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FOODIES AND OENOPHIILES REJOICE! If “food” is your middle name and wine is your game,
but also has the largest Texas wine list in the country
then the Cabernet Grill is your match made in heaven.
— with the knowledgeable waitstaff to go with it.
Chef Ross Burtwell, author of Texas Hill Country
Fresh ingredients sourced from local and regional
Cuisine; Flavors from the Cabernet Grill Texas Wine Country Restaurant, not only serves up some of the most spectacular cuisine,
growers. An elegant yet casual dining atmosphere. A deep-rooted passion for food and wine flowing from the kitchen. Welcome home!
Take the taste home with Chef Ross Burtwell’s new book Texas Hill Country Cuisine.
830 990 5734 | cabernetgrill.com | Fredericksburg, Texas On Hwy 16, just 2.8 miles south of Main Street
Our RosĂŠ Colored Glasses
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EDITOR’S NOTE
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ulinary tourism pairs well with our local wine and shopping tourism industry and this year’s 2nd Annual 25th Anniversary of the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival is welcoming all tourists to town on Oct. 20-22. (Last year was a total wash out, hence “2nd Annual.�) The culinary scene has taken off here, thanks in large part to the explosive growth of the wine industry and some talented, inventive chefs taking up residence. Our small town boasts roughly 80 restaurants to serve the 2 million visitors and the diversity of food offerings has grown well beyond schnitzel and sausage. In this issue also looked into what the grape industry is doing to our water tables and how local school districts are educating students to work in the wine industry, which like all businesses needs workers. As the Hill Country also is a huge wedding destination, we also asked some brides about their big day. Thanks for reading, Ken Esten Cooke Editor & Publisher
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About the cover: Chefs Ross Burtwell, Jesse Frost, Josh Raymer and Leo Aguirre gather in the kitchen of Cabernet Grill. (Photo by Steve Rawls)
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Chefs conduct gastronomic melodies from local kitchens By Christine Granados
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ike maestros at the podium, four local chefs will orchestrate harmonious pairing of food and wine at the Second Annual 25th Anniversary of the Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest, Saturday, Oct. 22 at Marktplatz. The culinary acumen of Ross Burtwell, Josh Raymer, Jesse Frost and Leo Aguirre will be on display at the Grape Expectations Cooking School and a Twenty Five at Five cooking show events. Audience members will have the opportunity to experience four distinct personalities.
Chef Ross Burtwell, who owns Cabernet Grill, might be considered the Pierre Boulez of the Hill Country culinary world. He has a sophisticated air about him like the French conductor Boulez, and like the maestro, he helped blaze a radical new path in dining. Cabernet Grill was the first restaurant in the state to offer a wine list comprised solely of Texas wines. Burtwell trained his staff to pair the wines with the Texas menu he created, according to Edible Austin magazine. He saw a 28 percent increase in wine sales, Burtwell told Edible Austin. “The absolute best food and wine pairings are simple to find if you follow the rule: ‘What grows together, goes together.’� Burtwell said. “It does not matter if the wines are from France, Australia, California or where ever, when you pair them up with food that is grown and produced in the same area that the grapes are grown in, you are going to find a natural synergy of flavors that do not need to be manipulated. “Of course, the Cabernet Grill is known for serving ‘only Texas’ wines so we source as much food from Texas, as possible,� he said.
