Rock&Vine GOOD LIFE IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
EXPLORING Cigars & Bourbon BROTHERS IN ARTS the Casbeers SOMETHING SWEET Baking in Fredericksburg TEXTILES & Textures
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H E AT H S PA R K L I N G W I N E S FALL 2019
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FEATURES
in every issue
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New 'wildcatters' in Texas market a growing, tasteful industry – Olive Oil
Publisher's Letter
Steve Taylor
20 Talented artist brothers leave their mark on Walls Across Texas Shannon Lowry
30 Tobacco Sticks and Chill: Cigar fans will enjoy these Hill Country spots Ken Esten Cooke
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9 Contributors
98 Drinkery Maps
108 Events
Find out what's happing in your area
113 End Notes
An iconic home on Main Street is six generations on Keidel family ownership and now serves as a historic B&B. Shannon Lowry
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Barney Kane, designer and photographer based in New Braunfels, captured these rolls of fabric and their interesting pattern at Fredericksburg design shop Dankworth Dry Goods. Rock&Vine
ON THE COVER: Photographer Robert Gomez captured a charcuterie board from one of downtown Kerrville's most delicious destinations, the Turtle Creek Olive Grove Tasting Room.
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IN THE HILLS General Michael Hagee, 33rd Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, offers his take on leadership.
HAUS An interview on texture and its role in design with Jennifer Eggleston, a top Southern U.S. designer.
Brooke C. Nevins
Kimberly Giles
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TASTE Baker's Delight – These three chefs put pop in Hill Country pastries and baked goods.
HAUS Dankworth Dry Goods pairs good taste and fine textiles.
Kimberly Giles
56 DRINKERY A Texas pioneer in the bourbon industry, Dan Garrison forges a bold, tasty success in tiny Hye.
Kimberly Giles
87 STOMPING GROUNDS Wine Siren reviews a top winery, Comfort's Bending Branch. Lorelei Helmke
Gus Gonzales III
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DRINKERY The longest-tenured craft brewery in Texas reflects on their first 25 years.
IN THE HILLS The links in Fredericksburg rival those of many private courses. Gayne C. Young
Lee Nichols
95 DRINKERY 'Six Pack to Go' – Texas law catches up with others to benefit Lone Star state brewers. Lee Nichols
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Mon. - Thurs. 10-5:15 Fri. & Sat. 10-7:15 Sun. 12-5:15 Check website for Holidays Phone: (830) 990-8747 email: wine@fbgwinery.com
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247 W. Main (in town - one block west of the Courthouse) Large parking area in front RV parking in back.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
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contributors
Rock&Vine Featuring the best life has to offer in the Texas Hill Country. A product of Fredericksburg Publishing Company. Publisher/Editor Ken Esten Cooke Contributing Editor Sherrie Geistweidt Design Editor Andrea Chupik Contributing Writers Jennifer Eggleston, Kimberly Giles, Lorelei Helmke, Gus Gonzalez III, Shannon Lowry, Lee Nichols, Steve Taylor Contributing Photographers/Artists Leo Aguirre, Barney Kane, Robert G. Gomez, McKenzie Moellering Advertising/Marketing Director Kimberly Giles Account Executives Ann Duecker, Kim Jung Rock&Vine Magazine 712 W. Main St. | P.O. Box 1639 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 Phone 830 997 2155 rockandvinemag.com SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: $20 for two years www.rockandvinemag.com
COPYRIGHT: Rock&Vine Magazine is published by the Fredericksburg Publishing Company. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without permission of the publisher. Editorial content does not reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice or endorsement, but is considered informative.
A perfect day for grown men By KEN ESTEN COOKE Publisher What could be better than a fall day and a cigar road trip with a good friend? A man’s day out? Leo Aguirre Jr. and I piled into my beater pickup truck and headed out through the hills for a full day of interviews, photo shoots and sampling the merchandise at some of the Hill Country’s cigar lounges. Leo is a talented chef, photographer, graphic designer, musician and friend. He studied design at the knee of his late father, whose signs and designs can still be found in this region. We met some great people in these lounges and especially enjoyed the motto at Smokey’s in Dripping Springs, known as “The place where you can show your ash.” In addition to cigars, we have a lot of good articles in this edition about things men enjoy (and many women, too). We profile artists of a different type, the Casbeer Brothers whose murals adorn the Hill Country, and Dan Garrison, an artist whose canvas is a bourbon barrel. We also honor two institutions that hit major milestones this year. We pay homage to what is the nicest city-owned golf course anywhere in Texas, the Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Golf Course, which hit the half-century mark, and Fredericksburg Brewing Company, one of the earliest craft brewers in Texas which helped spur that industry to huge growth. (It’s also one a personal beer favorite.) We also look at another oil industry, this one for your table. Two Hill Country growers are harvesting olive crops and helping that Texas product in its early growth. We’re also happy to welcome contributions from Jennifer Eggleston, known throughout the entire southern U.S. as a top designer. She calls Fredericksburg home. And we have a Q&A with Dixie Dankworth-Cope, owner of Dankworth Dry Goods, one of the neatest little shops in Fredericksburg. We hope you enjoy this edition and welcome your feedback. You can find me hanging out with Leo and enjoying some Hill Country good life. –R&V– We want to know what you think about our growing publication. Please send feedback and story ideas to ken@fredericksburgstandard.com. And thanks for reading.
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$20 for two years Send to 712 W. Main St., Fredericksburg, TX 78624 or subscribe at RockandVineMag.com
Editorial submissions: ken@fredericksburgstandard.com
McKenzie Moellering is a reporter with Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post.
Robert G. Gomez is an Austin-based, Texas-raised photographer with a bachelor of arts in history from the University of Texas and an associate’s degree in photography from Austin Community College. His work can be found at robertggomez.com. Gus Gonzalez III is a freelance writer who lives in Austin. Barney Kane is our resident ad production designer on staff at Rock & Vine Magazine.
Jennifer Eggleston of cottage industry and Southern Living's designer network. Will continue to share her insights and design advice with us in our ensuing issues of Rock & Vine's Haus section. Kimberly Giles is our Rock & Vine Ambassador, who is always scouting for stories in our Texas Hill Country, email her @ kgiles@fredericksburgstandard.com Lorelei Helmke, is a wine educator and tasting coordinator. Find her at www.winesiren.com, Wine Siren on Facebook, and @realwinesiren on Instagram
Letters to the editor I want to take the time to let you know what an excellent job you’re doing with the magazine. I thoroughly enjoy the articles, admire the photos and even find the advertisements of interest.
Leo Aguirre is a photographer, graphic designer, chef and musician who works in the Hill Country. He captured images from Woerner Warehouse and Pritzer. Andrea Chupik is a graphic designer / art director living in Fredericksburg. View her work at designranchcreative.com.
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Shannon Lowry is a freelance writer and a former editor for Texas newspapers and magazines. Lee Nichols is a freelance writer based in Austin. He loves beer and two-stepping in Texas dance halls, especially with his daughter, Lucy. Steve Taylor is a Fredericksburg freelance writer who works with Taylored Communications. More information is at anntaylorcontentmaster.com.
When I receive a new issue, I immediately flip through every page and dog-ear those I need to spend some quality time reading. It’s a beautiful, well-planned piece of work. Again, thank you for doing such an outstanding job! Angela Church Boring, Oregon
... I found this magazine in Fredericksburg while I was weekending with my girlfriend. I feel the quality of the magazine is great; it was easy to read, laid out well and has the right amount of content. Thank you for your work and the attention you brought to our small team; I found it rewarding and it means a lot to me and Reclaimed Space. Tracen Gardner Owner/ Reclaimed Space
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“We’re all in the oil business. We’re in the other oil business.” This being Texas, one might think John Gambini was referencing oil of the crude kind. But that would be a mistake. John and his daughter Cara operate Texas Hill Country Olive Company on the western outskirts of Dripping Springs.
‘OIL BOOM’ Hill Country Olive Businesses Flourish By STEVE TAYLOR Photos by ROBERT G. GOMEZ
Oil the Gambinis produce can be just as difficult to come by as the drilled variety. For every ton of olives grown and handpicked on their 17 acres, the Gambinis produce 35 to 45 gallons of olive oil. “Hundreds of thousands of olives are in a ton,” John said, “so it takes millions of olives to make a lot of olive oil.” That explains why a 500-milliliter bottle (about 17 fluid ounces) of, for example, the Gambinis’ Texas Miller’s Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil sells for $25.99. The Gambinis Texas Miller’s Blend variety recently won a silver medal at the New York International Olive Oil Competition. So did their Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Their Texas products competed against 900 olive oils from 26 countries. “We’ve always believed we can win awards against the best olive oils in the world,” John said. He recalled once entering a contest in France, where no U.S.-made olive oil had ever competed, and his olive oil won medal there, too. ENAMORED IN KERRVILLE The Gambinis are a decade into producing olive oil. At the Turtle Creek Olive Grove on the south edge of Kerrville, Dan and Sue Schulse are just starting out. (For Dan, this comes after a 15-year career as “land man” exploring potential sites for oil and gas exploration – the original oil business.) Their working farm features wine grapes, chickens, meat lambs and even a pet pig (and offers a wedding venue, B&B and even fly fishing), but making olive oil is their primary passion.
top John Gambini checking on his harvest at Texas Hill County Olive Company bottom The finished product at Texas Hill Country Olive Company
Inspired during a 2013 Tuscany hike through “beautiful olive trees,” they began researching how to grow them and made contact with Brian Chatterton, author of the book “Inside the Olive Oil Jar.” An olive oil grower and producer for more than two decades in central Italy, he guided and inspired the Schulses to follow in his footsteps, Sue said.
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“We got enamored with the old world of wine and olive oil,” Dan said. That feeling is reflected in the Schulses’ Turtle Creek Olives and Vines tasting room, occupying a two-story historic building in downtown Kerrville. More than 40 wines from around the world are available for tasting and consumption. Other items for sale sometimes include the Schulses’ farmgrown vegetables (kale, tomatoes, okra, Swiss chard and more) and farm-raised lamb chops and ground meat. So is Turtle Creek-labeled extra virgin olive oil, though the bottles’ contents actually come from Chatterton’s Italy operation – for now. This year, the Schulses are harvesting their first 200 pounds or so of olives. They expect to be making, bottling and selling their Texas-made olive oil next year. About 2½ acres on the Schulses’ 160-acre farm currently have about 200 five-year-old olive trees. That doesn’t include a covered nursery, where the couple are growing 700 more olive trees – “just babies” awaiting their 5th birthday so they, too, can go into the ground, Dan said.
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COMBINING THE ROMANCES The Gambinis also have a tasting and dining room with various wines, foods and other products for sale. Theirs is on site, nestled next to their olive orchard along West Fitzhugh Road. Orchard tours and informal orations by John or Cara are offered on Fridays and Saturdays, followed by an olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting. The facility also features a bistro and spacious dining room for special events. “From my travels, we know we wanted to build something that reminded people of Tuscany,” John said. “The Hill Country reminds me so much of Tuscany. We wanted the romance of the Hill Country to combine with the romance of what we’re doing, to persuade people to come out.” AN (OLIVE) OIL BOOM? Can olive oil be the “next big thing” in the Hill Country? John Gamini noted the climate south of Austin generally corresponds with that of Europe’s famous olive-growing regions. A key issue: olive trees are susceptible to freezing weather. John said they can die if the temperature is 15 degrees or lower for 24 hours. Thus, growing olives on the High Plains, where many local wineries grow their grapes, it out of the question.
top left Cara Gambini educates guests on the complete process of harvesting - to bottling. top right Carl Schulse, son of Dan and Sue, and their family dog, Kate, at Turtle Creek. right page Texas Hill Country Olive Company location has tours available, say an on-site chef, and a gift boutique.
At times, parts of the Hill Country can get that cold, too. The Schulses lost more than 1,000 young trees their first year due to freezing weather. “For 360 days out of each year, it has a great climate,” Dan said. “It’s those other five days.”
WE’VE ALWAYS BELIEVED WE CAN WIN AWARDS AGAINST THE BEST OLIVE OILS IN THE WORLD. – John Gambini
The Schulses plan to add 500 trees in 2020 on other property they own in South Texas, along with five more acres of olive trees in Kerr County. The Gambinis also have an orchard in South Texas with 1,800 olive trees. Dan and Sue Schulse shared their olive oil dreams with John Gambini after he gave a talk before a Kerrville service organization. Cara Gambini said people come up to her and her father often, inquiring about factors relating to entering the olive oil business. HOW OFTEN? “Pretty much every weekend,” she said. “They stay in touch, too,” John said. The Gambinis offer advice on when is the best time to plant trees (springtime) and sometimes sell them trees to start their own orchards. THIS GREAT ADVENTURE John likened where olive oil is today to where the state’s wine industry was in the 1970s. “From the standpoint of where we are in Texas, honestly we don’t have enough olive trees yet,” he said. “We need farmers who have other crops to plant trees and join us on this great adventure.”
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Turtle Creek's historic tasting room
Texas currently has more than 150 olive orchards and five olive oil production facilities, including a mobile mill that can be transported around the state, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. The department credits “the farm-to-table movement, consumer awareness” and state efforts to spotlight olive oil and related products for the “recent boom” in planted olive trees. Like so many entrepreneurs, the Schulses and Gambinis learn along the way while pursuing their dreams. For example, Dan Schulse believes Turtle Creek will produce its own olive oil in 2020, but “to what extent, I don’t know because we’re on a learning curve.” “We’ve learned a lot,” Cara Gambini said. “Each year, we grow and get a little bit better, a little bit wiser.” R&V
bottom left Patrons of Turtle Creek tasting room in Kerrville enjoying wine, conversation and charcuterie. bottom right “Liquid Gold” – precious selections of Turtle Creek’s olive oil on display in antique jewelry cases at their tasting room location.
