Drink Wine, Save Lives

How often do you get the chance to cure cancer by knocking back a few? Pretty much never—which is why the Austin Wine Festival this weekend is so noteworthy. Not only does it give you the opportunity to taste wines from 30 Texas wineries, the festival will also donate all proceeds to Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong foundation, as well as the Austin Farmer’s Market. What could be better than funding cancer research and tasty goat cheeses by sipping succulent Viogniers and Muscats?

We focused on white wines for the first day of the festival, which was a blur of Sauvignon Blanc, White Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio, and more. We’re not the sharpest of wine connoisseurs—we’ve probably knocked back more Boones Farm than Dom Perignon in our day—but a few wines stood out from the crowd. First was Torre di Pietra’s Dirty Girl, a wonderfully dry, mildly fruity white with a cleaner finish than its name would imply. Three Dudes and a Dog’s Texas White was succulently sweet with a mild citrus bite. (Three Dudes is located just down the road in San Marcos, right off the river, so stop by on one of your tubing trips this summer.)

Orange Moscato from Texas Hills Vineyard wasn’t quite a Dreamsicle in a wine glass, but it was definitely a dream come true: a dessert wine that packs a unique flavor without resorting to excessive sweetness. The pourer recommended enjoying this wine with dark chocolate, so pack a bar to nibble as you sip this treat. Dry Comal Creek offered both Bone Dry and Demi-Sweet French Colombards, both of which lived up to their names while retaining nuances of flavor. Woodrose Winery’s Three Dog White also brought joy to our world with its perfect balancing of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Chardonnay.

But don’t take our word for it when it comes to wine—head on down to Republic Square Park this weekend and taste the wonder for yourself.

Austin Wine Festival
Republic Square Park (422 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78701)
Sunday, May 27: 1:00 - 9:00
Movie in the Park: Sunday, May 27: 9:15- 10:45
Monday, May 28: 1:00 - 6:00

[ Tickets ]

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