Preview: Stars Across Texas at The Long Center [Food & Wine Fest]

If the "sip and stroll" food event is your thing, there is no higher level to this experience than Stars Across Texas. It's always one of the top nights of the year for foodies, and many of the wine and restaurant industry's top talents will be on hand to show off their latest creations. Adding to this year's intrigue is a relocation from the Hilton downtown to the more dramatic environs of The Long Center.

The hardest part of these events is determining which food and wine tables to prioritize - so we've got you covered. For food, locally based restaurants you shouldn't miss include treasures like Zoot, Aquarelle, Fino, Hudson's On The Bend, Uchi, Ranch 616, and TRIO. It's also worth stopping by Jasper's (especially if they're serving fried chicken), Max's Wine Dive for nosh designed for big red wines, and Dallas Fish Market for some of the most creative seafood in the state.

As for wine, you can hardly make a misstep. Our favorites from California are Rosenblum and Medusa's huge, over the top Zins and the refined white wines from Tablas Creek and Newton. Washington reds will also be a big presence with fantastic sister labels Pepper Bridge and Amavi, both of which are producing some of the best wine in their state. Going global, we'd highly recommend the South African entries from Mulderbosch and Kanonkop; both offer some elegant value wines but will likely also be pouring some upper tier offerings from their portfolio. Finally, for all around deliciousness, try Casa Lapostolle's offerings from South America - the entire line is a winner.

Stars Across Texas takes place on Friday, April 17 at The Long Center.

Austinist is a proud media sponsor of the 2009 Texas Hill Country Food and Wine Festival, which runs April 16-19 at venues throughout Austin. [Homepage|Participants|Locations|Tickets]