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As a former chef turned baker Chef Josh Raymer, owner of Joju Bakery, is also a pitchman. He can be likened to Burhans because like the American conductor, who is a multi-instrumentalist, Raymer has his hands in all components of baking. “We get all of our milled flour from Waco Grist Mill, which is challenging and al-so super nutritious, super flavorful,� he said. “Fresh stone milled flours go crazy. They have a lot of flavor, all the essential oils, all the germs, all the nutrition, but they also don’t behave themselves. When you’re getting small lots of wheat, it changes from lot to lot.� Raymer’s commitment to local ingredients had him scouting local vineyards as potential places to grow wheat. Doug Lewis, owner of Lewis Wines in Johnson City, agreed to plant wheat on 25 acres behind the winery for Raymer’s bakery. “I pitch stuff like this like a used car salesman to anyone who will listen. Not only did (Lewis) like it but he came back and said we’ll do it,� Raymer said. “We got an old German guy who agreed we would do the combine. That’s the hardest part — getting the wheat from the field. My real interest is in all the sustainable stuff.� Raymer, who was a chef at Navajo Grill for 20 years, switched gears to own and operate Joju Bakery, where he now bakes artisan breads. Jesse Frost, the executive chef at Navajo Grill, is part of a generation of new young chefs that are challenging traditional boundaries. Like Greenstein’s post-genre sensibility of mixing different styles and instruments, Frost isn’t afraid to infuse his food with different styles. “The restaurant is really suited to the food I like to cook,� Frost said about Navajo Grill. “I like southwestern flavors, a little bit of Creole, a little bit of Caribbean
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stuff. It’s been a great opportunity. I love cooking in that kitchen as they really give me a lot of freedom to do what I like.� Navajo Grill is known for its ingredientdriven cuisine and a Southern cuisine that blends old and new Mexican influences with touches of New Orleans and the Caribbean “When pairing, I like to pull out the more background notes from the wine and build a dish around those flavors,� Frost said. “For example, is the wine fruity or floral, does it have hints of leather, oak, pepper, etc. Once I pick up on those subtleties, then I can balance the dish better. These are the elements that become the inspiration when I’m going through the creative process.� Like Greenstein’s music, Frost’s cooking is open to many different influences. Eager, open and charismatic are words used to describe both the Venezuelan conductor Dudamel and Chef Leo Aguirre. Both came from humble beginnings and both conduct their business with their vivacious personalities. Aguirre, who works for Fischer & Wieser Gourmet Foods as a chef and retail manager, and is attending the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, is grounded in family. “My palate wasn’t as evolved until getting married and then my wife introduced me to new and exciting authentic Mexican flavors. It was so different from all the TexMex that I had grown up on,� Aguirre said. “On one of our trips to Mexico, I remember waking up and my wife’s late aunt (Tia Rosi) gave me my first cooking lesson. I will never forget that experience and how her loving hands served me the best Chilaquiles that I have ever tasted. The ingredients were simple and so were the steps. That day I learned the most important lesson of cooking which was that cooking didn’t have to be complicated. It just had to be enjoyed.� These four chefs will bring audiences much enjoyment at the second 25th anniversary of the food and wine festival. “Last year’s festival was rained out,� said Debbie Farquhar, event coordinator. “This is why we are calling the event our second annual 25th anniversary.�
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By Steve Taylor
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ocal vineyards and wineries work the magic of turning water into wine. But if they proliferate as quickly as they have in recent years, could they pose a threat to local water supplies — particularly in drought years? That might seem like a quite odd concern, with recent heavy rainfall replenishing groundwater tables, filling Hill Country lakes and ranch ponds and recently causing floods along Central Texas rivers and creeks. Still thousands of miles to the west, scientists and meteorologists are keeping a wary eye on the El Niño/La Niña temperature fluctuations in the Pacific Ocean’s east-central equatorial area. A change apparently is underway, and an El Niño-created drought is quite possible in Texas as soon as later this year. But if things dry up, grape vines can weather drought better than most vegetation. Acre for acre, they require less water than peach trees, noted Jim Kamas, Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Service fruit specialist in Fredericksburg and author of “Growing Grapes in Texas: From the Commercial Vineyard to the Backyard Vine.” “A lot more water will be used watering lawns and golf courses than grape vineyards,” Kamas said. “I don’t expect the wine business to impact the water table. Even if we add a couple