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HOW TO TALK
TASTING TEXAS OLIVES As when wine tasting, there are certain terms often used when tasting Texas olive oils. Here are some and their definitions: COLD PRESSED AND FIRST COLD PRESSED Both terms mean the same thing. Either term on an extra virgin olive oil label indicates the oil was extracted by mechanical means without using heat. “Press” mostly is a figurative term because now nearly all olive oil is extracted using malaxers and centrifuges. EARLY HARVEST Olives were picked before fully ripening, usually giving them a more peppery and bitter taste. Sometimes these olives are picked early on purpose, other times because an early frost is expected that can damage the fruit ESTATE BOTTLED The oil was harvested and pressed at the farm where the olives were grown. EXTRA VIRGIN The oil is a superior or premium virgin oil, meeting higher quality standards than those of virgin-grade. MONO-VARIETAL Most olive oils are made from blends of different kinds of olives. Mono-varietal means just one type of olive was used. OLIO NUOVO Or “new oil.” The olives were harvested recently and the extracted oil is considered extremely fresh, robust and flavorful. ORGANIC As with other organic produce, organic olive oil was grown without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers. An accreditation organization should be cited to certify if an olive oil is organic. ROBUST AND DELICATE Both describe flavor. Robust means full-bodied flavor that pairs well with other strong flavors (tomatoes, meats). Delicate (or mild) olive oil goes well with fish or vegetables. UNFILTERED Most oils are filtered to remove olive solids. Unfiltered varieties use gravity to separate solids, usually producing sediment. VIRGIN Under international standards, both “virgin” and “extra virgin” varieties are extracted mechanically without heat or chemicals. If an oil is not called “virgin,” at least some of it was refined similarly to vegetable oil. Refined olive oil, by definition, contains oil deemed not as flavorful as virgin olive oil but has the same desirable fatty acid composition. Source: North American Olive Oil Association FALL 2019 17
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Turtle Creek
Olives & Vines Hill Country Charm and World Class Sophistication 211 Earl Garrett Street Kerrville, TX 78028 Tues. - Sat., 11 am - 8pm 830-896-0010 Enjoy fine wines, small plates and authentic olive oil. www.turtlecreekolivegrove.com info@turtlecreekolivegrove.com
Fredericksburg Art Guild
Fine Art Created Exclusively by Texas Artists Open Wed - Sun 10 - 4 First Friday Art Walk 10 - 8 Variety of Art Classes Available
308 E Austin St (across from Nimitz Museum) • 830.997.4949 • fredericksburgartguild.com fredericksburg art guild
fredericksburgartguild
A 501(c) 3 non-profit organization supported in part by PCAA/Oktoberfest and City of Fredericksburg HOT/MOT funds
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top The brothers Casbeer work on an outdoor mural. bottom The beginning of a new work of art in the studio.
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HILL COUNTRY BROTHERS
CREATE MAGNIFICENT MURALS By SHANNON LOWRY
he commissioned art and expansive murals of Hill Country native Lee Casbeer and his brother, Matt, grace interior walls and building facades throughout Texas and well beyond — from Dubai to Italy. Lee keeps a public gallery and studio at 104 N. Nugent Ave. in Johnson City. Matt works out of a private studio on his property in Fredericksburg. The brothers, who grew up in Llano, frequently collaborate on large-scale murals and large-scale art. They are currently working a few days a week on a massive mural 17 feet high and 200 feet long for a car museum near Abilene and hope to finish it by the end of the year. “Our grandmother was an artist and her house in Llano was full of easels and paint and canvasses,” Lee Casbeer said. “I started drawing and painting when I was about four. My brother and I stuck with painting. My sister is a massage therapist in Fredericksburg.” Lee spent his first two years of high school in Llano and finished in Fredericksburg in 1989. He then apprenticed for two years with well-known Fredericksburg artist John McClusky, learning to work with acrylics. Afterward, he moved to Italy to study oil painting. He returned to Texas in 1999 with an Italian wife, Alessandra, and opened his gallery in Johnson City. The pair live above the gallery with their four cats: Bogart, Picasso, Sofia and Tigre.
The cats are frequently underfoot between the canvas and the artist, or lounging languidly on countertops, switching their tails with displeasure when the attention turns to painting and not petting. They vie — in their most nonchalant prima donna way — for Casbeer’s complete attention. Visitors are greeted warmly but beware, Bogart bites if he’s not at the center of all things. “The cats…yes, the cats are always around,” he said absentmindedly, petting Bogart with both hands. “I now use a combination of acrylics and oil paints. My exterior paintings are acrylic but a lot of the interior paintings are oil. With the exterior murals, we paint them directly on the wall. I transport smaller paintings on canvas to the location once they are finished and install them.” The Casbeers’ carefully researched and meticulously detailed murals can be seen by the public at Java Ranch Coffee Shop, Parts Unknown clothing store and Altdorf Restaurant and Biergarten in Fredericksburg, in the Pecan Street Brewery courtyard and at the public library in Johnson City and at Mamacita’s restaurants in Kerrville, Fredericksburg and San Antonio. Stylistically, the Casbeers’ work covers the gauntlet, from fiery Spanish flamenco dancers facing off to Victorian couples twirling and swirling across a ballroom floor, from German beer makers raising a glass in an old-time saloon to classic Western scenes featuring untamed landscapes.
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top Mural of the peace treaty between Fredericksburg settlers and an area Native American tribe. bottom Studio cats help the artist stay focused.
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I NOW USE A COMBINATION OF ACRYLICS AND OIL PAINTS. MY EXTERIOR PAINTINGS ARE ACRYLIC BUT A LOT OF THE INTERIOR PAINTINGS ARE OIL. – Lee Casbeer
Lee’s favorite murals are “historical scenes of people that tell a story of some kind.” One he takes particular pride in is a mural of the peace treaty signed between the German settlers and the Penateka Comanche tribe in 1847 outside Fredericksburg — the only such treaty signed in America that was never broken. He even found a diary that detailed who sat around the campfire that day and what each participant was wearing to inform his mural, which hangs at the now closed Treaty House Cocktail Lounge. One person in the mural is a white boy with long braids dressed in Comanche garb. According to Lee, the youngster was a captive of the Comanche whom the Germans attempted to get released to them but apparently he wasn’t interested in returning to Anglo society. “We work out a rough sketch of what the client wants,” he explained. “Once we’ve narrowed down the scene, I need to find models to pose for me or reference materials that show what kind of dress people would be wearing. I draw it out in pencil on a small scale and then project it to make it into a large scale drawing.” He has lost count of how many murals they’ve done. “We’ve never had to restore any of our own work yet. I’m hoping our pieces will be here the better part of our lifespan. Most of the ones I’ve restored are from the late 1800s to early 1900s.” Casbeer’s interests are wide and varied, which is reflected in his private, non-commissioned art hanging in his gallery. His artwork ranges from detailed paintings of Texas longhorns and Western scenes to an anatomical collection of figurative paintings. “Some people come in to my gallery and think it’s four or five artists represented here but it’s just me,” he laughed. “It keeps it fun for me.” “I do all kinds of commissioned pieces of any subject matter as well as portraits,’ he said. “And I welcome anyone to come visit my gallery. We also have a nice community of artists here in Johnson City who get together for a life drawing class once a month. We hire a model to pose for us and it gives us all a chance to work from life, sketch from life, paint from a live person. It’s a good excuse for people to get together, drink wine and do art.” R&V
For more information or to commission an artwork or mural, contact Lee Casbeer at 830.456.9615.
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in the hills
LEADERSHIP WITH GENERAL MICHAEL W. HAGEE
By BROOKE C. NEVINS Photo by MCKENZIE MOELLERING
General Michael Hagee is CEO of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation
eneral Michael W. Hagee, who served as the 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps from 20032006, was raised in Fredericksburg, graduating high school in 1963. Today, he is CEO of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation in Fredericksburg, which oversees operations of the National Museum of the Pacific War. Hagee was heavily influenced by the legacy of fellow Fredericksburg native Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, who led the Pacific Naval fleet to victory during WWII. Hagee graduated from the Naval College in 1968 to begin his military career as a commanding officer in Vietnam. Some worry that today’s young people lack the respect for authority shown by The Greatest Generation. But Hagee said their individuality and willingness to speak up is not problematic, but crucial to holding those in leadership accountable. “I think the basic qualities of leadership have not changed over time,” Hagee said. “It’s actually a little bit more of a challenge today to lead people. They’re more inquisitive. They’re smarter. They’re not afraid to say something that means, ‘when did you ever think that was a good idea?’ They’re much more willing to say that, which I love.” The single most important thing a leader does, Hagee said, is know their mission and accomplish it, no matter the
circumstances. How they accomplish this depends entirely on their character and trust among the people they command. “They have to believe that you know what you’re doing – absolutely competent,” Hagee said. “And also, that you are going to take care of them to the best of your ability. If they believe that, at least in the military, they’re willing to die. That’s big. If they don’t believe in their leadership, they’re not going to come out of their fox holes. It’s building that unit, so that they love one another. And they actually do. They are not important. It’s the unit, it’s the mission.” Though technology advances and the world changes daily, the same qualities of courage and competence are not lost on young people, Hagee said. “There is no doubt this generation would do exactly the same thing with appropriate leadership,” he said. And while few Americans ever experience physical combat, Hagee believes his views on leadership can be applied by anyone. “It’s never about you,” Hagee said. “It’s about the young guys and gals you’re working with, because they help you accomplish that mission, whatever it is. You cannot do it - I don’t care how good you are - without them. You’re a part of a team. If you are a true part of that team, it’s really quite unbelievable what you can accomplish.” R&V FALL 2019 27
229 East Main Street Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 830.990.8266 www.laurenbade.com 28
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Sm BLOWING
o
ke
SOME OF THE HILL COUNTRY'S FAVORITE CIGAR BARS
lue smoke. A sip of a heavy beer or a spirit. Large leather chairs. Sports on the television. Hill Country cigar bars are like a community man cave (though women are certainly welcome). By KEN ESTEN COOKE Photos by LEO AGUIRRE JR.
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Rock & Vine did a tour of area cigar lounges this summer. There’s no way to hit all of them, but here are a few of our favorites.
HABANA HOUSE CIGARS 3601 S. Congress Ave., Suite K300-A Austin, TX 78704 • 512-996-8706 Hours: Mon-Thu 10-8:30, Fri-Sat 10-10, Sun 10-6 Other location: 13729 Research Blvd., No. 1075 • Austin, TX 78750 When you are in Austin, Habana House will fill your cigar cravings. With two locations (and plans to add a third), it is growing right along with the capital city. Owner Michael Rocha runs the business, which began 15 years ago inside the Ruta Maya Coffee Shop. He moved to the bustling South Congress area in 2013 and will soon expand that location next door with a larger spot and a walk-in humidor that is as large as many Austin apartments (the largest in the city). SMOKEY’S CIGAR LOUNGE 331560 Ranch Road 12, Suite 207 Dripping Springs, TX 78620 • 512.829.5560 Hours: Wed, Th 1-8 Fri, Sat 12-10, Sun 12-8
Rocha owns M&R Wholesale, so his stores will have most any major brand one is seeking, including being an exclusive Davidoff retailer.
These people who really love cigars and their community. In fast-growing Dripping Springs, this is a cool spot to slow down. Lawman owner Chris Walling has carved out a comfortable space in a simple strip mall, but has made it his own with something for every taste.
Habana House specializes in the well-established brands of every size and spice, but also sports a solid selection of boutique brands. Manager Daniel White says it’s BYOB and the Wifi hookups mean it’s not unusual for guys to hang out for hours on end, like a smokey coffee shop. “We like our diverse clientele,” he said.
Smokey’s began as strictly a mobile lounge (and still hire out for events), but Walling opened a retail space when demand exceeded supply and space. Their walk-in humidor features surprising boutique finds such as: Casa Turrent, which comes from the San Andres Tuxtla region of Mexico; One Shot, One Kill, which was made by Lowrider magazine editor/photographer Edgar Hoyle; and Southern Draw, a Texas label. The owners support many veteran-owned labels. They offer 25 beers, wines and ciders. Private lockers are available (nearly sold out), which come with BYOB privileges. An added bonus is the owners welcoming patrons to order and enjoy anything from the Route 12 Filling Station next door. Once a month, they even offer a “Yogis and Stogies” event, and they regularly host musicians. Andrew Unhassobiscay and employee Allison Trainer are cigar aficionados and even affirmed their love with cigar band wedding rings. FALL 2019 31
CIGAR VAULT 210 N Main Street • Buda, Texas 78610 • 512 361-3289 Hours: Sun-Thu 12-8, Fri-Sat 10 am-11 pm This place has the most interesting history of probably any Texas cigar lounge. It is located in a stucco, 1928 building which used to house Farmers State Bank. The bank origins mean the building still has a vault, which now serves as its walk-in humidor. In 1919, leg-end has it that the bank was robbed by a 19-year-old female University of Texas student who was caught on a muddy road that is now Interstate 35. The place has a living room feel with comfortable chairs and couches and soft light in the cozy space. They offer a nice selection of beers, wine, coffee and espresso. Owners say it’s “like a community center” and patrons will find all ages, male, female hanging out. The owners/managers are friendly and knowledgeable. There also are regular grub from local food trucks and an indie pizza place nearby and music frequently on the tree-covered back porch. Always a sporting event on the tele, and also, fans of Scottish football – we call it soccer ‘round these parts – are most welcome.
