Adam Lee is one of California's most esteemed Pinot Noir and Syrah winemakers, but he's not a West Coast native. Mr. Lee was born and raised right here in Austin, and is a graduate of Trinity University. Before decamping for California in the early 1990's, Lee worked as a salesperson and manager of the former Austin Wine & Spirits before moving on to a wine buyer role at Neiman Marcus in Dallas. At that job, he met his wife Dianna (who is still Lee's winemaking partner), and the two pooled their savings to move to California and start a winery - truly the stuff of legend. Over the past 15 years, the pair have produced literally hundreds of 90+ wines under the Siduri and Novy labels. Both Lees visit Central Market on Monday evening to host a tasting dinner, so we called Adam recently to discuss his thoughts on winemaking, Austin, and the best story he's ever heard over a glass of Pinot. more ›

5th Annual Big Reds and BubblesTuesday, November 27Driskill Hotel (604 Brazos St.)6:30-9pm; $75 general admission, $60 for members[info] | [tickets]With Thanksgiving a mere two days away and the holiday season right around the corner, this time of year brings fine wine to all foodie minds. Wine lovers traditionally splurge in December on fancy bottles for both holiday toasts and New Year's Eve celebrations. To welcome this time of year and the wines that complement... more ›

Sip 'N' Stroll: As a warm-up for next spring's Hill Country Wine and Food Festival, the organization is sponsoring a very enjoyable-sounding Sip 'N' Stroll event at three of The Domain's new restaurants. The concept is simple: you wander from restaurant to restaurant in groups, and each of them serves you a flight of wines and some paired appetizers. NoRTH features Italian eats, so naturally they'll be focusing on Italy's wine varietals. Regan Jasper, the... more ›

Austinist wondered, "What are the top spots these days to get your wine on?" Certainly one can order a lovely glass of wine most anywhere - but, for the distinguished Austin wino who wants to polish off a beautiful bottle or sample a creative wine flight in a sassy setting, we suggest the following: Vin Bistro Vin Bistro knows how to treat a guest. By far, this is the most excellent service we have enjoyed... more ›

You may not know it, but you've loved Fred MacMurray since childhood. Like the early careers of Kurt Russell and Jodie Foster, MacMurray was perhaps best known as a Disney contract player for his work in films like "The Absent-Minded Professor" and "The Shaggy Dog." But there's an impressive darker side to MacMurray's acting that can only be seen in his films with auteur Billy Wilder. Last year, Fred's daughter Kate MacMurray presented the noir... more ›

The matchless Jane Nickles ("Miss Jane" if you're one of her students) teaches wine classes for both the armchair wine lovers, as well as budding professional culinarians at Texas Culinary Academy, and has published a neat little volume, Winespeak 101. With Valentine's Day precariously close, we asked her to throw her two cents in regarding everyone's favorite come-hither combo - chocolate and wine. Read on, you animals... Many people, myself included, just love, love,... more ›

Things we learned at the 2006 Wine and Food Foundation of Texas Tour de Vin at Whole Foods Market: more ›

"Texas wines are Texas wines! They will never be California Wines or French Wines, and should not be compared to them. You don’t laugh at an apple because it’s an apple and not an orange! Texas wines have improved dramatically since I landed in Austin (from California – gasp!!) 12 years ago. I have always enjoyed the red wines of Llano Estacado in Lubbock. I also enjoy Fall Creek Granite Reserve, and the red wines of Alamosa Vineyards in Tow. For the best $8.00, “Supermarket Wine” around, try Fall Creek Chenin Blanc. You’ll be surprised!" more ›

Kevin Dini is fresh. Ask any of his clients at Namaste Salon (as well as his many friends) and they'll tell you the truth - he's a peach. That's why we were thrilled last night when he accepted our invitation to check out the Downtown Farmers Market at Plaza Saltillo at 5th and Comal, which will be open Thursdays from 4-7pm until September 28 in addition to their already wildly popular Saturday downtown presence.We... more ›

Sondre Lerche has made no secret of who his influences are; in interviews and in his own candid online diary, he often praises the likes of Elvis Costello, Prefab Sprout, Chet Baker, and even Steely Dan. He praises them all for good reason, of course. Lerche’s previous two albums, Faces Down (2002) and Two-Way Monologue (2004), were quirky pop creations that illuminated the depth of his songwriting abilities and the sweet qualities of his voice.... more ›

La Traviata is busy on a Saturday night. We didn't have reservations, but we were lucky enough to snag the last free table of the evening from the very kind hostess. For our dinner we ordered the Lamb Ragu without the lamb. A truly amazing feat if we do say so ourselves. Hey, it had red sauce and we like our red sauce. But we don't like our lamb. There was no problem in... more ›