Don't Stomp Me Now

Hill Country wineries barrel into harvest with grape stomping events

Visitors are invited to try their hand — or foot? — at grape stomping at several Hill Country winereies.

There's never a bad time to head out to the Hill Country to taste some wines. But summer, the height of the harvest, is especially good. There are tons of events going on, and the Texas Hill Country Wineries association (THCW) is making sure Austinites make the most of the heat with fun events at its more than 60 member wineries.

The most classic of the harvest season are grape stomps, winemaking events that don't require precision. As long as someone can stomp their bare feet in a bucket of grapes, they're doing great. Fun and potentially a bit embarrassing, this activity is great for festivals.

THCW compiled six grape stomping events (and one for grape punching) happening at different vineyards this summer. Although the main activity is basically the same everywhere, CultureMap picked out one or two main offerings for each, to make the decision a little easier:

Fall Creek Vineyards at Driftwood
Sunday, September 8 from noon to 5 pm
If you'd like to rope people into conversations about your winemaking prowess, this free event close to Austin is offering commemorative grape stomp T-shirts for purchase.
Texas Wine Collective
Saturday, August 10 from 6:30-9 pm
One of the more unique grape stomping events, this party ($60-80) includes a paella dinner. Live music by Kelany & The All-Nighters adds to the liveliness.
William Chris Vineyards
Wednesday, July 31 and Thursday, August 1
For folks with limited mobility or a foot ick, William Chris Vineyards offers a punching version of the activity ($25) that just uses hands. Guests will also learn why it's important to make wine.
Texas Hills Vineyard
Saturday, August 24; Sunday, August 25; Saturday, August 31; Sunday, September 1
Friends can be hard to get together on a weekend; This free event offers a little more wiggle room by scheduling on four different days. There will also be live music from 1-4 pm on August 24 and 31.
Messina Hof
Friday, August 30 from 6-8:30 pm, or Saturday, August 31 from 9-11:30 am
Guests can choose between an early brunch ($40-60) or a sunset buffet dinner ($75) to replenish their stomping energy. Stompers can prove they did the work by adding their footprints to their included T-shirts.
Hye Meadow
Saturdays in August (3, 10, 17, 24, 31) at 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm
This recurring event ($39) includes a production tour and tasting, for a fuller view of the winemaking process. Guests must be 18 or older, and will also get a footprint souvenir.

There are plenty of other reasons to visit wineries in the Hill Country, with many to be found on THCW's events calendar. There's also a very useful map featuring dozens of wineries around the Hill Country, with tags for easy sorting: things like age restrictions, wheelchair accessibility, and whether or not there's food available.

More general information is available at texashillcountrywineries.org.

wineries vineyards wine hill country

Cat's Out of the Bag

Classic Austin dive bar Mean Eyed Cat opens new Driftwood outpost

Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

There ain't no grave can hold Austinites down when it's time to break in this new dive bar.

An Austin bar with a lot of personality has its eye on a new location. The Mean Eyed Cat is opening in Driftwood on Thursday, November 21.

This Johnny Cash-inspired bar has certainly always had the country aesthetic: the weathered wood, the live oak-shaded picnic tables, the black-and-white photos on the wall, and even the occasional taxidermy specimen. The same rustic vibes continue in Driftwood at 8750 W RR 150, Bldg. 100, according to a short press release.

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood interior This new bar already looks like it's been collecting antiques for decades.Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Good luck getting there on Google Maps. Right now, it drops a pin at the intersection of Ranch to Market Road 150 and Elder Hill Road. However, it appears to be next to Mad Rooster's Liquor Store — we can see the side of the building through the window and the same road signs. We've reached out to a spokesperson to get the proper directions.

The Austin original has been around since 2004, and this offshoot is only its second location. The promises "the same laid-back, offbeat charm that made the original bar an icon."

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood interior What's a dive bar without a pool table?Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Before the Austin location was a bar, it was a chainsaw repair shop that was aptly featured in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Chris Marsh was who converted it to a watering hole and Christened it the Mean Eyed Cat, and he later sold it to current owners Matt Luckie, Max Moreland, and Jed Thompson, placing it in a lineage that also includes Lavaca Street Bar & Grill, Sign Bar, Lala’s Little Nugget, and more locally beloved staples and oddities.

All the proper references are there in Driftwood, including several saw blades on the wall, Johnny Cash memorabilia, and lyrics on every available surface, including a picnic table that ominously says "HURT." First and foremost on the menu are whiskeys and classic cocktails, keeping things as simple as anyone would expect at a dive bar.

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood patio A spacious patio takes advantage of the Hill Country surroundings.Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Despite the relatively remote location, commenters on Instagram have already spotted people inside and started chomping at the bit. It sounds like opening day will be a lively affair.

The Mean Eyed Cat in Driftwood will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 2 pm to 2 am, and Fridays through Sundays from noon to 2 am. Happy hour will be weekdays from 4-7 pm.

dive bars whiskey cocktails openings driftwood

Don't Stomp Me Now

Hill Country wineries barrel into harvest with grape stomping events

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Cat's Out of the Bag

Classic Austin dive bar Mean Eyed Cat opens new Driftwood outpost