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TABAK HAUS 109 S. Washington St. • Fredericksburg, TX 78624 • 830.997.2360 Hours: Tue-Thu 10-10, Fri-Sat 10-11:30, Sun (flexible, but during football season from noon til’ games are over) Owner Bob Kreipe’s spot – with a wooden Indian and 100-yearold Welsh, leather pub chairs just off of Main Street – has been a hit since it opened almost four years ago. With thoughtful details like copper ceiling tiles and knotty wood, it feels like going to a friend’s home who has much better decorating taste. As our “home turf” shop, we enjoy it often and Kreipe or Gayne Young (an R&V con-tributor) talk sports and hunting. The place is frequented by couples visiting The ‘Burg on anniversary trips or weekend getaways, but many times men stop in when their wives are shopping on Main Street. Tabak Haus features some boutique sticks as well as major brands, and a nice selection of pipe tobacco and merchandise. The lounge’s spirits offerings feature some top shelf liquor. There is also a solid selection of local and imported beers and a delightfully sizable wine menu. Customers may bring in food or order pizza. Another nice touch is a wooden deck under a giant Live Oak, where they sometimes host musicians or DJs spinning cool tunes. R&V
Other stops: THE CIGAR HUMIDOR 122 N. LBJ Drive San Marcos, TX 78666 Hours: Tues-Sat 12-7 512 396-PIPE ( 7473 ) BOERNE WINE CO. 302 S. Main St. Boerne, TX 78006 830-331-9424 Hours: Mon-Sat 11-8 BOLIVAR CIGAR LOUNGE (private lounge) 309 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78701 512-472-2277 Hours: Mon-Sat 11-8 Let us know your favorite spots by messaging Rock & Vine on Instagram, Facebook or via email at ken@ fredericksburgstandard.com. FALL 2019 33
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Lodging & Hospitality In addition to helping you find your ideal accommodation, we offer a wide selection of concierge services including grocery delivery, spa bookings, fresh flowers and Fredericksburg Gift Baskets. BOOK YOUR STAY. GO ONLINE TO FBGLODGING.COM, CALL 1 (866) 427-8374 OR VISIT OUR OFFICE ON MAIN STREET.
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THIS AIN’T JUST WINE COUNTRY. HOME OF THE FIRST LEGAL BOURBON DISTILLERY IN T E X A S A ND 2-T IM E A M E R IC A N W HIS K Y OF T HE Y E A R .
Garrison Brothers Distillery in Texas Hill Country is dedicated to making the best bourbon in the world and true Southern hospitality. When you’re here, you’ll feel the warmth of our Texas spirit, right alongside the aroma of our sweet mash and the soothing hum of our copper pot-stills making more bourbon. Come pay us a visit. Distillery tours are at 10, noon 2 and 4. You don’t have to take a tour to taste our bourbon though, we serve bourbon flights at our Hospitality Cabin Wednesday through Sunday from 10 to 5. Make a reservation by visiting
W W W.GARRISONBROS.COM/ TOUR
,,
If you didn’t think Texas was on the world map of great whisky, it is now. JIM MURR AY
DRINK LIKE AN ADULT ™
garrisonbros.com
©2018 Garrison Brothers Distillery
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• Cigar Shop and Smoking Lounge • Walk-In Humidor • Texas Craft Beers and Wines
We’re mobile too!
Mobile cigar lounge available for parties, weddings, and corporate events.
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31560 Ranch Road 12 Suite 207 Dripping Springs, Texas 78620 512-921-8388 www.smokeyslounge.com
Transparent Pricing • Hassle Free Shopping • No Big City Gimmicks
Fall into a great deal! 1225 S. State Hwy 16, Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 • 830-990-9888 FALL 2019 37
F EL I C E HO US E
BIG BEND RANCH Oil on Canvas 48” x 48”
WEST TEXAS Limited Edition Print 36” X 54”
235 EARL GARRETT STREET | KERRVILLE | 830.315.3150 | SLATEGRAYGALLERY.COM
DISH
Photo credit@tbod.80
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The Texas Winery and Vineyard with the Million Dollar View Founded in 2002, the winery sources half of its fruit from our Estate Vineyard and the other half from the Texas High Plains AVA. As the winery grows, we remain committed to our goal of producing food-friendly fine wine in Central Texas using Texas-grown fruit exclusively.
Driftwood Estate Winery’s Longhorn Red was the 2015 winner for the Best Texas Wine at the Houston International Wine Competition.
Driftwood Estate Winery remains one of the top wine destinations in Texas.
Open daily 11 am to 6 pm (512) 858-9667 www.driftwoodwine.com
at Award Winning Driftwood Estate Winery
Open Saturdays and Sundays plus Special Events and Dinners Amazing food and breathtaking views Full service indoor/outdoor seating Globally inspired menu Reservations Accepted Catering Services Private Parties (737) 414-0222 www.thedriftwoodbistro.com
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ROOMS WITH A VIEW OF HISTORY By SHANNON LOWRY
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By SHANNON LOWRY
Six months after the first 136 settlers arrived in Fredericksburg in May 1846, Dr. Wilhelm Keidel rode into town on a white horse. The son of a doctor, he was young man — barely 21 — and had a four-year medical degree from the prestigious University of Gottingen in Germany. He was also battlehardened, having served for six months as an Army surgeon in the Mexican-American War.
With his arrival, the fledgling German community in Comancheria country had secured its first real doctor. He would tend to both the German settlers and the Comanche with-out regard to race for the rest of his short life. Within days of Dr. Keidel treating an Indian patient, the Comanche would hang a deer or wild turkey from a tree near his home in Pedernales Settlement (now White Oak) to pay for his services. During the Civil War, he treated people on both sides of the conflict.
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Keidel died of typhus in 1870 at the age of 45. Wilhelm’s son Albert and grand-son Victor would be sent back to the same university in Germany for their medical education and return to Fredericksburg to serve the close-knit German-Texan community. Six generations later, the land Dr. Keidel held on what is now Main Street in Fredericksburg is still owned by the same family. Since 1999, a cottage and a larger house his descendants built in the early 1900s serve as the Keidel Inn and Gasthaus. Current owner Barbara Heinen was named Barbara Claire after her grandmother Clara. To honor her namesake, one of the guest suites in the Keidel Inn is named Clara. Heinen’s nephew, Jeff Lawrence, a sixth-generation family member, has managed the B&B since 2010 and also runs Keidel Wine Tours. “I run into people I don’t even know I’m related to,” laughed Lawrence. Additionally, Heinen and her daughters, Deanne Brown, Donna Sanders and Denise Harris, along with Lawrence, own Legacy Suite on Main. Lawrence manages the 900-squarefoot suite upstairs in a separate historic building in the downtown district, with a business downstairs.
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“My grandfather Dr. Victor Keidel had a clinic off Highway 290 and he built the hospital in town in memory of his father, Albert, and his grandfather, Wilhelm,” Heinen said, refer-ring to the Keidel Memorial Hospital. The building, which now houses a gourmet kitchen store and basement restaurant, is owned by her cousins. “A story always told about my grandfather was when a bachelor finally decided to get married,” Heinen continued. “His wife had a child six months after the wedding. He went to Dr. Keidel and said he thought it took nine months to have a baby. Dr. Keidel looked him right in the eye and said, ‘The first one can come anytime, but the next ones will take nine months.’”
In the side yard of the Keidel Inn and Gasthaus at 403 East Main Street stands another stately local landmark. Beneath the shadow of a massive, double-trunk oak tree that is hundreds of years old and towers above the Inn, the original surveyors who platted Fredericksburg buried tools for the pioneers who came later to build the town. They made a fire pit atop the buried tool stash so that no one would know the ground had been disturbed. The Keidel Inn, which was originally a two-story home built for Dr. Victor Keidel in the late 1920s, features two suites, Clara’s Suite and Emily’s Suite. Clara’s Suite can sleep six, has three bedrooms, a private bath, a downstairs living room and dining room, hot tub and court-yard patio with gas fire pit and charcoal grill, a kitchenette, cable TV, free WIFI and continental breakfast. Emily’s Suite has two bedrooms and two baths, and shares the hot tub and patio. The two suites can also be opened to one another and rented as one house for large parties up to 10. Behind the Keidel Inn is the two-story Gasthaus, a cozy cottage that sleeps 2-4 with a full kitchen, private hot tub and other amenities. keidelinn.com or 512.775.6805 Legacy Suite on Main, 221 ½ East Main Street, has original beaded board ceilings, wood floors and exposed limestone walls. This one-bedroom suite was once a mercantile store and various retail stores, and now houses a business down-stairs and the guest suite up-stairs. The suite has a fourposter king-size bed, 50” TV and a sitting area for able-bodied guests that can climb stairs. legacy-suite.com Lawrence also owns Keidel Wine Tours. He enjoys sharing his love of Fredericksburg and area history with visitors from all over the country. To schedule a wine tour, visit keidelwinetours.com
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Tours • Tasting Bar • Gift Shop • Bistro • Events
Open Daily from 10am to 5pm 2530 W. Fitzhugh Rd. Dripping Springs, TX 78620
512.716.5663 • texashillcountryoliveco.com
Der Lindenbaum the linden tree
German Restaurant Authentic German Cuisine
you will be glad you came
Where Good Times are Always On the Menu!
For a truly unique dining experience during your visit to Fredericksburg and its German-enriched attractions ... Stop by our Main Street Restaurant, where you can find American, German and other foreign-flavored dishes to appease even the most hungry of appetites. And, remember, good times and fellowship are always on our menu! Our skillful chefs take their precious time in preparing dishes (their “masterpieces”) that you can write home about and our service staff offers their visitors — both local and out-of-town — a refreshing friendliness as they care for all their needs. Whether in town for just a day or making Fredericksburg your home, Der Lindenbaum is ‘a must’. Our comfortable, yet elegant dining atmosphere, welcomes all tastes with open friendship.
authentic - schnitzel burgers - sandwiches home baked breads - german specialties - desserts mouth-watering After shopping, come relax in our quiet, cozy atmosphere with hot spiced wine, European pastries and more. Come join us for delicious international dishes in our comfortable dining room. We’ll be waiting for you (close to the Nimitz Museum.)
Open 7 Days a Week, 11am to 10pm Tuesdays, 11am - 4pm only Now accepting all major credit cards Travelers Checks, Personal Checks
312 E. Main, Fredericksburg, Tx. - 830-997-9126 44
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THE PERFECT PLACE TO SIT BACK AND RELAX OR
step back in time German heritage | festivals & events | over 40 wineries and tasting rooms | museums & historic sites | cycling peaches & wildflowers | golf | sophisticated shopping | eclectic art galleries | Hill Country cuisine | live Texas music
VisitFredericksburgTX.com | 866 997 3600 FALL 2019 45
A new level of taste. 260 E. Main St., Fredericksburg, TX 78624 www.rathskellerrestaurant.net rathskellerrestaurant@gmail.com 830-990-5858
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taste
EMMA & OLLIE'S • WOERNER WAREHOUSE CAFE • PRITZERS
Bake By KIMBERLY GILES
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taste
EMMA + OLLIE
Rebecca Rather, Owner
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF BAKING AND HOW HAS THIS BEEN MADE SPECIAL FOR YOU?
First memory of baking was making toll house chocolate chip cookies with my best friend Kristin and selling at our lemonade stand. We made cookies and brownies all the time. WHERE DID YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES ORIGINATE FROM?
My favorite recipes originated from my childhood and my great aunts and grandmother. My great aunts were amazing bakers as was my grandmothe. I have all of their recipes. THEY SAY COOKING IS INTUITIVE, MORE RIGHT BRAINED CENTERED AND BAKING IS METHODICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND LEFT BRAINED BASED. WOULD YOU AGREE THIS IS TRUE OR NOT? HOW DOES IT APPLY TO YOU?
I do believe baking is methodical - and I agree that it is scientific but you also have to have a feel for it - I have been doing it for so long that I don't really have to measure. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM TO BAKE?
My favorite thing to bake would be biscuits and scones. I also love doing pastries for special events. Once I made 700 chocolate guitars for Lyle Lovett, I also did 500 chocolate pianos for a Phantom of the Opera charity event in Austin. HOW IS BAKING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
I love to bake and always have, but I do consider myself a pastry chef as much as a baker. It's my passion and I love to come up with new recipes.
607 South Washington St. Fredericksburg 830.383.1013 emmaolliefbg.com
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WOERNER WAREHOUSE Angela Mancino, Owner
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF BAKING AND HOW HAS THIS BEEN MADE SPECIAL FOR YOU?
My first memory of baking was when I was a kid and my grandmother used to make apple pies for special occasions. I became curious and started to help her with all her baking projects. This is my earliest memory of starting my passion for baking. WHERE DID YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES ORIGINATE FROM?
My favorite recipes originated from my experiences in different areas of the states. I have cultivated a taste for unique and delicious recipes that have made my bakery so successful. I also enjoy testing new items to be added to the bakery. This allows me to tap into different types of cooking along with baking. THEY SAY COOKING IS INTUITIVE, MORE RIGHT BRAINED CENTERED AND BAKING IS METHODICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND LEFT BRAINED BASED. WOULD YOU AGREE THIS IS TRUE OR NOT? HOW DOES IT APPLY TO YOU?
