WINE AND DINE

from 2021 November Preston Hollow Advocate

ARBOR ABODE

wine & dine

Pogo’s Wine & Spirits' staff shares seven wines to try this holiday season, perfect for intimate gatherings or a gift. Plus a twist on the old fashioned.

Descriptions by sommelier LANCE STORER

Compiled by AMANDA DOMASCHK

Photography by JESSICA TURNER

turkey & ham

MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS CHARDONNAY ‘ESTATE’ 2016 - $59.99 Aromas of green apple, pear, peach, nectarine, Meyer lemon, orange blossom, cinnamon, clove and sea spray. The palate is elegant, with savory, earth notes to complement the fresh fruit/floral components, displays mouthwatering acidity and a long, spicedriven finish.

REMELLURI RIOJA RESERVA 2013 -$39.99 The red and black fruit flavors here are alluring enough on their own, but the magic for food pairing purposes comes on with the seamless tannin integration and savory herbs that frame the persistent finish. AZELIA BAROLO ‘SAN ROCCO’ 2015 - $85.00 Remarkably approachable for such a young Barolo, generously giving aromas and flavors of cherry, currant, plum, licorice, rose petals, tea leaf and crushed rock that lead into similar flavors, folded into a silky texture that is very well aligned with its tannin structure.

CHATEAU MAILLET ‘POMEROL’ 2015 - $59.99 If beef is on the menu for your holiday gettogether, this merlot/cabernet Franc blend from Pomerol in Bordeaux will dazzle with its captivating aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherry, black raspberry, plum and dark chocolate. This is rich and full-bodied, with silky tannins and impressive length.

forget the wine. drink the whiskey.

safe bets

DOMAINE ETIENNE SAUZET BOURGOGNE BLANC 2019-$43.99 This is incredibly versatile chardonnay, showing lemon, green apple, pear, pear blossom, almond, honey and wet stone aromas and flavors with fresh, food-friendly acidity.

WILLI SCHAEFER RIESLING GRAACHER HIMMELREICH KABINETT 2018 - $48.99 Pristine fruit aromas and flavors, driven by bracing acidity, stony minerality and a finish that feels like it will never end. Riesling is the ultimate secret weapon when trying to tame all of the flavors associated with a holiday meal, and this one is a home run.

sweet wines

CHATEAU GILETTE ‘LES JUSTICE’ SAUTERNES 2016 - $33.99/HALF BOTTLE

Whether it’s a traditional dessert course or cheese to finish the meal, embrace your sweet tooth! The sweetness of this excellent Sauternes is balanced by high acidity so that still tastes fresh and not cloying. It’s a real treat, showing aromas and flavors of fresh pineapple, candied orange, apricot and mango, coupled with white flowers, creme brulee, nuts and spice.

THE HOLIDAY OLD FASHIONED

Warm your toes with this whiskey cocktail during the holiday season. We chose this whiskey for its luscious aromatic quality and deep complexity. The nose has notes of ripened strawberry, rosemary and molasses. The palate is lemon candy, caramelized brown sugar, teakwood and baked almond. Reminiscent of holidays at home. The elderberry enriches the fruitier side of the whiskey and the bolivar bitters adds notes of chamomile, jasmine, cinnamon and dried fruits.

2 ounces Wilderness Trail Single Barrel 1 ounce Rothman & Winters elderberry liqueur 2 dashes Bittercube Bolivar bitters

Combine all ingredients in a lowball glass with ice and stir. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Created by Hannah Jimenez

CENTER STAGE

Raising awareness of muscular dystrophy in a gown

Story by RENEE UMSTED | Photo courtesy of AMANDA TABOR

AUDREY TABOR HAS NEVER BEEN

AFRAID OF THE SPOTLIGHT. She would have joined the cheerleading team before she started at Hillcrest High School, but her middle school, Sudie TAG, didn’t offer that opportunity. And after she met Miss Dallas and Miss Dallas Teen and was encouraged by other contestants, the ninth-grader didn’t hesitate to sign up for a pageant.

The Miss Dallas Teen competition, held at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, was Tabor’s first pageant.

“I like being in front of people, and I really like the evening wear,” Tabor says. “It’s one of my favorite parts.”

She spent months preparing for the competition. Her pageant coach taught her how to sit, walk and answer interview questions. And of course, she had to do some wardrobe shopping.

Though she was excited for the glam and ambience of it all, she had another more serious motivation in mind: spreading awareness of muscular dystrophy.

Tabor has MD, a condition that has no known cure, and she’s intent on informing people about it. In the past, she was an ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for about a year and a half. That role allowed her to attend fundraisers and other events to talk about her experience with the disease — everything from her diagnosis at age 8 to the limitations it causes.

Even with preparation and previous experience speaking in front of crowds, Tabor’s confidence at the pageant was shaky. “I was super nervous for everything, and I felt like I forgot to breathe,” she says.

But during rehearsal time, when the contestants ran through the different events, she received some advice from the other girls.

“They said, ‘Don’t be nervous. There’s no reason to be nervous. The interview is just like having a conversation with the judges,’ which is really how it was,” Tabor says.

During the two-minute interview, Tabor answered questions about colleges and careers that interested her, coaching the Sparkman Club Estates swim team over the summer and working as a Muscular Dystrophy Association ambassador.

In addition to getting tips from the other contestants during breaks in rehearsals, Tabor used the time to raise awareness of MD by talking with the girls and answering their questions.

Tabor finished among the top 10 contestants in the Miss Dallas Teen pageant, and she was invited to participate in Miss Texas USA next summer. In the meantime, she is hoping to take part in at least one more pageant.

Signing up for a pageant wasn’t the first time Tabor decided to try something new. An International Baccalaureate student at Hillcrest, she learned how to play several instruments: acoustic and electric guitars, the ukulele, drums and the piano. She taught herself how to sew. And she created shops on Etsy to sell slime and jewelry.

“She gets bored easy,” Audrey’s mom, Amanda Tabor, says. “And she’s just one of those kids that loves being around people, loves learning things, loves doing new things, trying out stuff.”