thousand acres of grapes, they’ll still be inconsequential.” And the chances of that many acres of vineyards cropping up around Fredericksburg are small, at best. Cord Switzer, selfdescribed Gofer No. 1 as one of the owners of Fredericksburg Winery, predicts most new vineyards will be small and located along U.S. Highway 290, primarily to attract tourists to nearby wineries. “Vineyard growth won’t be a significant factor here, in my opinion,” he said. “I wish I could say it will be, but it’s not going to be.” “(Highway) 290 is the best place to sell wine, not the best place to grow grapes,” Kamas said. The Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District tracks groundwater availability in Gillespie and neighboring counties and issues permits for new wells. District General Manager Paul Tybor also isn’t worried about new vineyards someday leaving residents, businesses and other crops high and dry. “I feel, right now, with these rains, we’re in really good shape,” Tybor said. As an example, he cited one local well that a year ago provided water 74-75 feet below the land surface. This past spring, that well provided water 65 feet down, indicating a 10-foot rise in the water table in just 12 months. Continued
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though many vineyards and wineries have sprouted up over that time. Looking ahead 50 years, the latest regional water planning projections indicate that current groundwater levels generally should meet local needs — even with more vineyards, wineries and other expected growth (including population, with Gillespie County calculated to be home to 10,000 more residents within the next 20 years). Tybor can OK a well that provides up to an acre foot of water per acre per year and expects to approve more for vineyards and wineries in the years ahead. But he noted that vineyards generally use “a very low amount,” usually half the amount allocated or less. “The way they irrigate is, by most parts, pretty conservative, and that makes a big difference,” Tybor said. “I think they work hard to keep costs down as low as they can.” Maureen Qualia, enology instructor for the winemaking certificate program at the Texas Tech University campus at Fredericksburg, knows from family experience that grapes use much less water than most crops. Her family’s Val Verde winery and vineyard near Del Rio dates back four generations and is the oldest winemaking operation in Texas. Grape growers use ground-level and underground drip irrigation systems not only to minimize water use (and production costs), but also to ensure precise amounts of moisture are provided to the vines in the right locations to foster root growth, she said. “You want to find that nice little balance where your grapes maintain constant flavor and sugars,” Qualia said. Too much watering can fatten grapes and dilute what the taste winemakers seek, she said. Bill Blackmon and Chris Brundrett, co-owners and operators of William Chris Vineyards in Hye, have more than 40 acres of vineyards in seven locations in the Hill Country and elsewhere in Texas. They use a “pinpointed, accurate” emitter system on local properties to drip irrigate the vines in a way that leads to years
of grape production, Brundrett said. They also use a lot of mulch, which discourages weeds — another water user — and lessens evaporation, he said. Brundrett also predicted William Chris will irrigate just once or twice through the summer due to rains this year so fully moisturizing vineyards’ soil. Grapes need about 30 inches of water a year, which includes rainfall, Brundrett said, so “we’re in great shape. We’ve already had that already.” Blackmon said, “We’re not going to be the culprits of using all the water up.” New technology is helping wineries, too, Qualia said. For example, ultraviolet light can sanitize tanks and barrels, saving gallons of water. This practice already is being used in California, where long-term drought is driving wineries there to experiment — and where Texas wineries can find ideas when drought inevitably returns locally. Like Kamas and Switzer, she predicts local wineries will increase in number, but vineyards will not expand too broadly because weather here isn’t ideal. High humidity and rain increases “disease pressure” and fosters fungus. Also, more land and dryer growing conditions exist on Texas’ High Plains. Already, many local wineries get their grapes from there. “They can have an operation on the High Plains with a couple hundred acres, but it’s much, much more difficult to do that here,” Qualia said. “Grapes are the highest paying, legal cash crop in Texas,” Switzer said. “That’s why you have so many cotton growers on the High Plains going into vineyards now. They’re realizing that what you can get for an acre of cotton versus what you can get for an acre of vineyards is a whole lot different.” And the difference between grapes and cotton when it comes to water usage? Nothing, really, he said. On the High Plains, hundreds of acres can be cultivated on Continued