I believe both are completely different. When I am cooking I have more control over what I can add or take away. Baking is definitely more methodical; I usually need to stick to recipes in order to have something come out to my standards. I have a passion for both and believe that they are really fun, but both sides of the brain are important in order to be successful in baking and cooking; I pay attention to detail and yet its also important to make things your own. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM TO BAKE?
My favorite item to bake is my huge cinnamon rolls. I also enjoy my lemon sour cream pound cake. The aroma that comes from my oven when baking these two is simply blissful. HOW IS BAKING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Baking really grounds me and inspires me to be more creative and focus on things beyond what goes into the oven. I enjoy getting positive reviews from my happy customers that try my baked goods. I am truly humbled by my success and I thank my customers everyday for my success.
305 S. Lincoln St. Fredericksburg 830.997.2246 woernerwarehouse.com
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taste
PRITZER SWEET SHOP Destiny Sheffield, Owner
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF BAKING AND HOW HAS THIS BEEN MADE SPECIAL FOR YOU?
I can’t remember a time when baking wasn’t a part of my life. My parents bought the Fredericksburg Bakery when I was 2 years old and we lived above it. It’s a comfort zone to me. Baking just feels like home and family. I feel like Baking brings people together and happy.. WHERE DID YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES ORIGINATE FROM?
When you have a true passion for baking it’s hard to choose your favorite recipes. I love some of the original German recipes that the Fredericksburg Bakery used since 1917 like the homemade white bread and donuts from scratch. I equally love more modern recipes that I bake in my bakery now like a sugar happy cookie. That is a sugar cookie base that I add in white chocolate, sprinkles, other cookie pieces, and marshmallows. It’s fun to just get in the kitchen and start mixing things together and see what you come up with. THEY SAY COOKING IS INTUITIVE, MORE RIGHT BRAINED CENTERED AND BAKING IS METHODICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND LEFT BRAINED BASED. WOULD YOU AGREE THIS IS TRUE OR NOT? HOW DOES IT APPLY TO YOU?
I disagree. Of course you have to know the basic chemistry of baking but after that it is all about creativity and putting things together that when they come out of the oven they make someone happy. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM TO BAKE?
I love to bake cookies because they can have lots of ingredients and endless possibilities. I also love them because you can personalize them to the recipients favorite things. HOW IS BAKING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Baking is important to me because it brings sugar happy to everyone I give it to.
141 E. Main St. Fredericksburg 830.307.9544
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SERVING BREAKFAST ALL-DAY
l!
oca l t i g n pi
Kee
Walk with Us Enjoy our wines and views at our Winery & Vineyard or visit our downtown tasting room.
WINERY & VINEYARD
6331 South Ranch Rd 1623 / Stonewall (830) 644-2144 MAIN STREET TASTING ROOM
BEER • WINE • MIMOSAS BLOODY MARYS & MARGARITAS BEST BREAKFAST IN TOWN!
113 East Main Street / Fredericksburg (830) 992-1404
902 South Adams Fredericksburg, Texas 830.997.5904
Open Daily 7am-3pm Sunday Brunch 8am-2pm Closed Wednesday
sunsetgrillfbgtx.com 52
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HOURS Wednesday - Saturday 7:30am - 3pm Sunday 10am - 2pm Closed Monday + Tuesdays
607 South Washington Street ▮ Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 ▮ emmaolliefbg.com
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Come immerse yourself in all that our Hill County Barn has to offer! Savor Wine and Beer from our most treasured Fredericksburg Wineries and Breweries. • Texas Heritage Winery • Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards • 1851 Vineyards • Altstadt Brewery Also offering ice-cold bottles by our favorite domestic and import breweries Open Thursday thru Sunday 11am-7pm
4088 N. St. Hwy. 16 • Fredericksburg • www.mccurdycreekranch.com 54
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BOURBON
IS BOOMING!
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drinkery
By GUS GONZALES III Photos by GARRISON BROTHERS
2018, over twenty-four million 9-liter cases of American Whiskey were sold domestically, generating over $3.6 billion in revenue for distillers. And people these days are not only drinking more bourbon, but they’re also drinking more expensive bourbon. Over the past five years, High End Premium revenues were up 37 percent and Super-Premium were up 136 percent, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. In bars across America, bourbon’s unprecedented resurgence of popularity has been fueled by mixologists’ and millenials’ demand for high-end premium ingredients in several Pre-Prohibition style cocktails such as the Old-Fashioned, the Manhattan and the Mint Julep. New bourbon distilleries are opening, and current bourbon distilleries across the country are investing heavily in new production to meet heavy demand. When limited allocations of bourbon go on sale, people camp outside of liquor and package stores just to score a bottle. Designated by Congress in 1964 as a “distinctive product of the United States,” bourbon acquired legal status, as much for its protection from imports (during Prohibition, bourbon was distilled and aged in Mexico) as for purposes of taxation. Federal standards of identity state that bourbon must be made in the United States from a grain mixture of at least 51 percent corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof, aged in new, charred-oak barrels and entered into those barrels at no more than 125 proof and bottled at 80 proof or more.
left Dan Garrison inspecting his finished product. right The stillhouse at Garrison Bros.
Thus, while most bourbon is still made in Kentucky, bourbon can legally be made anywhere within the United States, including Texas. Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye has the distinction of being Texas’ first and oldest whiskey distillery, founded in 2005 and led by Master Distiller Dan Garrison. If the State of Texas had its own Hall of Fame, there’s no doubt that Garrison would be among its hallowed ranks. A bold and unabashed man with an equally big persona and heart to match, Garrison is known for making damn good whiskey. Rock & Vine was fortunate to spend a little time recently with this Texas Legend.
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drinkery RV: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE BOURBON? DG: Bourbon is the nectar of the Gods. Have loved good bourbon since I was 13 years old. If you are going to take on an artistic challenge like craft distilling, why not shoot for the most expensive and most challenging goal? Plus, vodka is for rich, skinny women on diets and tastes like crap. RV: FROM THE BEGINNING, GARRISON BROTHERS COMMITTED TO MAKING BOURBON FROM “CORN TO CORK” INSTEAD OF SOURCING IT FROM ELSEWHERE, AS OTHERS HAVE DONE. THAT MUST HAVE SEEMED TO BE AN AWFULLY RISKY VENTURE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE LONG WAIT TO GET BOURBON TO MARKET. WHAT COMPELLED YOU TO TAKE THAT RISK? DG: Wish I was wise enough to tell you it was a cold, calculated, strategic move. But that would be a lie. I was simply to young and impetuous to understand the impossibility of producing the nectar of the Gods. Oh, and yeah, 99 percent of America thought all bourbon MUST be made in Kentucky. Well, they don’t think that any more. RV: GARRISON BROTHERS IS RELATIVELY YOUNG IN THE INDUSTRY OF CRAFT BOURBON, YET IT HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF TO BE AS GOOD AS ANYTHING ELSE OUT THERE. HOW DID YOUR TEAM ACCOMPLISH WHAT MUST HAVE SEEMED LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK? DG: Actually, that premise is incorrect. Garrison Brothers Distillery, which started producing in 2003, was one of America’s earliest craft distilleries, the first whiskey ever legally made in Texas, and we believe the first bourbon made entirely from scratch beyond Kentucky. It has taken 16 years to get where we are today. Not exactly a get-rich-quick-scheme, and for that matter, no one on our team is anywhere near “rich,” but we love what we do and we are pretty darn good at it. RV: SUCCESS IS NOT WITHOUT ITS SHARE OF HARDSHIPS, HEARTBREAKS AND SACRIFICES. WHAT HAS IT TAKEN TO GET GARRISON BROTHERS TO THE SUCCESS IT ENJOYS TODAY? WHAT KEPT YOU FOCUSED ON SUCCEEDING? DG: I’m surrounded by people who are smarter, younger and better looking than me. And they have giant beautiful hearts. This family has been through hell the past two months. But we still love each other and those we have lost. RV: WHO’S THE OTHER GARRISON BROTHER AND WHAT IS HIS ROLE? DG: He’s a lying, skirt-chasing, whiskey-swilling, cardcheating redneck named Charles Garrison. He is my little brother and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Don’t believe a word he says. 58
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RV: WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS PART OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY THAT BROUGHT GARRISON BROTHERS’ BOURBON TO HYE, TEXAS? DG: I attended my first Stonewall Peach Jamboree and Rodeo In 2001. The greatest display of hard-working, tobaccochewing, peach-growing Americans I’ve ever seen. I knew then I would walk across hot coals to be considered part of this remarkable community. Did I mention how pretty all the Peach Queens are? RV: TEXAS SUMMERS ARE HOT AS HELL. HOW DOES THIS INTENSE WEATHER INFLUENCE THE FLAVOR PROFILE OF GARRISON BROTHERS’ BOURBON AND SET IT APART FROM OTHER BOURBONS ON THE MARKET? DG: Heat causes liquids to expand, forcing the bourbon deep into the pores of the White American oak barrel in which it is housed. That’s why we often refer to our bourbon as heatforged. We are sucking the sugars in the sap from the oak trees at a rate that cannot be replicated in Kentucky. RV: ALL OF YOUR “BABIES,” FROM THE TEXAS STRAIGHT SMALL BATCH BOURBON, ON THROUGH THE SINGLE BARREL, COWBOY, BALMORHEA AND ESTACADO, ALL SHARE A COMMON TRAIT THROUGH THEIR MASH BILL. HOW DID YOU DEVELOP THE MASH BILL FOR GARRISON BROTHERS’ TEXAS STRAIGHT BOURBON? DG: Some amazing mentors: Elmer T. Lee, Craig Beam, Bill Samuels Jr., Drew Kulsveen, Chris Morris, Dave Pickerell, Jess Graber. I am a fortunate son of some experienced brown liquid producers. . RV: OPENING UP A BOTTLE OF YOUR TEXAS STRAIGHT SMALL BATCH BOURBON, WHAT AROMAS AND TASTES DO WE FIND THERE DG: Try it and let me know. Everyone’s experience with my bourbon is unique. Did I mention good bourbon may be an aphrodisiac? RV: GARRISON BROTHERS’ COWBOY BOURBON IS A LIMITED RELEASE THAT IS BOTTLED UNCUT AND UNFILTERED (2019 RELEASE WAS CASK-STRENGTH AT 137.3 PROOF) THAT TYPICALLY SELLS OUT EVERY YEAR. JIM MURRAY’S WHISKY BIBLE HAS NAMED IT AMERICAN WHISKEY OF THE YEAR – TWICE! WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT COWBOY BOURBON? DG: Uncut, unfiltered, straight from the barrel to the bottle. Chunks of wood and charcoal flowing in it. We recommend decanting it like a fine wine so you don’t get barrel goo in your teeth.
drinkery
RV: TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE WHISKEY BADASSES WHO HELP BRING EACH BOTTLE OF GARRISON BROTHERS’ BOURBON TO LIFE. DG: Better yet, come take a tour and meet my amazing team. RV: GARRISON BROTHERS’ DISTILLERY IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WHAT CAN FOLKS EXPECT WHEN THEY DROP IN FOR A VISIT? DG: Relax. Chill. Taste. We ain’t in a hurry.
below The Rickhouse, where liquid and new white American oak barrels age for magic.
top Dan Garrison explains the distilling process to visitors at the stillhouse. middle Local volunteers are always used in the small batch bottling process. bottom Whiskey is served on the grounds year-round for sipping.
GARRISON BROTHERS 1827 Hye Albert Road Hye, Texas 78635 830.392.0246 garrisonbros.com
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Where tasteful creations begin FULL SERVICE CATERING WEDDINGS AND REHEARSAL DINNERS CORPORATE EVENTS ON & OFF SITE SERVICES HOLIDAY PACKAGES 60
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305 South Lincoln Fredericksburg, TX info@woernerwarehouse.com 830-997-2246
“You can’t forget memories.”
-Hondo Crouch
FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS
312 W. Main • 997-1633 www.HondosOnMain.com FALL 2019 61
221 EAST MAIN STREET
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FREDERICKSBURG, TX
HABERDASHERY_BOUTIQUE IG 62
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930.990.2462
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HABERDASHERYBOUTIQUE.COM
HABERDASHERY BOUTIQUE FB
830.998.1556 • BLACKCHALKHOME.COM • FOLLOW US @BLACKCHALKHOME
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The Perfect Venue for your Perfect Event 830.997.7470 FOURPOINTWINE.COM 10354 E US HWY 290 • FREDERICKSBURG, TX
䤀一 唀匀 䘀伀刀 䄀一 䔀堀儀唀䤀匀䤀吀䔀 倀刀䤀嘀䄀吀䔀 䔀堀倀䔀刀䤀䔀一䌀䔀 伀刀 䈀伀伀䬀 夀伀唀刀 一䔀堀吀 䔀嘀䔀一吀 䄀吀㐀⸀ 䌀䔀䰀䰀䄀刀匀⸀ 圀圀圀⸀䘀伀唀刀倀伀䤀一吀圀䤀一䔀⸀䌀伀䴀 簀㠀㌀ ⸀㤀㤀㜀⸀㜀㐀㜀 簀 ㌀㔀㐀 䔀 唀匀 䠀圀夀 ㈀㤀 Ⰰ 䘀刀䔀䐀䔀刀䤀䌀䬀匀䈀唀刀䜀Ⰰ 吀堀
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in the hills
LADY BIRD JOHNSON GOLF COURSE HITS HALF-CENTURY MILESTONE MUNICIPAL COURSE RIVALS MANY PRIVATE FACILITIES
hat started as a small, nine-hole golf course five decades ago, has turned into one of the Hill Country’s premier spots for golf enthusiasts and those looking to start their journey down the fairway. By GAYNE C. YOUNG Photos by CRISTINA MEADE
Lady Bird Golf Course was opened in 1969 to serve locals and visitors and to offer them a comfortable level of play. The course doubled to 18 holes in 1991. In 2012, Lady Bird went through a $2 million renovation designed by famed Golf Course Architect Jeffrey D. Brauer. Under this overhaul and upgrade, the course expanded to 6,686 yards in length, got rebuilt greens, re-contoured fairways, and a host of other improvements. The course also got a new set of tees and new concrete cart paths. The course saw more change in January 2018 when Touchstone Golf took over management duties of Lady Bird. Under the supervision of new General Manager Chris Meade, the course saw lots of change and a new focus.
