salud!
Texas Wine Auction uncorks third year of local wines and chefs in the Hill Country
The Texas Wine Auction has already raised more than $375,000 in its previous two years.
Opening a bottle of wine is always exciting, but getting that bottle at an auction gives it another layer of mysterious flavor. Knowing that purchase fuels the wine industry and medical care for its workers? That's a divine drink.
The Texas Wine Auction makes this all possible for its third year on May 4 at Carter Creek Winery and Resort in Johnson City. The Hill Country town is seated right at the start of "Texas Wine Country," about as close as you can get to Austin while still enjoying the dramatic change in pace — and fantastic wines.
This year, there are 31 participating wineries like Becker Vineyards, High Gun, and William Chris Vineyards as leading partners. Other locally popular names include Lost Draw, Pedernales Cellars, and Wine for the People. Items for auction have not been shared yet, but will include not just rare wines, but also travel and other experiences. Shy buyers can participate in a silent auction, or bolder ones are free to wave their paddles around.
The auction website lays out some impressive stats: The industry and its 443 wine producers have a $20.35 billion impact on the state's economy, have paid $6.91 billion in wages, and have influenced more than 2 million tourist visits. Despite its dryness, Texas is the 5th largest wine producing state.
Wine workers are inarguably valuable, but anyone who's worked in food or beverage knows the industry can be the Wild West. Many employees, according to a press release, are working hourly at multiple jobs. Similar auction events are common in food and wine, and selling a valuable collector's product for money back into better structure for both the businesses and their workers can be a win-win-win.
Last year's event featured a competition between eight chefs, all working with different wine pairings. So far, there is no mention of another competition, but five chefs are listed as general participants, including faces from Garrison Brothers and Albert Hotel, a joint venture between influential Austinites Michael Fojtasek and Amanda Rockman.
The auction, with nonprofit partner Texas Wine Revolution, hopes to apply grants to Hill Country service providers making an impact in "general health and mental awareness"; fund research and education via Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; and increase general awareness of the area's wine prowess. So far, it has raised more than $375,000.
Two main initiatives are overseeing these aims. First, Texas Wine Revolution joins qualified sliding scale mental health provider Frontera Healthcare in a collaboration called Wellness Uncorked. Next, a new pilot program will follow participants from the hospitality industry over six months at the Perry and Ruby Stevens Wellness Center, about half an hour away. This program is more about physical health: cardiovascular, exercise, and nutrition.
Long-term effects may be difficult to measure after only two years, but this promising event is settling into its mission and wine lovers are walking away with something tasty to represent their support.
Individual tickets ($200) and eight-person tables ($2,000) are available via CausePilot. There is also an option to donate more than the ticket price.
Could sit in this airy shop all day.Photo by Chad Wadsworth
Eberly's Atrium will host a creative dinner with visual artists.