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level land in straight lines, making them easier to manage, Switzer noted. In comparison, vineyards around Fredericksburg are small in size on hilly land. What about wineries where vineyard grapes are processed and bottled? They don’t use that much water either, Switzer said. “People ask, ‘How much water do you use in wine?’ Zero,� he noted. “Wineries, like vineyards, are minor when it comes to water usage.� “The wine industry here really capitalized on visitor tours already taking place in the Hill Country, whereas in most regions, the wine industry stemmed from the vineyards,� Qualia said. “So we grew really kind of backwards. There are not really many other wine industries in the world that have this model.�
But how many visitors want to travel to the High Plains to taste wine? Not as many who wish to travel to Fredericksburg, which Qualia notes has dozens of winetasting rooms in a 60-mile radius compared to maybe half a dozen in and around Lubbock. Her Texas Tech students also are looking to open wineries in urban settings, such as downtown Houston, or near other tourist spots, such as the Davis Mountains. Wherever they work their winemaking magic, it shouldn’t require too much water. 6WHYH 7D\ORU LV D )UHGHULFNVEXUJ IUHHODQFH ZULWHU ZKR ZRUNV ZLWK 7D\ORUHG &RPPXQLFDWLRQV 0RUH LQIRUPDWLRQ LV DW DQQWD\ORUFRQWHQWPDVWHU FRP
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exans have long been partial to Dr Pepper, sweet tea and beer. But cowboys and girls now have new favorite beverages to consider at their favorite eating establishments — Texas wines. During the past decade, Texas vineyard operators have learned by trial and error what grape varieties thrive in Texas’ unique soil and climate. Consumers have begun to accept that “Texas wine is not California wine or French wine or Italian wine,” as reported recently in Texas AAA magazine. Passing this unique knowledge to the next generation of vintners is one of the goals of Texas’ first high school viticulture program, begun in the Mason Independent School District (MISD) in 2015. A similar program will be offered to Fredericksburg High School students in spring 2017. Mason’s program started with a dinner conversation involving Dan and Jeanie McLaughlin, owners and operators of the Robert Clay Vineyards, and Melany Canfield, an MISD school counselor. The trio saw that the $1.83 billion Texas grape industry faces a growing need for younger workers, and rural areas that had suffered economic decline were in a good position to benefit from both the agriculture and tourism needs of the grape
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industry. The Texas Hill Country is the second-largest viticulture area in the U.S., covering 15,000 square miles and all or part of 22 counties. The idea took root quickly as the McLaughlins and Canfield learned that an application to teach the course needed to be submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) within two weeks. With help from Justin Sheiner, a Texas A&M University professor who had written a viticulture program for Grayson College in Denison, an MISD curriculum and course outline was developed and submitted in time. The TEA approved the course, which is now available to any high school in the state. The McLaughlins supplied trellis wire, end posts and gripples (hangers that hold up the vines), as well as 50 vines for the program. Mason High School provides the water and a plot of land for the student vineyard. Mason County soil is some of the best in the state for growing grapes, as its sandy composition makes for good drainage. Low salinity in areas of Mason County also contributes to the success of viticulture in the region, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture soil studies. During the fall of 2015, 18 Mason High students and their Continued
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teacher, Lance Rasch, started learning learned something they could apply to the ins and outs of the viticulture indusother aspects of the agriculture industry, try. beyond viticulture,� Rasch said. “I’m learning right along with the Students also heard from Linda Rojan, students,� Rasch said, as this was not a a wine initiative coordinator with the course he had taught before. Texas Department of Agriculture, who “Introduction to Viticulture� is an elecdiscussed viticulture and enology careers. tive class that is part of the Agriculture There are more than 11,000 full-time Science curriculum offered as part of jobs paying $417 million in wages in MISD’s career and technology education the Texas wine and wine grape industry, department. The program is designed to according to the