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“Our new motto, and it’s pretty poignant for our 50th anniversary, is ‘Reflecting on the past, Focusing on the future.” Meade said. “We have a lot of people coming up to tell us how they played the original 9-hole course when it first opened. “But they move on from that to tell us how they really like the new course a lot better,” he said. What makes the course so much better is that most players agree that it’s a resort-like golf experience with local municipal prices. Lady Bird is a Par 71-designed golf course with firm, fast greens. The course features 46 bunkers and has water on 10 of the 18 holes.
OUR GOAL WAS TO MAKE LADY BIRD THE BEST THE GOLF COURSE THAT IT HAS EVER BEEN. - Chris Meade
Lady Bird is one of the better-reviewed golf courses in Central Texas and was named number 20 of the Top Courses in Texas by Golf Advisor in 2015. “Our goal was to make Lady Bird the best the golf course that it has ever been,” Meade said. “We’ve achieved that and are operating at a very high level.” But having the greatest golf course means little if no one comes to play it. Meade is ensuring Lady Bird will always have players by promoting the game and the course to tomorrow’s players. “Developing a strong junior program to bring new players to the game has always been a passion of mine,” Meade said. “In the past year, we’ve seen over 200 youth attend our free golf clinics. The course provides everything to the youth from clubs to tees to the fees. And since we’re a municipal golf course, it’s really like the whole community is helping them to learn and appreciate the sport.” Ten-year-old Van Carter is typical of the youth that have experienced the program. “Playing on the Lady Bird Golf team has been a great experience,” Carter said. “It’s been fun competing against other golf teams. Mr. Meade has worked hard coaching us and this year we won, so it was great.” This year marks the 50th Anniversary for Lady Bird Golf Course and although there are few major events to mark the milestone, Meade says there will be plenty of smaller activities. “We’ve designed a new 50th anniversary logo that I think people will like,” Meade said. “We’re also putting up a flagpole and continuing to ‘focus on the future’ to see what we can do to help improve the course and the players’ time on the course.” R&V
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info@guidoco.com
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TASTEFULLY
TEXTURED Texture with JENNIFER EGGLESTON Interview by KIMBERLY GILES
Texture can be defined in a myriad of ways that influence a feeling. More than color, it evokes an emotional response that transcends our senses in a tactile, expressive motion. Texture is comprised of a substance and defined by its characteristic features, from musical notes that overlay, to conflict with one another, to the texture of a grape we feel on our palate that is smooth and juicy as soon as we bite into it. The feeling that textures evokes is what Jennifer Eggleston our HAUS design contributor shares with our readers from her aesthetic perspective.
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RV: Texture is an important identifying feature that is felt. What are some of your favorite adjectives in describing texture to your clients? JE: Elements such as sight and touch are very personal, so one of the first things clients learn about me is that my house is not about perfection and neither is texture. I have always found beauty in the rhythm of imperfection. Texture should appear effortless, timeless and classic – this is very characteristic of my work. Texture brings in depth and dimension that differentiates one design from another; its well-defined and wizened. I think of texture and layering as being the same, with each layer serving a specific purpose. I am often told that my design work looks very curated, yet effortless at the same time. This is the right balance for a client that is important to strive for. RV: As a designer, is texture more important than color? JE: That is a tough question because texture and color work hand in hand to create design. Color is important, but texture sets a mood. If you think of it, everything has some sort of texture, like soft, nubby, smooth or rough. I usually begin by asking clients how they would like their space to feel as opposed to how they would like their space to look. Texture is the first layer, the beginning. Color is added to complete the design. RV: What areas of a home can one benefit most on texture as a thematic design principle? JE: In terms of building a project, I always start with texture as a focal point by looking at the walls, ceilings and floors. So many people want to lead with color. I don’t. Who doesn’t love a bedroom that is inviting because of the look and feel of the bed linens? Or a favorite spot on the sofa with just the right pillows? These spaces are my favorite to integrate textural elements into as they are the most personal.
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RV: What are some of your favorite textures to combine? JE: I love contradictions and contrasts. I often encourage my clients to not be afraid to mix luxury with found items for a more personal home versus the blank showroom, or model home look. I enjoy mixing hides with any combination of velvet, linen, silk, fur and tweeds. Metallic with weathered and burnished with crisp, petrified with crystalline, asymmetrical with bunched, channeled with gauzy, inlaid with patina, rusty with studded. Did I say mention I love contradictions? RV: Where is texture most over-used or neglected in design applications? JE: When someone doesn’t understand scale. For example, too much texture in a small space can be confusing or overstimulating. On the flip side, when one does not have enough texture in a large space it could result in being lacking or boring.
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I LOVE THE CONCEPT THAT TEXTURE STIMULATES SIGHT AND TOUCH. TEXTURE IS THE BEGINNING OF MY DESIGN PROCESS AND BRINGS AN ADDED DEPTH TO MY WORK.
RV: Favorite places for textural inspiration? JE: Nature. Look around you, go outside and explore – I am always inspired by nature. Texture is everywhere in nature when you walk outside and explore. I constantly take photos of rocks, plants, tree branches, buildings and their materials, sidewalks. You will easily find something you like that you can incorporate into your home. I have used many found objects in my design work whether it’s a heart shaped stone, leaves, a bird’s nest, a plant, many items already belong to my client and they are surprised and thrilled because they had been led to believe these items were not design-worthy or sophisticated enough. That layer of meaning and value is what makes it special in their home.
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A R C H I T E C T
JENNIFER EGGLESTON is a design and fine arts graduate from Southwest Texas State University. Her credits include being a contributing member of Polo Ralph Lauren’s Home Collection, as well as being featured on numerous episodes of HGTV’s series “Country Style.” She has been published in multiple national home and design publications, including Country Living, Southern Living, Progressive Farmer, Dallas Modern Luxury Interiors and Cottage Style. She recently was named one of the designers for Southern Living Designer Network. She currently resides in our Texas Hill Country and can be found under her business name cottage industry. Her name is twofold for her love of all things cottage and industrial. e: Jennifer.eggleston.1@gmail.com
JONPANKRATZARCHITECT.COM
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Paint|Window Treatments|Area Rugs|Wood Flooring|Tile Floors|Tile|Back Splash
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Dixie Cope unfurling one of her vintage fabric bolts.
TEXTILES WITH
DANKWORTH DRY GOODS Interview by KIMBERLY GILES Photos by BARNEY KANE
alking into Dankworth Dry Goods holds a promise of a good story and a piece of valuable information previously unknown before. Initially it can be overwhelming with the rush of colors and patterns of fabric bolts that are stockpiled against the far wall of Dixie Cope's repository. Never fear, Dixie will gently walk you through her collections of vintage textiles that span decades and recount stories for you about the origins of each fabric and how best to repurpose a variety of her materials. Dixie is community minded artisan rooted in a do-ityourself (DIY) maker culture here in the Texas hill country. She is a crafted sewer, a skilled teacher and a self inspired textile historian. Rock & Vine magazine had the pleasure of learning more from her as she teaches many and enjoys the perks of turning off technology and mindfully sharing her craft with others.
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haus RV: You have an abundance of textiles, vintage fabrics, yarns, wools, buttons, paper, silks; what stories can you share about your curated collection? DC: The majority of this collection was curated from a workroom in Horseshoe Bay where a lady and her husband had constructed drapes and upholstery for 40 years. Basically this is a great history lesson on the trends in home decor over the course of the 60’s through the 90’s. I am in awe each time I help a client find that unique piece to create a one of a kind pillow or whatever they can dream of. Wearables should also be constructed of these fabrics to create unique outfits! Some of the quantities are limited. To me, fabric is not what is used to be. Our US fabric mills are few and far between compared to decades before. I do have new fabric as well. Sometimes I am the brainstorm instigator for projects and am able to send clients in the right direction if I am not able to help with some of my collection.
Owner of Dankworth Dry Goods, Dixie Cope.
RV: What emotions can textiles evoke for you and your clients? DC: Typically when someone enters this space, I can tell right away that there is a sense of emotion brewing as many of us have some connection to that particular sofa we sat on as a child or the kitchen curtains that hung in a space where meals were created and on and on. Food has the tendency to bring back memories and to me, textiles are right there as well. I really enjoy hearing stories of “oh my goodness, I remember when….” The majority of people who visit and shop with me have great memories of those harvest gold and avocado green hues that are right in front of us again!!!
Antique Singer sewing machine on display. RV: When did your interest in textiles, sewing, collecting and creating begin for you? DC: As far back as I can remember, both of my Grandma’s, my aunts and of course my Mom always had some sort of project going on with fiber or textiles. It seemed like a way of life for us to stomp wool after the sheep were shorn, watch my Grandma Dixie knit and Grandma Anna make beautiful clothing and quilts. My Mom signed me up for 4H and that is where I honed in my skills of sewing starting around age 7. The interaction with fabrics and patterns was fascinating to me. At the time I had no clue that the satisfaction of an end product that I had constructed would keep me interested in designing, constructing, and sharing for many years to follow!
RV: You are a community minded and passionate individual that enjoys connecting people to the tactile art of creating through fabric. What are some of your most rewarding activities you have shared with others? DC: Community mindfullness is at the top of the list of important traits that I learned from growing up in small town Paint Rock. My parents consistently “took care of the town”! I enjoy bringing people together, period. With the opportunity to introduce individuals or groups to textiles and natural art, I feel like I am extracting the creative energy that may have been dormant in their minds for years. Or in the case of the kids that I interact with, light bulbs are going off at a high rate of speed when they start to think of the possibilities for projects with fabric! Through a small 4H project, I was able to introduce several young ladies to the basic of repurposing clothing and other textiles. Since then, 3 of them have returned with sewing machines to learn the basics of sewing! It is important for parents to promote home skills to our youth and get back to the basics. Those skills are useful for many years no matter what career they choose! FALL 2019 81
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Ample space for classes and creative projects at Dankworth Dry Goods showroom. RV: What is your vision moving forward with Dankworth Dry Goods? DC: My vision is definitely to continue to create and promote creativity. I have been inspired to screen print dish towels, sew for clients, and connect clients to the right fabric for the right project! The process of dyeing textiles is next on my list. We are surrounded by many plants, flowers and other naturally occurring dyes. The chemistry behind the natural dye process is fascinating to me. Outside of textiles, I do enjoy helping clients find unique antiques or other pieces for their homes or businesses. I feel like a curated space with a story behind the goods in our homes is so interesting and provides great conversation! I have some great old newspapers that are fun to create wall canvases with a story for sure! RV: Do you hope to offer more classes and workshops to the community with regards to your textiles? DC: Yes! I will offer more classes this fall and have a regular schedule so that locals and visitors alike will be able to sign up. From basic needle-felting, hand sewing to machine sewing, and fabric dyeing are just a few possibilites. This space is great for gatherings with a purpose! I am willing to create a customized workshop for team building, holiday parties, girls or couples trips. Creating experiences for individuals or groups is a gift from above and I enjoy being able to share! I have created a space that is versatile and welcoming on purpose! Intentional gatherings without technology have been proven to boost morale and friendships on a face to face level! Bolts of fabric at Dankworth Dry Goods 82
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JOHN GOULD | 512-422-4377 FALL 2019 83
We invite you to come to the table
Make this holiday season one to remember. OutBack Patio Furnishings has been serving families in the Texas Hill Country for 20 years. Our customers come from Marble Falls, Fredericksburg, Kerrville, and everywhere in between. We’d love to work with you to design an outdoor space where you can wine, dine, or simply unwind. Marble Falls | Kerrville outbackpatiofurnishings.com
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Specializing in Replacement Windows and Doors and Offering Products for New Construction
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stomping grounds
PICPOUL BLANC – 2018 TEXAS HILL COUNTRY Lost Pirogue Vineyard Quintessential Quaffer Brilliant acidity shines through this minerally quaffer. Aromas of green apple and almost ripe Anjou pear blend with hints of vanilla and an end note of smoke. This lovely white is aged in American oak for seven months. This adds a fabulous body to the wine. With a refreshingly clean finish, this is the quintessential Texas white. A great accompaniment to fish and shrimp dishes.
BENDING BRANCH TOP TEXAS WINERY
PETITE SIRAH – 2016 TEXAS HIGH PLAINS Newsom Vineyards
By LORELEI HELMKE
Sophisticated Sipper
Dr. Robert Young opened Bending Branch Winery in Comfort in 2009. I discovered this place in 2013. A naturally curious scientist, Dr. Young has experimented with many varieties of grape finding the best grapes to make wine from in Texas. He also works to make the best wines possible experimenting with processes such as Cryo-Maceration and Flash Détente. His efforts have paid off. The awards shelf is overflowing with gold medals and the San Antonio Express -News voted them Best Texas Winery four years in a row.
