipped cream. The 7 pm seating includes a bubbly toast, while those at the 10 pm show will be served a full bottle of bubbles at midnight.

    Eculent
    There’s no reason to settle on just one restaurant for NYE, when you can visit all four of Chef David Skinner’s spots with a $99 “Ticket to Roam.” Patrons can move between eculent, ISHTIA, Meticulous Spirits Distillery, and Clear Creek Winery all in one night, with a hot buffet from 7–10 pm, a dessert bar from 10 pm-12 am, and champagne with party favors at midnight. Cocktails and wine will be available for purchase. The event is 21+ with reservations required.

    Flora Mexican Kitchen
    Toast to the new year at this Buffalo Bayou Park eatery where a live DJ will spin tracks from 8 pm-12 am, with complimentary champagne when the clock strikes midnight. A sparkling disco ball adds to the ambiance.

    Guard and Grace
    The luxurious downtown steakhouse will supplement its regular menu with NYE features, including dry-aged duck breast with foie gras dirty rice, bluefin tuna tataki, steamed crab and lobster wonton, pan-roasted Alaskan halibut, and smoked, bone-in beef short rib with black garlic glaze.

    The Henry at Town & Country Village
    One of Houston’s newest neighborhood restaurants invites diners to welcome 2026 with a three-course meal. Start with decadent bites such as the truffled brie toast, followed by entrees like a Korean prime skirt steak or roasted chicken frites. Dessert brings a chocolate fudge pie, lemon olive oil cake, or a molten butter cake. Priced at $85 per person, with optional wine pairings available as an add on. The Henry is open from 4 pm-12 am.

    Juliet
    Slip into the new year feeling like a spy at this James Bond-inspired, black-tie attire event. “Casino Royale” at Juliet is a $250-per-person celebration with casino-esque games, magicians, entertainment, open bar, and a three-course dinner. Standout dishes include a two-pound lobster thermidor and a 36-ounce tomahawk ribeye (+$150).

    Kitchen Rumors
    This fusion spot in the Arts District is marking New Year’s Eve with a $75 prix fixe menu of flavorful creations like roasted oyster tikka, shrimp ravioli, and beef vindaloo with basmati rice. The fifth and final course offers a choice between carrot halwa cheesecake or chocolate cardamom mousse. Kitchen Rumors is open from 4pm-10pm.

    Little’s Oyster Bar
    Seafood lovers will want to close out 2025 at Little’s Oyster Bar where features include Matagorda Pearl oysters on the half shell with champagne seafoam and Little’s white sturgeon caviar, Red Royal shrimp, lobster bisque, and Yellow Edge grouper. The fixed-price menu is $175 per person, served from 5 pm-10 pm.

    Makiin
    It’s “Midnight in Bangkok” at this Upper Kirby restaurant where live entertainment — like Thai dancers, aerial performance, and DJ — complement a $55, three-course menu. All diners can raise a complimentary pour at midnight. MaKiin is open until 12 am on December 31.

    The Marigold Club
    Goodnight Hospitality's decadent, Mayfair London-inspired French restaurant is celebrating New Year's Eve with a three-course, $175 per person prix fixe menu. Begin with choices such as beef tartare, tuna crudo, or Caesar salad. Entree choices include prime filet, duck Wellington, Dover sole, and lobster Thermidor. Four dessert choices complete the meal. Enhance the experience with additions such as caviar, truffles, and champagne.

    Maximo
    Executive chef Adrian Torres’ progressive Mexican cuisine is the star of Maximo’s NYE show. Smoked pork belly, masa cornbread with white truffle and caviar, and corn puree Basque cheesecake are just a few of the offerings on the five-course, $85 prix fixe menu. Add cocktail and wine pairings for an additional $45. Maximo will open at 5 pm on New Year’s Eve with a last seating at 10 pm, and return to regular service and menus on Thursday, January 1.

    Milton’s
    Say “Buon Anno” with a five-course feast at Milton’s. The curated dinner starts at $150 per person, with optional wine pairings available for $75. Find favorites such as the housemade sourdough tagliatelle with shaved black truffle, and a seafood risotto with poached lobster.