Texas Wine and Grape teach students the concepts and practicGrowers Association. es of grape production (viticulture) and According to Dan McLaughlin, who enology. Viticulture is the science related left a career in high tech to start his to the management of grapevines and vineyard, the viticulture industry is ripe enology is the science of winemaking. with career possibilities, citing a need Rasch is quick to point out that makfor engineers to make better machinery; ing wine is not part of the curriculum. technologists to solve bird problems; Finding course materials that steer clear marketers to help increase sales and eduof high school students creating alcocate the public on Texas wine; and chemholic beverages has been a challenge, so ists to work in wine production. Rasch has made use of lots of field trips Seeking to spark interest among his and guest speakers. students, Joel Bush will begin teaching Above, vineyards on the Mason High The students’ first experience soon the viticulture course at Fredericksburg after school started last year was to visit School campus.— Photo by Ann Taylor High School starting in the spring semesthe McLaughlin vineyards and learn ter. He’ll utilize a more comprehensive about hand picking grapes and testing curriculum, which is in development at sugar levels. Texas A&M. “The students sort of started their learning backwards, as fall “I’ve been surprised at how many of my students have relais when we harvest grapes,� Jeanie McLaughlin said. tives who are part of the wine industry,� Bush said. Another local vintner, Drew Tallent, supplies grapes for the With the change to block scheduling this fall at Fredericksburg Becker and Grape Creek wineries. He hosted the students to High, Bush is planning extended field trips so students can expeshow them how a larger operation uses a harvester to pick the rience hands-on learning. fruit. In addition, they learned how a hydrometer is used to mea“My goal is to introduce viticulture concepts so my students sure pH (a chemistry scale that specifies the acidity or basicity of can go to college and major in horticulture with an intent to a liquid), acids and sugars in grapes. come back and manage a vineyard,� he said. As part of the curriculum, students also study soils, plant structure, chemical usage, safety and careers in the viticulture industry, among other things. $QQ 7D\ORU LV D )UHGHULFNVEXUJ IUHHODQFH ZULWHU ZKR RSHUDWHV 7D\ORUHG &RPPXQLFDWLRQV 0RUH LQIRUPDWLRQ LV DW DQQWD\ORUFRQWHQWPDVWHU FRP “The number one positive I heard from the students was they
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Wine Q&A with
Jennifer Beckmann of
Kuhlman Cellars The Signature Tasting experience at Kuhlman Cellars extends beyond tasting to an educational experience. Jennifer Beckmann, a sommelier and marketing manager at Kuhlman’s, guided a sit down tasting with food pairings during a recent trip. Each wine was paired with a crafted gourmet bite by Chef Chris Cook. Jennifer explained the chemistry behind enjoying wines in easy-to-understand language. She moved to the Hill Country after working as a sommelier for some of Chicago’s top chefs. The blocks and rows of young vines planted on the property and the majesty of the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site creates a beautiful backdrop vista for tasting. After the tasting experience with a group of people, Jennifer poured another glass of wine and adjourned to the patio where she shared more of her wine knowledge: â–ś R&V: Explain your tastings and why Kuhlman Cellars does them this way? JB: We just wanted to create a more intimate experience; it’s so good to be out here and we wanted to get away from that “cattle carâ€? feel of tasting rooms where you really don’t know what’s in your glass. We want to show people how the wine works with foods and their daily lives. Our tastings consist of a flight of five wines with a sommelier. We have two sommeliers on staff. If it’s not with a sommelier, it is with someone with a lot of experience in wine, like our assistant wine maker. We try to make what we are doing very personal. A “Wine 101â€? so to speak — with a wine class with every tasting. â–ś R&V: What other responsibilities do you have at Kuhlman Cellars? JB: Typically, I’m only in the tasting room on Saturdays. I’m not here all week. I work on all our marketing, event planning, wine club management, offsite sales and brand management. â–ś R&V: What changes have you seen in the eight years you’ve been in the Texas wine business? JB: A great example is when I joined the Texas wine community. I worked for Perissos Vineyards in Burnet, which is such an amazing family. We joined the Hill Country Wine Trail and at that time we were only number 24. Seven years later when Kuhlman Cellars joined the same organization, that list had doubled. In that time, there has been a shift to top quality wine production. There are younger people in our community sharing ideas, sharing education. It’s an exciting time to be here.