A departure from typical Petite Sirah, the Bending Branch 2016 is elegant and sophisticated. This tasty red is bright ruby in color. The acidity makes it wonderful to pair with food. Aromas of white pepper, blueberry, anise and leather swirl around the nose. The tannin structure is solid with the feel of satin. It has a feminine character and long lovely finish. Perfect to pair with lamb or wild game sausages.
The Cryo-Maceration research gave him the Top Texas Winery award from the 2014 Rodeo Uncorked International Competition. The 2011 Estate Tannat swept the competition. Bending Branch was again awarded Top Texas Winery in 2018. To really understand what Texas wines can be, one must visit this winery. As they say, “It’s Comfort in a Bottle.”
TEXAS TANNAT – 2017 TEXAS Sourced from four vineyards in the Texas Hill Country and Texas High Plains
BENDING BRANCH WINERY bendingbranchwinery.com Estate Tasting Room: 142 Lindner Branch Trail Comfort, TX 78013 T | 830-995-2948 11 am-6 pm Th-Sat Noon-5 pm Sun
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Branch on High: 704 High Street Comfort, TX 78013 T |830-995-3394 Noon-8 pm Th-Sat Noon-5 pm Sun
Big and Bold A robust, full-bodied red wine that satisfies. The dense garnet-brick color shows off in the glass. Concentrated aromas of ripe red cherry, black plum and dark chocolate play with graphite and slate in the glass. The pallet explodes with flavors. This is Big Bold Texas wine. A full-bodied complement to grilled game and long smoked brisket.
WILLKOMMEN
CM TANNAT – 2017 TEXAS HILL COUNTRY Tallent Vineyards Boldly Elegant Bright Ruby color entices the eye as refined aromas of smoke and mineral combined with intense blue fruits show an elegant Tannat. The acidity is brighter than their Texas Tannat and the feel a touch more feminine. Enjoy this one with a ribeye and blue cheese.
COMFORTAGE – 2016 ROUSSANE - TEXAS HILL COUNTRY HOOVER VALLEY VINEYARD Full-bodied White
Welcome to THE site for Fredericksburg, Texas real Estate and properties for sale. Nestled in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg’s Small-town atmosphere, relaxed lifestyle, and the quality of life draw families and retirees from all over. Whether you are buying or selling, or just considering the perfect place for your retirement years, I would love to serve youEVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
Bight hay in color with a viscous character. The 2016 Comfortage serves up aromas of pears, almonds and apples laced with delightful minerals. It will stand up to food and is well suited for Thanksgiving Day.
THINKERS BLEND – NV BLEND – CALIFORNIA Easy Imbiber From Dr. Youngs California vines, Bending Branch offers a unique blend with versatile appeal. Fruit forward with well-balanced acidity and tannin structure. It pairs beautifully with pizza, barbeques and antipastos.
CAROLE REED
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QUARTER century
OF SUDS
Photo by ROBERT G. GOMEZ 90
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FREDERICKSBURG BREWING COMPANY MARKS MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY AS ONE OF TEXAS' FIRST BREWPUBS By LEE NICHOLS
ack in early 1993, a good German or German-style beer wasn’t hard to find in Fredericksburg. After all, to the rest of Texas, Fredericksburg was synonymous with German culture and the town’s tourism industry revolved almost entirely around that image. Lots of restaurants offered up Paulaner, Spaten and other imports from the Old World. But getting such a beer brewed locally, right there in the restaurant, was impossible. That’s because it wasn’t legal in Texas – our state’s liquor laws mandated that the making, distributing and selling of beer had to be completely separate businesses. That law was partially changed by that year’s Texas Legislature, and a new business model was made legal: brewpubs. That is, restaurants and bars that brew their own beer. And Dick Estenson was ready. The Midwestern farm boy turned NASA engineer turned salesman turned entrepreneur was a fairly new arrival in Fredericksburg, and noticed a vacant building a few doors down from his Main Street jewelry store that was perfect for developing into… something. That something turned into Fredericksburg Brewing Company, despite Estenson having no experience in brewing or restaurants. “You’ll find most of the things I’ve done in life are things I haven’t done before,” Estenson says. “It looked like the building needed help and could be a very fine building for a purpose. We acquired the building first and then the brewpub laws were changing. I thought, wow, this would really be something if we had a little brewpub on Main Street.” After some initial interest by a German company, Estenson decided to go it alone. Fredericksburg Brewing incorporated in 1993 and opened for business in 1994, just months after the law’s passage. FBC doesn’t have the distinction of being the first brewpub in Texas, but the few that beat him to opening day have since gone out of business – meaning that as it celebrates its 25th anniversary this fall, it is now the oldest.
“It seems like a short period of time looking back, but time does fly,” Estenson says. Indeed, today it is difficult to imagine downtown Fredericksburg without FBC’s mix of flavorful, hand-crafted beer and excellent pub food, including hearty German dishes. FBC’s success wasn’t a given – the American craft brewing revolution was still in its early stages in the early Nineties, and it was even slower to take off in rural areas, which were mostly Bud Light country back then (and to be fair, still are). “It was a concern,” Estenson recalls. “I wondered whether it would work. We had to fight the light beers.” But Estenson and his wife Rosemary did their research – they went to Europe to look for brewing equipment and traveled to California and Colorado, states where brewpubs had been legal for a while, and studied up on what they did right and what they might do even better. “We thought that the shoppers in Fredericksburg were primarily women, and that their husbands would be bored to tears. So they could go to the brewery and say, ‘Honey, meet me back here, I’ll be on this barstool.’” He also figured out that weaving the business into Fredericksburg’s fabric would be important. “When we did the install, that building didn’t have much more than one lightbulb, a faucet and a commode. We had to renovate the whole thing. We made it into a historical preservation building, made it part of the community, something that the public would want. I wanted the equipment right here, not screened off”– the giant brewing tanks sit right behind the bar, in full view of the dining room – “and you’d get the smells and noises of the brewing process. Other breweries didn’t have that hometown feel.” Then he needed the market to come around to craft beer. “It didn’t take too long until people developed a taste for more wholesome beer, beer with more flavor,” Estenson says. FALL 2019 91
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IT WAS A CONCERN, I WONDERED WHETHER IT WOULD WORK. WE HAD TO FIGHT THE LIGHT BEERS. - Dick Estenson
Owner Dick Estenson, right, and brewmaster Rick Green toast to 25 years. A crowd in the brewery's biergarten. He also realized he misjudged the female market – they weren’t content to simply drop off their husbands and leave. “It was interesting that the gals really started liking the beers, including the darker ones.” And Texans’ palates are sophisticated enough to demand more variety. Early on, FBC focused on basic, well-known German styles. But brewer Rick Green came on board in 1999, and Green says, “I started doing some newer, different styles such as the Munich Helles and my own porter recipe (the Pioneer Porter).” These are still German, but broadening the range of what that country’s brewing culture has to offer, also including a maibock and an Oktoberfest which is probably on tap as you read this.
Photos by RANDAL RANKIN
The quarter-century that FBC has lasted speaks not only to Estenson’s business acumen (he’s also launched several other ventures, including a hotel at the airport), but also to the character of Fredericksburg, he says. A brewpub wouldn’t necessarily work in just any small town.
Eventually, FBC even dove in to other styles popular among craft beer lovers.
“At the time we opened, it certainly was a risk, but I couldn’t have done in it any place more comfortable than Fredericksburg. The same with the airport – I put a hotel at a place where no one else was. I wouldn’t have done that in just any community. Fredericksburg is unique because of the beauty, the wide streets, the structuring. Fredericksburg is not a phony place, it’s real.
“We also do the traditional brewpub styles like pale ales and IPAs,” Green says. “IPAs have gotten real popular. We do a double IPA and several different IPAs throughout the year, which is funny – back when I first started, not many people drank those hoppy, bitter beers, but now they do.”
“I love our community,” Estenson says. “We have a lot of employees at all our establishments that have been with us a long time. They are good people and loyal. I couldn’t do it without them. The creation is the part you do singlehanded, but the operation is a job in itself.” & RV
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We are a family-owned, boutique winery in Stonewall, Texas dedicated to producing handcrafted vintages in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Thursday, Friday and Sunday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 320 Klein Road Stonewall,TX 78671 www.abastriswinery.com
We can twirl, sniff, spit and rinse with the best of them... but can’t tell you much more than “We like it!”
14746 East US Highway 290 Stonewall, Texas 78671 (830) 456-9324 Open Thursday & Friday 11am - 5:30pm Saturday 11am - 6pm Sunday 12pm - 5pm
www.cicadacellars.com 94
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TEXAS LEGALIZES TO-GO SALES FOR BREWERIES
By LEE NICHOLS
exas alcohol laws have long been notorious for being byzantine and unfair. This year, the Texas Legislature made life a little easier for brewers and their customers. Visitors to wineries have long been able to take home some vino, and customers of brew-pubs (restaurants and bars that brew their own) have always been able to fill a growler with suds or take-home bottles. But production breweries – that is, businesses that only brew beer, as distinguished from brewpubs – were forbidden to even sell their product on the premises until 2013, and even then, it had to be consumed at the brewery. As of September 1, that has changed – Texas was the last of our 50 states that forbid take-home sales at breweries, until Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1545 in June. HB 1545 was an omnibus bill making major changes to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. Senator Dawn Buckingham – whose District 24 covers a huge swath of the Hill Country, from Bandera all the way up to Abilene – successfully
added an amendment that now lets you purchase and take home (or wherever you’re going) up to a case of beer direct from the production brewery. “For the first time in Texas, you will be able to take a little bit of your favorite craft beer home to share with friends,” Sen. Buckingham said. “This amendment is about more than selling beer to go. It is about job creation, economic development, tourism, support for entrepreneurship.” Hill Country production breweries that would benefit include Real Ale (Blanco), 5 Stones (New Braunfels), Twisted X (Dripping Springs), Treaty Oak (Dripping Springs) and Comfort Brewing (Comfort). R&V
above State Senator Dawn Buckingham and husband Dr. Ed Buckingham make the first "to go" purchases at Real Ale Brewing in Blanco.
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Fall into fashion!
w Visit our info for more ership, on memb tions, nstra art demo ts! and even
Nov. 8-10, 2019 at Historic St. Joseph’s Halle • 212 W. San Antonio St., Fredericksburg, TX
over 300 works of original fine art by over 65 artists including: • OIL • PASTEL •CHARCOAL • WATERCOLOR • ACRYLIC • PENCIL • INK •
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AND SALE
? Enjoy Aerbtsite
27 th ann ual
Our clothing embodies Hill Country style with a European flair.
FALL 2019 97
drinkery maps Pontotoc
117
39 San Saba
Lake Buchanan
Tow
112
Buchanan Dam
29 29
Llano
Castell
108
29
Oatmeal
Lake LBJ
Sunrise Beach
Travis Peak
71
15
Spicewood
100
Round Mtn.
113
Cypress Mill
12 93
89
63 25 Stonewall
16
53
68 70
Johnson City
103 10
82
10
33
17
290
90 35
28 79 58
39 Driftwood 38 116
Sisterdale
42
96
22 10
95
Boerne
57 Bandera
21 26
183 San Marcos
Spring Branch
18
AUSTIN
71
98
Wimberley Comfort
73 Vanderpool
110
88
KERRVILLE
Center Point
Bee Cave
Dripping Springs
87
86
101
Lakeway
16 Henly 36
9 Blanco
Jonestown Lago Vista
54
80
Luckenbach
SEE PAGE 100
64
Hye
111 3
Lake Travis
Round Rock
74
Willow City
FREDERICKSBURG
49
183
44
Marble Falls
Horseshoe Bay
87
Georgetown
Liberty Hill
Granite Shoals 16
Rogers 35
83
Kingsland
32
Andice
Bertram
Burnet
105
Inks Lake
45, 77 & 92
290
106
85
Blufftown
71
Mason
Florence
281
Canyon Lake
Canyon City
67
281
34 65
35
Smithson Valley Bulverde
37
87
104
Gruene 46
N New Braunfels
30 Seguin W
109
E
S
Hill Country Wine Region The Texas Hill Country region now has over 100+ breweries, distilleries, wineries and vineyards combined and continues to grow each month. With this growth, Rock & Vine has also expanded its reach with coverage to the northern counties of San Saba and McCullouch, down south to Bandera, Kendall and Comal, out west to Mason, Kimble and Menard, and east to Hays, Williamson and Travis counties.
Highlighted areas on page 100
98
Rock&Vine
Listing numbers correspond with numbers on map. Locations are approximate not to scale. 1.
