Bids and bites

Texas Wine Auction invites Lone Star State chefs to compete for best paired dishes

The Texas Wine Auction organized an eight-chef competition, to be judged by guests between sips.

Going once, going twice; the Second Annual Texas Wine Auction by Texas Wine Revolution is back. This is more than an excuse to collect a few more bottles. The Fredericksburg auction on April 29 is accompanied by wine and food samples, and when buyers aren’t competing with each other, they’ll rate bites by competing chefs.

Not to be confused with the The Rare & Fine Wine Auction and Gala by the Wine & Food Foundation, this event is explicitly Texas-themed. The spirited night will raise funds for the health of Texas hospitality workers as well as research and development through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Programs, while spreading the word about local wineries to watch.

The culinary competition is new in the auction’s second year, enhancing the theme by drawing inspiration from the wines present, all made entirely from Texas grapes. Each chef will be paired with a winery to help inform their flavors in a dish that should pair well with each glass. Guests will then vote on the best pairing and best overall dishes.

Two of the competing chefs — Amber Rebold and Krystyna Cibelli-Pettus — will be visiting from Austin, known respectively for being a contestant on Chef Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef and a dedicated instructor to other chefs. They’re joined by Angie Ragan of Lubbock (also a competitor on Ramsay’s show), Roshni Gurnani of Houston, Matt Church of Fredericksburg, plus two unnamed chefs for a total of eight.

“As a proud native Texan who has always celebrated our big bold flavors in my cooking, developing a dish to pair with Texas-grown wine will be fun for me,” said Rebold.

Her two-time competitor, Ragan, adds, “As a former medical professional, I am honored to participate in an event that will help bring healthcare to my colleagues in the Texas hospitality industry. Everyone deserves access to health services and the money we raise from the auction will go directly toward improving the health of others.”

Some of 2023’s featured wineries include:

Inwood Estates and William Chris Vineyards (2023's featured wineries)
Ab Astris
Kalasi Cellars
Kerrville Hills Winery
Pedernales Cellars
Texas Heritage
Texas Wine Collective

Auctions will be both live and silent, and along with the food and wine, attendees can look forward to musical performances.

The Texas Wine Auction will be held on April 29 at Vista Oaks Event Center in Fredericksburg, Texas. Tickets ($175 for individuals, larger tables available) can be purchased at texaswineauction.com.

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sip and ship

Southwest’s checked-wine program lands at Houston's Hobby Airport

Photo by A.C. for Unsplash

Sip and Ship enables flyers to check one case of vino for free on flights from participating airports.

Lovers of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir may want to raise a glass for Southwest Airlines.

On Monday, November 2, Dallas-based Southwest expanded its Sip and Ship program to Houston's Hobby Airport and three other Texas airports, enabling travelers to check qualifying bottles of wine at no extra cost.

The program already served 19 airports in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Now, Sip and Ship enables flyers to check one case of vino for free on flights from 23 U.S. participating airports. To ship more than one case, a traveler must pay a checked-bag fee.

In addition to Hobby Airport, Southwest added Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Dallas Love Field, and San Antonio International Airport to Sip and Ship.

A Southwest spokesperson said the airline introduced the program at the four Texas airports “following an overwhelming response from Texas wine lovers and growers.”

With the Texas airports included, Sip and Ship allows travelers to transport vino from wine regions in five states. This means a passenger could pack a case of Cabernet Sauvignon from Northern California’s Napa Valley, Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, or dry Rosé from the Texas Hill Country.

So, how does the program work?

Southwest says a traveler can ship one packaged case of wine — up to 12 bottles — weighing 50 pounds or less and adhering to size limits (up to 62 inches, counting length, width and height).

The container holding the vino must be a single box or a special wine suitcase.

Additional leak-proof packaging is required to prevent breakage. This includes packing materials such as Styrofoam, molded foam inserts, cardboard liners, bubble wrap, and extra padding for glass bottles. The airline sells padded wine bags for $5 per bottle.

Then, a Southwest agent at the check-in counter inspects the case to ensure it’s properly packed, and seals and labels the wine box or suitcase.

Once passengers arrive at their destination, they can pick up the case at baggage claim or the area for oversized baggage.

To take advantage of Sip and Ship, travelers must be departing from one of the program’s 23 airports, be traveling within the U.S., and be at least 21 years old. The program applies to connecting flights as long as the person is flying within the U.S.

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