16
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â–ś R&V: What is the future of Texas wines? JB: Realistically, I think we still have a long road ahead of us to figure out what we are, what we want to be and how we are getting there. I think right now we are nestled in a cozy place, but in order to grow, it’s inevitable that Texas is recognized internationally. It’s just a matter of getting outside state lines, but the awareness has started and it’s definitely growing. â–ś R&V: What do you see next for Kuhlman Cellars? JB: Right now we are struggling just to keep up at this point. We are constantly working on improving quality. One of the biggest challenges is to keep up with the demand. We just can’t do as many outlets as we’d like to. â–ś R&V: What changes would you like to see for the industry? JB: I don’t know that there are changes I want to see as much as there are changes that are necessarily happening. I think that we have a core group of people who are really invested in increasing the amount of Texas wines; not just making sure that there are more grapes, but more quality fruit on the market. As we are moving forward, I just love to see that progression. There are a lot of pioneers out there who are changing the way things are being done here. â–ś R&V: What sorts of things have you learned working here? JB: I love, love to see the response from people when you see how much their attitudes change. One lady came in and outright told me, “I hate red winesâ€? and was brave enough to do the whole pairing. She tried the first red wine, and she liked it. The Continued
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second red wine she tasted was a bit more tannic, and she said that she didn’t like it. Fair enough I said, “Try it with the food.” She did and she liked it. I love to see how people react. ▶ R&V: What do you want people to know about Kuhlman Cellars? JB: One of the things I want to get across is that we are not preaching; it’s not talking down to people. We want people to walk out with relatable knowledge. There are mounds and mounds of books that I’ve read that I don’t want people to feel that the information is pretentious or over their head because it is all relatable somehow.
Breeding a TEXAS LEGEND
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LIDDELL PROPERTIES Fredericksburg Texas Hill Country Guest Houses Ranch Guest Houses Available: City Guest Houses Available: H Enchanted Porch H Sam Houston’s Retreat H Grandmother’s Porch H Aunt Pam’s H Come view and feed the longhorns during your stay! For Reservations Call 866-427-8374 or 830-997-5612
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258 East Main Street Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 830.997.4937 www.littlechef.com info@littlechef.com
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ON YOUR JOURNEY OF FINE LIVING, VISIT US AT THE GALLERY. WE ARE UNEXPECTED AND UNEQUALED IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY!
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t/>><KDD E͊ Welcome to THE site for Fredericksburg, Texas ƌĞĂůͲĞƐƚĂƚĞ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƟĞƐ for sale. Nestled in the ďĞĂƵƟĨƵů dĞdžĂƐ ,ŝůů ŽƵŶƚƌLJ͕ Fredericksburg’s smalltown atmosphere, relaxed ůŝĨĞƐƚLJůĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ŽĨ ůŝĨĞ ĚƌĂǁƐ ĨĂŵŝůŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƟƌĞĞƐ from all over.
“ONE OF THE FIRST AND ONE OF THE BEST”
WE USE ALL TEXAS GRAPES. ALL TEXAS, ALL THE TIME!
Home of
tŚĞƚŚĞƌ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ďƵLJŝŶŐ Žƌ ƐĞůůŝŶŐ͕ Žƌ ũƵƐƚ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ƉůĂĐĞ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵƌ ƌĞƟƌĞŵĞŶƚ LJĞĂƌƐ͕ / would love to ƐĞƌǀĞ LJŽƵ Ͳ EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
Carole Reed 830-992-9446 carole@carolereed.com www.carolereed.com Broker J.R. Russell Lic #601430
Find us on
Facebook Face
www.TexasHillsVineyard.com 878 Ranch Road 2766 Johnson City, Texas 830.868.2321
{ PURSUE A CAREER IN THE WINE INDUSTRY } With state-of-the-art facilities, wine labs and teaching vineyard, we offer students outstanding hands-on learning experiences through three education options. TEXAS VITICULTURE CERTIFICATE. Two-year program for wine industry entrepreneurs and prospective vineyard managers. TEXAS WINEMAKING CERTIFICATE. Two-year program for winemakers, cellar workers, and prospective winery employees. VITICULTURE & ENOLOGY SPECIALIZATION. The only four-year undergraduate program in Texas focused on the science and technology of grape and wine production. Major in Plant & Soil Science with a specialization in Viticulture & Enology.
