Almost every past-time has a premier competition. That list includes the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, and for wine lovers, especially here in Houston is the International Wine Competition, which has been a vital part of the festivities surrounding the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for the past six years.Wineries from Texas, the United States and across the globe, showcase their best of the best in hopes of receiving the highly esteemed title of Grand Champion Best of Show and Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show as well as other valued awards and medals for top entries in the Texas wine, the red wine, the white wine, and other all-around wine categories.On November 12 and 15, 2009 15 panels of judges, consisting of local, national, and international wine experts., tasted their way through over 1700 wines from 583 wineries to determine the following 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition Champions. * Grand Champion Best of Show – Davis Family Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2005 * Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show – Laetitia Vineyard & Winery, Nadia Red Bordeaux Blend, Arroyo Grande Valley, 2005 * Top Texas Wine – Flat Creek Estate, Mistella, Texas * Top All-Around Winery – d’Arenberg, Australia * Top Argentina Wine – Bodega Elvira Calle, Ca’de Calle Malbec, Mendoza, 2008 * Top Sparkling Wine – Domaine Ste. Michelle, Blanc de Blanc, Columbia Valley * Top White Wine – Kallfelz Estate, Single Vineyard Riesling, Mosel, 2007 * Top Red Wine – Sequoia Grove, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2006 * Top Sweet Wine – Hopler Eiswein, Riesling, Austria, 2004 * Top Value Wine – Napa Landing, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2006These wines will be featured at the 2010 Roundup and Best Bites event open to the public on Feb. 21, 2010 and the top winners will be awarded with custom-made saddles, chaps and buckles and auctioned at the Champion Wine Auction on Saturday, March 6, 2010.In 2009 alone, proceeds from the wine event and auction yielded over 1.1 million dollars. Auctioned at $100,000 was the Grand Champion Best of Show, a 2006 Vina Robles “Saundero”, Paso Robles, which is a Bordeaux-Blend Red and Meritage and at $55,000, the Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show, a 2007 Petite Syrah from McManis Family Vineyards.As well, 1250 medals were awarded in a variety of wine class categories, with several that I have had the pleasure of tasting, earning honors. * The Little Penguin, Merlot, South Eastern Australia, 2008 – Double Gold * Folie a Deux Menage a Trois, White, California 2008 – Gold * Chateau Ste Michelle Winery, Saint M Riesling, Pfalz, 2007 – Silver * Gnarly Head, Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, 2007 – Bronze For $100, participants can wine and dine at the Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup and Best Bites Competition, which will be held on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010 at the Reliant Center. That night the International Wine Competition Champions are announced and regional and local restaurants and catering institutions vie for honors at the culinary competition. Represented locally are Chef Chip Hight of*17 at Alden, Chef Danny Trace of Brennans, Chef Paul Lewis of Cullens, and Chef Chris Garcia of Verve Restaurant, to name a just few.Get your checkbooks ready because on March 6, 2010 all Champion Wines will be auctioned at the Rodeo Uncorked!Champion Wine Auction and Dinner . Keep in mind that last year’s Grand Champion was a Bordeaux blend that went for $100,000, but this year the contender for top dollar, is a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Davis Family Vineyards out of Napa Valley.Another opportunity awaits for all to taste the award winning selections at the Champion Wine Garden, which will be located in the Carruth Plaza, throughout the duration of the rodeo.For more information on ticket prices and event details, check out www.rodeohouston.comThe 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs March 2 – 21. The Show is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable event, committed to benefiting youth, supporting education, and facilitating better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentation. Since the its beginning in 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has contributed more than $250 million to scholarships, research, endowments, calf scramble participants, junior show exhibitors, the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence™, School Art participants, and other educational and youth programs. For more information on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, visit www.rodeohouston.com.
