Local Wine Pro

Austin wine pro named the best sommelier in Texas Austin wine pro named the best sommelier in Texas By Matt McGinnis

8.11.15  |  2:37 pm

Austin has a reputation for its excellent food and wine scene. That status is continually bolstered with prestigious awards. To ...

Texas' Best Sommelier

Red Room Lounge's sommelier named the best in Texas Red Room Lounge's sommelier named the best in Texas By Matt McGinnis

8.12.14  |  12:52 pm

On Monday night, Joelle Cousins, general manager and sommelier of Red Room Lounge, was crowned Texas’ Best Sommelier, the sixth ...

Experts' Valentine's Picks

Where to Eat on Valentine's Day: Austin experts pick their favorites Where to Eat on Valentine's Day: Austin experts pick their favorites By Jessica Dupuy

2.3.14  |  4:42 pm

Dining out for Valentine’s Day can be a double-edged sword. For those swooning in the hypnotic trance of love ...

Texas' Best Sommelier

Arro's Scott Ota is named the best sommelier in Texas Arro's Scott Ota is named the best sommelier in Texas By Jessica Dupuy

8.15.13  |  12:40 pm

Last week, CultureMap reported on the seven Austin sommeliers set to compete for Texas’ Best Sommelier at TEXSOM, the professional ...

Food Fight

Congress' John Hajash wins Uchi's Citywide 86'd competition Congress' John Hajash wins Uchi's Citywide 86'd competition By Kristi Willis

6.18.13  |  11:15 am

Chefs are always experimenting with new ingredients and techniques, but that usually happens in the quiet of their kitchens well ...

Wine Down

Top sommeliers share their inspiration & favorite wines Top sommeliers share their inspiration & favorite wines By Matt McGinnis

4.8.13  |  11:45 am

Just as a winemaker has to combine an artful flair with precise chemistry to make fine wine, a sommelier needs ...

Tastemakers 2013

CultureMap announces nominees for 2013 Tastemaker Awards CultureMap announces nominees for 2013 Tastemaker Awards By Arden Ward

2.5.13  |  5:58 pm

Spring means food season in Austin, and to whet your appetite, CultureMap announces that the 2013 Tastemaker Awards will take ...

taste test

Austin’s top sommeliers test skills in Somms Under Fire food and wine pairing ... Austin’s top sommeliers test skills in Somms Under Fire food and wine pairing competition By Matt McGinnis

1.23.13  |  11:21 am

Imagine staring at a menu that lists an entrée of roast lamb served with artichokes, goat cheese and cinnamon ...

In Vino Veritas

Exclusive reds and fine champagnes: Big Reds and Bubbles returns for tenth annual fete Exclusive reds and fine champagnes: Big Reds and Bubbles returns for tenth annual fete By Matt McGinnis

11.4.12  |  1:15 pm

Austinites love a good party, and Thursday, for the tenth year, hundreds of people will pack into the Driskill Hotel ...

Sensational Sommelier

Wine & Spirits Magazine names Chris McFall of Paggi House one of America's Best ... Wine & Spirits Magazine names Chris McFall of Paggi House one of America's Best New Sommeliers By Jessica Dupuy

9.28.12  |  9:54 am

To be a good sommelier, you have to have a certain charisma... just knowing a lot about wine isn’t ...