    Murray’s Pizza and Wine
    Raise a slice of pizza to the year’s end at this recently-opened pizzeria. The prix fixe menu features small plates and three limited-edition pizzas: caviar and with Norwegian salmon that's hot-smoked in house; duck confit pizza with roasted red grapes; and a truffle-wild mushroom pizza with a garlic cream sauce and salsa verde.

    North Italia
    Why not finish the year off with a sampling of new dishes? The restaurant’s three-course menu for NYE includes staples such as the Sicilian meatballs, alongside new creations like smoked prosciutto chicken parmesan and a lobster mezzaluna with tiger shrimp in a white vodka sauce. Pricing starts at $75 per diner.

    Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
    The Houston institution invites patrons to bid adieu to the year with a $150, four-course menu. Lobster deviled eggs, grilled double cut lamb chops, and “turtle” mousse tart are on the menu, as is the restaurant’s signature 16-ounce, prime ribeye. Both the Galleria and the downtown locations will host the celebration.

    Sol 7 at the Thompson Hotel
    Soar up to the seventh floor of the Thompson Hotel for Sol 7’s $70, three-course menu. Patrons can take in the restaurant’s downtown views while dishes of miniature crab cake with remoulade, a compressed melon carpaccio salad, and a red wine braised short rib are delivered to the table. A banana rum cake completes the meal. For those who want to continue the celebration, the hotel is offering a “Let’s Party” in-room decor package that includes a bottle of Veuve Clicquot.

    State of Grace
    Join chef Ryan Lachaine at this River Oaks-staple for a four-course, $145 per person dinner. Everyone starts with house baked bread, served with butter and caviar, before choosing one of five starters such as raw oysters, chili crab, or yellowfin tuna crudo. Entree options include char sui-style duck breast, mushroom risotto, prime filet, or dry-aged cote du boeuf ($49 supplement) and are paired with shared sides including black-eyed peas. Add wine pairings for $65 or $125.

    Street to Kitchen
    James Beard Award-winning chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter and her husband Graham Painter invite diners to join them for a surprise menu that features multiple courses showcasing "unapologetically Thai sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy flavors." Priced at $100, the meal begins at 7 pm with a cocktail hour at 6 pm. Reserve seats via Street to Kitchen's website.

    Succulent Fine Dining
    The Regent Square restaurant is capping off its first year in Houston with music from DJ Sound and Vision and a seven-course prix fixe menu. From the $125 per person menu, expect entrees like a poached halibut cheek with butter-braised leeks, and a pepper-crusted, 1855 Farms prime rib. The regular dinner menu will also be available. Succulent Fine Dining is open from 5 pm-12 am.

    Turner's Cut
    Those looking to splurge may want to indulge in the seven-course tasting menu at this ultra-posh steakhouse in Autry Park. Priced at $2,026 per couple, it includes selections such as a caviar tartlet paired with champagne; lobster ravioli paired with more champagne; both an American wagyu strip and a Japanese wagyu filet; and a welcome cocktail made with Rémy Martin 1738. A toast with Louis XIII cognac ends the meal. Live music, party favors, and a midnight balloon drop complete the experience.

    Uchi and Uchiko
    New Year’s Eve is an intimate affair at Uchi, where diners can reserve a $400 omakase experience for two. Selections include Siberian caviar service, A5 wagyu gyutoro, and bluefin akami. The restaurant’s sister restaurant, Uchiko, is also offering an omakase for two at $350. The regular menu will be available at both restaurants on NYE, but no happy hour or to-go orders will be. Reservations are available from 4 pm-11 pm.

    The Woodlands Resort
    2025 is going out big in the ‘burbs with a 14-piece live band and a buffet-style dinner at the Woodlands Resort. The festivities kick off with a champagne welcome and passed appetizers, with a live DJ cranking out tunes before a confetti countdown at midnight. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased via Eventbrite. “Midnight Noir” at The Woodlands Resort is from 7 pm-1:30 am.

    The Henry restaurant new year's eve

    Photo courtesy of The Henry

    The Henry, one of the city's newest hotel's, invites diners to enjoy a three-course meal that includes chicken frites.

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