12 Fires Winery
30. Copper Star Cellars (Off Map)
60. Hye Meadow Winery
92. Sandstone Cellars (Off Map)
2. 290 Vinery
31. Cross Mountain
61. Hye Rum
93. Santa Maria Cellars
3. 290 Wine Castle
32. Dancing Bee Winery (Off Map) 62. Inwood Estates Winery
94. Signor Vineyards
4. 1851 Vineyards
33. Deep Eddy Vodka
63. Iron Goat Distillery
95. Singing Water Vineyards
64. Kerrville Hills Winery
96. Sister Creek Vineyards
65. Kinematic Brewing Company
97. Six Shooters Cellars
66. Kuhlman Cellars
98. Solaro Estate Winery
100 Durango • Johnson City 300 W. Main (Hwy. 290) • Johnson City 101 Durango • Johnson City 4222 S. Hwy. 16 • Fredericksburg
5. Ab Astris
320 Klein Rd • Stonewall
6. Altstadt Brewery
6120 E. US Hwy 290 • Fredericksburg
7. Alexander Vineyards 6360 Goehmann Lane Fredericksburg
8. Andreucci Wines
13217 FM 1117 • Seguin
308 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg 8060 W. US Hwy. 190 • Rogers 2250 E. US Hwy. 290 Dripping Springs
34. Dodging Duck Brewhaus 402 River Rd. • Boerne
35. Driftwood Estate Winery 4001 Elder Hill Rd. • Driftwood
36. Dripping Springs Vodka 5330 Bell Springs Rd. Dripping Springs
2 Locations 8898 US Hwy. 290 308 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg
37. Dry Comal Creek Vineyards
9. Andalusia Whiskey Company 6462 N. Highway 281• Blanco
13308 FM 150 W. • Driftwood
10. Arc de Texas
4555 Hwy. 281 • Johnson City
11. Armadillo’s Leap Winery
2 Locations 134 E. Main St 6266 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
12. Augusta Vin
140 Augusta Vin Ln • Fredericksburg
13. Baron’s Creek Vineyard
5865 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
14. Becker Vineyards
2 Locations 307 E. Main St. 464 Becker Farms Rd. • Fredericksburg
15. Bell Mountain Vineyards
463 Bell Mountain Rd. • Fredericksburg
16. Bell Springs Winery 3700 Bell Springs Rd. Dripping Springs
17. Bella Vista Ranch
3101 Mount Sharp Rd. • Wimberley
18. Bending Branch Winery
142 Lindner Branch Trail • Comfort
19. Bingham Family Vineyards
1741 Herbelin Rd. • New Braunfels
38. Duchman Family Winery 39. Fall Creek Vineyards
2 Locations 18059-A FM 1826 • Driftwood 1820 County Rd. 222 • Tow
40. Fat Ass Winery Tasting Room 153 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg
41. Fat Ass Ranch Winery
51 Elgin Behrends Rd. • Fredericksburg
42. Fawncrest Vineyard & Winery 1370 Westside Circle • Canyon Lake
43. Fiesta Winery - 2 locations
147A E. Main St. 6260 US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
44. Flat Creek Estate
24912 Singleton Bend East Rd. Marble Falls
45. Fly Gap Winery (Off Map)
2851 Hickory Grove Rd. • Mason
46. Four Point Cellars
10354 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
47. Fredericksburg Brewing Company 245 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg
48. Fredericksburg Winery
247 W. Main St. • Fredericksburg
49. Georgetown Winery 3915 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
20. Blue Lotus Winery
8500 W Hwy 290 • Hye
21. Boerne Brewery
106 Sage Brush • Boerne
22. Branch on High
704 High St. • Comfort
23. Brewbonnet (inside Wildseed farms) 100 Legacy Rd • Fredericksburg
24. Calais Winery
8115 W. US Hwy. 290 • Hye
25. Chisholm Trail Winery
2367 Usener Rd. • Fredericksburg
26. Cibolo Creek Brewing Company 122 N. Plant • Boerne
27. Cicada Cellars
14746 E. US Hwy. 290• Stonewall
28. Comfort Brewing
523 Seventh St. • Comfort
29. Compass Rose Cellars Inc. 1197 Hye Albert Rd. • Hye
715 Main St. • Georgetown
50. Garrison Brothers Distillery 1827 Hye Albert Rd. • Hye
51. Grape Creek Vineyards
10587 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
52. Grape Creek Vineyard on Main 223 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg
53. Hahne Estates Winery
14802 US Hwy. 290 East • Stonewall
54. Hawk’s Shadow Estate Vineyard
7500 McGregor Ln. • Dripping Springs
55. Heath Sparkling (coming summer '19) 10591 US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
56. Hilmy Cellars
12346 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
57. Hill Country Cellars & Winery 3540 S. Hwy 16 Ste 2D • Bandera
58. Hill Country Distillers 723 Front St. • Comfort
59. Horn Wineries
9953 E. US Hwy. 290 • Hye
9953 US Hwy. 290 • Hye
11247 W. US Hwy. 290 • Hye 10303 US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg 817 Usener Rd. • Fredericksburg 3600 Fredericksburg Rd. • Kerrville 635 E. Hwy 46, Suite 207 • Boerne 18421 E. US Hwy. 290 • Stonewall
67. La Cruz de Comal Wines 7405 FM 2722 • Canyon Lake
68. Lewis Wines
3209 W. US Hwy. 290 • Johnson City
69. Longhorn Cellars
315 Ranch Rd. 1376 • Fredericksburg
70. Longhorn Hills and Winery
555 Klappenbach Rd. • Johnson City
71. Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards
6009 US Hwy. 290. • Fredericksburg
72. Lost Draw Cellars
113 E. Park St. • Fredericksburg
73. Lost Maples Winery
34986 Farm Market 187 • Vanderpool
74. McReynolds Winery
706 Shovel Mountain Rd. • Cypress Mill
75. Mendelbaum Winery/Cellars
10207 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
76. Messina Hof Winery
9996 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
77. Murphy's Cellars
120 Fort McKavett St • Mason
78. Narrow Path Winery 2 Locations FM 1623 (South of Hye) • Albert 111 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg
211 San Antonio St. • Mason
12044 S. Hwy. 16 • Fredericksburg 362 Livesay Lane • Fredericksburg 316 Mill Dam Rd. • Comfort
1142 Sisterdale Rd. • Boerne
6264 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg 13111 Silver Creek Rd. Dripping Springs
99. Southold Farm + Cellar 10474 Ranch Road 2721 Fredericksburg
100. Spicewood Vineyards 1419 CR 409 • Spicewood
101. Stone House Vineyard
24350 Haynie Flat Rd. • Spicewood
102. Texas Heritage Vineyards
3245 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
103. Texas Hills Vineyard
878 RR 2766 • Johnson City
104. Three Dudes Winery
125 Old Martindale Rd. • San Marcos
105. Torr de Lochs
7055 W. State Hwy. 29 • Burnet
106. The Vineyard at Florence 8711 W. FM 487 • Florence
107. The Vintage Cellar
6258 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
108. Thirsty Mule Winery & Vineyard 101 CR 257 • Liberty Hill
109. Timber Ridge Winery
2152 Timber Creek Rd. • Pipe Creek
110. Treaty Oak Distilling Company
16604 Fitzhugh Rd. • Dripping Springs
79. Newsom Vineyards
111. Vinovium
80. Pecan Street Brewing
112. Wedding Oak Winery
717 Front St. • Comfort
106 E. Pecan Dr. • Johnson City
81. Pedernales Cellars
2916 Upper Albert Rd. • Stonewall
82. Pelota Wines, Inc.
3209 US Hwy. 290 • Johnson City
83. Perissos Vineyards
7214 W. Park Road 4 • Burnet
84. Perspective Cellars
247 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg
85. Pilot Knob Vineyard 3125 CR 212 • Bertram
86. Pint & Plow Brewing Company 332 Clay St. • Kerrville
87. Pontotoc Vineyard
320 W. Main St. • Fredericksburg
88. Real Ale Brewing Company 231 San Saba Court • Blanco
89. Ron Yates Wines
6676 W. US Hwy. 290• Hye
90. Salt Lick Cellars
214 Edmonds Avenue • Johnson City 2 Locations 316 E. Wallace (Off Map) • San Saba 290 Wine Rd., • Fredericksburg (Under construction)
113. Westcave Cellars Winery 25711 Hamilton Pool Rd. Round Mountain
114. Western Edge Cellars
228 W. Main St. • Fredericksburg
115. William Chris Vineyards 10352 US Hwy. 290 • Hye
116. Wimberley Valley Winery
2825 County Road 183 • Driftwood
117. Wines of Dotson Cervantes 13044 Willis Street • Pontotoc
118. Winotus
115 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg
119. Woodrose Winery
662 Woodrose Lane • Stonewall
120. Zero 815 Winery
11157 W. US Hwy. 290 • Hye
1800-C FM 1826 • Driftwood
91. Safari (opening soon)
5479 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg
FALL 2019 99
drinkery maps 99 LANE
FREDERICKSBURG FREDERICKSBURG
5
GOEHMANN
Cain City
1376
COM RD. FORT
C LU
LOWER ALBERT RD.
51 55
14
ALBER RD 1623
81
Albert
HYE ALBERT RD.
GELLERMANN
7562
66 61 120
119
HAHN RD.
CITY
N BACH-CAIN . KE RD
RD.
MEUSEBACH CREEK RD .
WOODLAND DR.
RD. CAIN
IO
Blumenthal
56 94 46 41
Hye
290
Stonewall
T
ON
8
290
115
Pedernales River
PER
13 71 69
76
LBJ National LBJ State Historical Park Historical State Park Ranch
27
UP
NT SAN A
87
19 91
107 6 43 97 23 Rocky Hill 7 CITY
OLD
102
Pedernales River
JENSCHKE LANE
290
LUCKENBACH RD.
GOEHMANN LN.
LANE
.
KLEIN RD.
16
31 20 60
59 24
29 50
78
OLD
Luckenbach
WINE CORRIDOR
DOWNTOWN FREDERICKSBURG W. CENTRE ST.
PECAN ST.
ELM
W. COLLEGE ST.
TRAVIS ST.
ORCHARD ST. TRAVIS ST.
16 SCHUBERT ST.
Pioneer Museum
48
31
78 118 43 40
SAN ANTONIO ST. T
EEK S
E. CR
16 N
W
PARK ST. E
S
100
Rock&Vine
UFER ST.
72
Visitor Information Center
LINCOLN ST.
11
LLANO ST.
Marktplatz
ADAMS ST.
AUSTIN ST.
52
47
Museum of the Pacific War
14 84
MAIN STREET
8
87
S WASHINGTON
MAIN STREET
114
CROCKETT ST.
87
ORANGE ST.
MILAM ST.
AUSTIN ST.
EDISON ST.
BOWIE ST.
ACORN ST.
CHERRY ST.
SCHUBERT ST.
290
FALL 2019 101
102
Rock&Vine
Faith Family & Friends
In 1847, German immigrant John Christian Durst was a ssigned a 10 acre plot in Fredericksburg TX, which
o r t wo comp lime ntary glasses of wine per day
included a 120‘ mountain. Durst pushed through the brush a nd discovered the remains of a wooden cross. Durst
erected the cross to honor the land God had provided his
on w ine & all m erchandise
family. A winemaker himself, Durst was known to value his
faith, family and friends over a good glass of wine. Four
g enerations later, we hope our wine provides time for you to
I nvita tions to wine club events
reflect on how important your faith, family and friends are.
T H E ON LY I TA L IA N W I N E S G O One O D ofE aNkind OU G H F OR T E X A S wines from Italy’s top wine producers.
Where eve ryoneWith i s trdelicious e ated like family. food pairings.
Stop by the Tasting Room for a Glass of Wine with Ours!
to Wine Club Events
s r e e Ch
30 8 E . Ma in St. | Downtown Fredericks bu rg, T X (83 0) 992 - 3 2 73
W W W. C R O S S M O U N T A I N V I N E Y A R D S . C O M FALL 2019 103
Lone Star Candy Bar Come be a kid in a candy store!
We serve Hand Dipped Blue Bell Ice Cream!
Over 36 Flavors of Fudge Everyday! M&M’s in 21 colors & Jelly Bellys in lots of Flavors! Fresh Roasted Nuts • Pucker Powder Chocolate Dipped Bacon! Your Old-Time Candy Favorites 254 E. Main • Fredericksburg, Texas • 830-990-9100 104
Rock&Vine
FREDERICKSBURG General Store TEXAS
Fredericksburg’s Souvenir Headquarters We have something for everyone. Open seven days a week, earlier and later than most others. 143 E. Main St. ~ 830.990.4100 www.fbgeneralstore.com
Proud member of
FALL 2019 105
2818 East US Highway 290 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 (830) 990-2717 grapesandwine.ttu.edu
Pursue a Career in the Wine Industry With state-of-the-art facilities, including wine labs and a teaching vineyard, we offer students outstanding hands-on learning experiences through three education options. TEXAS VITICULTURE CERTIFICATE: Two-year program for wine industry entrepreneurs and prospective vineyard managers. TEXAS WINEMAKING CERTIFICATE: Two-year program for winemakers, cellar workers, and prospective winery employees. VITICULTURE & ENOLOGY SPECIALIZATION: The only four-year undergraduate program in Texas focused on the science and technology of grape and wine production. Major in Plant & Soil Science with a specialization in Viticulture & Enology.
