NEW YORK – The Big Apple toasted the tastes of Texas June 5 when New York’s newly opened Hill Country Barbecue & Market restaurant paired cowgirl cooking with award-winning Lone Star wines. The invitation-only media reception offered not only a sneak preview of Hill Country but also featured stars of the Texas wine industry including “The Wine Roads of Texas” author Wes Marshall former NFL star and president of the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association Alphonse Dotson and New Yorker-turned-Texan cowgirl and “Cowgirl Cuisine” author Paula Disbrowe.
As the fifth-leading wine-producing state in the nation Texas is home to 130 wineries and is quickly making a splash in the worldwide wine market.
“We’re extremely proud of our growing wine industry and are pleased to have the opportunity to introduce quality Texas wines to the rest of the world” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said. “We’re seeing exciting growth in wine tourism and we’re opening doors to new markets inside and outside Texas.”
As owner Marc Glosserman opened the doors to Hill Country on Tuesday — with help from executive chef Elizabeth Karmel and pit master Robbie Richter — visitors were treated to New York’s first restaurant dedicated to the flavors and traditions of Texas Hill Country barbecue and New York’s first-ever all-Texas wine list. Glosserman says he was inspired by the grand old meat-markets-turned-barbecue-joints of Central Texas.
That full-flavored inspiration was on delicious display at the Texas wine reception as guests sampled an array of Texas barbecue cheeses sweet onions chocolates and desserts while sipping vintages from Lone Star State wineries.
“New York offered a fantastic venue to showcase Texas wines and we hope to continue spreading Lone Star State hospitality throughout the world” said Bobby Champion Jr. Texas Department of Agriculture’s state coordinator for Texas wine marketing. “Events such as this allow Texas winemakers to showcase what we already know — that Texas makes quality wines.”
For more information about Texas wines call the Texas Department of Agriculture at (866) 4TX-WINE or visit www.gotexanwine.org