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Rock&Vine
THE CLUB
Events October 1-31
—Dripping with Taste Trail, features a self-guided tour of 25 wineries, breweries and distilleries. A passport for $50 entitles patron to one complimentary tasting as determined by each establishment at all participating venues. destinationdrippingsprings.com/ drippingwithtaste
4-6—Oktoberfest,
Fredericksburg Markplatz downtown, celebration of the city’s German heritage, with family entertainment on two stages and two tents, arts & crafts, children’s fun area, Kinder Park, a German bier tent, vineyard area, plus food and drinks. oktoberfestinfbg.com
4-6—Rumble on the River, Bandera, Annual motorcycle rally with tent camping, poker run, food, drinks, field events, live band. $40. bikerralliesoftexas.com
5—Main Street Car Show, Marble Falls, 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. downtown, featuring classic cars, muscle cars and hot rods on display. Free to spectators. Food, music, prizes, silent auction, shopping, live music. Kiwanis Club. marblefallskiwanis.org
11-13
—Pig Roast, Johnson City, all proceeds benefit the Cherokee Home for Children, includes a poker run, night bike show, free camping on the Pedernales River, self-contained RV area, bands Friday and Saturday evenings, BBQ on Saturday, $30 per person, 11 and up. Kids 10 and younger free. Under 21 must be accompanied by adult. Dogs allowed on leashes. Rain or shine. cyclefish. com/motorcycle_event/50801
12 —Fort Croghan Day, Burnet, 5-8 p.m., the
fort and museum celebrate pioneer days in Burnet in conjunction with local Oktoberfest activities. Step back into the past at this family-friendly event. See a blacksmith at work, watch sugar cane being made into syrup, bread baked in a wood-burning stove and visit a one-room schoolhouse. Call the museum for more information: 512.756.8281
18-19 —Harvest Classic Vintage Bike
Rally, Luckenbach Town Loop. This European and vintage motorcycle rally brings together enthusiasts for a bike show, vintage trials, home-cooked BBQ, a raffle to win a bike or cool swag, live auction, swap meet and camping. Benefit raises money for Candlelighter’s Childhood Cancer program. General admission $50. Kids under driving age get in free with adult. harvestclassic.org
26 —Harvest Moon Celebration, Comfort,
Muleshoe Farm, noon-9p.m., Fall harvest and Halloween festival for all ages, with craft and food vendors, a children's area, live music, livestock exhibits, and children's storytelling. Two performances by Last Chance Forever with birds of prey. Nature and agricultural demonstrations with live animals, blacksmithing, local herbs and more. Children’s costume contest and adult pie-eating contest. Owl walk after dark on a torch-lit trail, led by an experienced guide. Star gazing at the mobile observatory. $10 adults, $5 children, 5 and under free. harvestmooncelebration.com
26
Fest,
— Fredericksburg Food & Wine
noon to 7 p.m. at Marktplatz, downtown Fredericksburg, featuring Texas food, wine, music, food court and specialty booths, with proceeds to benefit the Market Square Improvement Project. General admission $25 adult, $5 for those under 21 and free children under 5. foodandwinefest.com
November 1-10
— Wurstfest, New Braunfels, Landa Park, a sumptuous salute to sausage, with heavy or, music, dancing, carnival rides, German, Texan and domestic beers, special events, alpine and Bavarian entertainment. wurstfest.com
9 —Conservation
Celebration: A Hill Country Lane Trust 20th Anniversary Event, 208 Danos Drive, Fredericksburg, 5 p.m. to 8
p.m. Works to raise funds for the Hill Country Land Trust mission. Heavy hors d’voures and drinks, a short program, silent auction, music and games. $40 hclt20.org
9—Boots & BBQ, Lakeside Pavilion, Marble Falls,
6:30 to 11 p.m., Dance, auction, BBQ dinner, beer and wine included, along with entertainment, to benefit Highland Lakes CASA for children who are in foster care. highlandlakescasa.com
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Rock&Vine
December 1-Jan 1
—Trail of Lights, Wallace Riddell Park, the courthouse square and Hamilton Creek Park, dusk to dawn, Burnet. cityofburnet.com
4
—Christmas at Fort Croghan, Burnet, with cabins decorated and staffed by families in frontier clothing. Visitors welcomed with cider and cookies. Admission and parking are free. The fort and the museum will be open for visitors. 512.756.8281.
5 —Wassailfest, New Braunfels, 6-9 p.m. downtown, 23—Wild
Game Dinner, Gillespie County Fairgrounds, Fredericksburg, Silent auction, free drawing, games, hunter exhibits, to support scholarships and education-related grants. 830.997.2359.
29 —Sing Along and Light the Square, Old
Blanco County Courthouse, Blanco, 5:15 p.m. The annual courthouse lighting marks the start of the holiday season. Watch the lights come on at 6 p.m. Christmas carolers will sing on the courthouse steps. Pictures of Santa, along with cookies and hot cocoa. Kid friendly. Local shops will have music and refreshments.
29-Dec 31
—Starry Starry Nights & Lighted Christmas Park, Badu Park, Llano. Lighted
Christmas Park will be open from 6-9 p.m. nightly. Stroll along the Llano River and sip hot chocolate surrounded by light displays. Santa from 6-8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday evening beginning Nov 23 until Dec 22. Snow day Dec. 8 for kids of all ages to slide down a snow hill. Christmas parade on the Square. llanostarrystarrynights. com
29-Jan 5—Eisbahn Outdoor Ice Skating, Marktplatz, Fredericksburg. Hours vary, with daily skate sessions. Day pass with skate rental is $15. heritageschool. org/eisbahn
30 —Small
Business Saturday, throughout the Hill Country. Held the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage shoppers to flock to stores owned by local merchants.
taste free wassail, enjoy holiday lights and festival food while shopping downtown. Free event. nbtexas.org/1845/ Wassailfest
6-7
—Christkindlmarkt, 1300 Church Hill Drive, New Braunfels, Fri: 5-9 p.m.; Sat: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Open-air Christmas market with food, drinks, beer, German music, singing and dancing, while vendors will sell Christmas gifts, décor and ornaments. Hosted by German Heritage Foundation of New Braunfels. Free parking and admission. christkindlmarktnbtx.org
6-7 —Festival
of Texas Fiddling, Twin Sisters Dance Hall, six miles south of Blanco, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Listen to all styles of fiddling at this annual event. thefestivaloftexasfiddling.com
7
—Holiday Home Tour & Market, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fredericksburg. Fundraiser for Gillespie County Historical Society, featuring a self-guided walk through seven homes, from historic to modern, decorated for the holidays. $30. Christmas Market will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Methodist sanctuary on the museum grounds. Market included in $30 tour ticket price or Market alone can be purchased for $5 at the door. pioneermuseum.net
14—Kinderfest,
Pioneer Museum, Fredericksburg, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Kids are invited to bring their stockings to hang on the fireplace at Kammlah House. While the children hear stories, work on crafts and sing, St. Nick sneaks in and fills their stockings. Free annual event. pioneermuseum.net
26 —Zweite
Weihnachten, Gillespie County Historical Society Social Hall, Fredericksburg, 2 to 5 p.m. Called a Second Christmas, this German tradition features food, drink, music and fellowship by the Fredericksburg German Club. Carols will be sung in both German and English. visitfredericksburgtx.com/events/zweiteweihnachten/
FALL 2019 109
e l y t S h t i W ers
by Texian Leathers
Leath
Leather Handbags • Belts • Wallets • Briefcases • Luggage • Backpacks & Accessories Brand names from Raviani, Kurtmen Designs, Double J Saddlery, Anuschka & Texian Leathers Rock&Vine 123 110 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 • 830-997-6001 • LeathersWithStyle.com
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There’s something wonderful inside
Fredericksburg Farms Jellies & Preserves • Salsa • Soaps & Lotions
FALL 2019 111 102 East Main | Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 | 830.383.1038
3915 HWY 290 E. • Freder icksburg • 830-998-2079 112
Rock&Vine
YeeHawRanch.com
END
notes
Compiled by SHANNON LOWRY
BFFS…THE THREE SISTERS Corn, beans and squash are companion plants known in Iroquois legend as “The Three Sisters.” These inseparable sisters were given to the people by the Great Spirit, according to the ancient legend, and were passed from culture to culture, spreading throughout the Native tribes of America. The crops, when grown together, complement one another in many ways. NO HAIL TO ALE The origins of Oktoberfest—that frothy annual event celebrated in German towns throughout the Hill Country with beer, sausages, dancing and more beer—didn’t start out as an ode to ale. In October 1810, the first Oktoberfest was held in Munich to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The citizens were invited to a five-day fall frolic held in a field in front of the city gate. Food, beer, parades and music were on tap, culminating in a horse race around the edge of town on the last day. The party was such a hit, it became an annual affair. Over the years, carousels and carnival booths, swings and bowling alleys were added, along with wine and beer vendors. The city of Munich took it over and today the world’s largest celebration lasts 16-18 days. Beer is now front and center, with nearly 8 million liters of brew sold annually at the Munich festival alone.
The roots of the beans host microorganisms that take nitrogen from the air and transfer this important nutrient to the soil, which is so important for healthy plants to grow, especially corn. Corn has tall, straight stalks, which act like a pole for the climbing beans to wrap around. The large leaves of the winter squash shade the soil, preventing moisture from escaping due to evaporation and depriving weeds of sunlight. Squash leaves are also spiny, discouraging pests. In some American Indian cultures, a fourth sister was included, such as a bee plant to attract pollinators. The three sisters each provide important components of a healthy diet. Beans supply protein, corn provides carbohydrates and squash are rich in vitamins. This ancient practice is a roadmap of sustainability. When grown together, the three sisters maintain high yields, promote healthy soil, suppress weeds, attract pollinators, promote genetic diversity, and require low water input — all without chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
Raising a glass at Oktoberfest this year? “Prost” is the German word for “cheers” and “Zum Wohl” means “to your health.”
SOURCES: https://www.muenchen.de/int/en/events/oktoberfest/history.html https://www.rd.com/culture/oktoberfest-origin/ https://www.farmproject.org/blog/2016/3/31/growing-native-american-heritage-the-three-sisters FALL 2019 113
END
notes
TRY A 200-YEAR-OLD PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE The pumpkin had already been grown for hundreds of years by Native Americans when the Pilgrims set forth in the New World. In fact, without pumpkins, the Pilgrims likely wouldn’t have survived. A Pilgrim poem from the 1630’s tells of its importance: Stead of pottage and puddings and custards and pies Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies, We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon, If it were not for pumpkins we should be undoon. INGREDIENTS • 1 medium pumpkin (about 3 pounds, the type used for pumpkin pies) • 4 cups of milk • ¾ cup of dark brown sugar, more to taste • 2 teaspoons of salt • 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, more to taste • 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, more to taste • Grated zest of 1 lemon, optional • 3 eggs, whisked together • 2 10-inch pie shells • 2 10-inch pie pans INSTRUCTIONS COOKING THE PUMPKIN: 1 Slice the skin from the top and bottom of the pumpkin. In a curving motion, cut remaining skin in segments from the sides, working from top to bottom. 2 Cut flesh in half, scoop out and discard seeds and cut the flesh in chunks; they should weigh about 2 pounds. 3 Put pumpkin in a saucepan with water to cover base of the pan. Add the lid and cook over medium heat, stirring often, so pumpkin steams until it can be crushed easily with a fork, 30-45 minutes. 4 Crush it with a potato masher or puree in a food processor until smooth. PREPARE THE PIE SHELLS: 1 Chill the pie shells. 2 Heat oven to 400 degrees and put a baking sheet low down on a shelf to heat.
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PREPARE THE FILLING: 1 Heat milk in a large saucepan. 2 Stir in pumpkin puree and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, so the mixture thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. 3 Let cool to tepid, then stir in sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and lemon if using. Taste and adjust sweetness and spice. 4 Stir in eggs. ASSEMBLE PIES: 1 Transfer filling to pie shells. 2 Set pies on the heated baking sheet and bake in the oven 15 minutes. 3 Lower heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until pies are firm but slightly wobbly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes more. 4 Serve at room temperature.
JUSTIN COP
Broker, Owner, GRI 830-998-2895
KRISTA M. BENNETT REALTOR®, GRI 830-998-0633
BRIDGET FRY REALTOR® 830-234-7141
KEELY CORONA
KARI BOCK
REALTOR® 210-788-6150
REALTOR® 830-459-6886
CALEB HAIL REALTOR®, GRI 325-214-2764
GINNY STEHLING REALTOR® 830-456-1235
SINCE 1965, FREDERICKSBURG REALTY HAS BEEN KNOWN AS THE PREMIER REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE FIRM IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY. The Hill Country was a well-kept secret for many years, but word of its natural beauty and small town charm has spread across Texas and far beyond. Long-term residents know what they have here, and have established roots, purchasing homes, ranches, waterfront property, and raw land. Now, others are trading in their busy city lives for a more easy going lifestyle. Over the years, Fredericksburg Realty has helped both families and investors discover the property of their dreams, whether they were seeking a modest home or a sprawling ranch. Our agents have many years of combined experience selling the Hill Country, and they understand the nuances of residential, ranch, and commercial real estate. We have developed a proven strategy that combines professional imagery, area knowledge and data-driven, focused tactics to ensure that each property we market reaches a wide base of targeted prospects. Let us help you with all of your real estate needs.
830-997-6531 | 257 W MAIN ST, FREDERICKSBURG, TX
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Home of the World’s Largest Whitetail Deer Contest CLINT ORMS • SITK A • SIMMS • FILSON MCKENNA QUINN • UPL A ND BESPOKE HOW L ER BROS • BE NCH M A DE • GA MEGUA R D C H I P P E WA • Y E T I • T R A E G E R • J & R G U R A M
Guns • Ammo • Knives • Feeders • Blinds • Feed • Scopes • Binoculars • Archery • Fly Fishing 405 E. MAIN • FREDERICKSBURG, TX 78624 830-307-9253 • LOSCAZADORES.COM KENDALL@LOSCAZADORES.COM • BRENT@LOSCAZADORES.COM
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