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Santamaria Cellars wines blend old world training with new world ways Santamaria Cellars winery stands out in the Hill Country because the winemaker and owner, Martin Santamaria sources the vast majority of his juice from the Hill Country. Most wineries in the area obtain juice from the High Plains for their wines. Not Martin. He believes the soils in this region have the potential to produce world class wines and he works tirelessly to bring out the character of Hill Country varieties. The winery sits on Texas 16 between Kerrville and Fredericksburg. It’s a small winery that only produces 1,000-1,500 cases in any given year, usually no more than 200 cases of any variety. Since 2005, Martin Santamaria has focused on the concept of quality, not the
concept of quantity. He believes in finding the true expression of the grape and the true expression of the region. Martin, the oldest of five children, was born in Argentina. After three years of competitive rugby for the Mendoza Province Selection Cuyo Region in 1991-1994, he returned to school to earn a degree in agricultural engineering from the University Nacional of Cuyo. He then completed his formal wine training in Bologna, Italy, earning a master of viticulture and oenology in 1999. The wines Martin produces show his passion for the region and his love for each grape. He combines the old world training with the new world ways.
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2 Fredericksburg Locations: 147A East Main Street 6260 US Hwy 290 East While on Main Street be sure to check out Savy E’s Boutique, located in the back.
Stay on Main or take a short drive out 290 East– at Rocky Hill complex. Live music every Saturday and Sunday. Phone: 830-997-4466 6 Tastings for $12 and a complimentary Fiesta Wine Glass.
With a 3 bottle purchase your tasting is FREE!
Hours: Open 7 days a Week. Call for times. Ǥϐ Ǥ
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CENTRAL TEXAS VINEY
The Hill Country wine region has over 70 wineries. The 600 acres of viney the region north of Fredericksburg to San Saba, and west of Mena 20 Blu on 2241
71
Llano
261
Buchanan Dam
1431
27 & 53
Burnet 29
48 P4
2342
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Lake LBJ Granite Shoals
2323 Sunri Beach Sunrise
1174
25 Marble Falls
1431
16 6
783
Horseshoe Bay
71
648
70 45
13
54
73
41
Luckenbach
37
UPPER ALBERT RD
1623
10
281
201 Henly
473 Spring Branch
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11
306
56
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55
311
87
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10
101
12
290
52 1826 CR 170
19 17 72 150
LON MTN EMAN . RD .
23
3237
Canyon City
S M
2673
3159
39
2722
15 306
Smithson Gruene Valley HERBELIN 18 3009
150
12
E’S AN CR ILL M
46
Boerne Bandera
281
224 71
58
10
Canyon Lake
1376
62
3238
Dripping Springs
Wimberley
Sisterdale
Jonesto Lago Vista
Bee Cave
9
32 473
22
3232
26
Lakeway
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12
Kerrville
46
69 H
1376
87
173
33
165
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59
60
962
Hye
1623
27
Cypress Mill
Johnson 40 Fredericksburg 50 See inset on next page 1320 City 2766 61 Stonewall 4
21
16
1323
JENSCHKE LN
USNER RD
2093
1 32
Travis Peak
42CR 302
CR 301
29 290
24 31
Round Mtn.
Willow City
8
SHOVEL
962
18
1431
Spicewood Lake CR 409 Travis
MTN.
87 965
A Bertram
63
Inks Lake
Kingsland
Castell
1174
690 2341
29
13
49
281
1431
San Saba
29 Mason
2340
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68
Central Texas Vineyards and Wineries
Lake Buchanan
Tow
BELL SPRINGS
Locator Map of
RD
46
62
35 New Braunfels
YARDS AND WINERIES Listing numbers correspond with numbers on map. Locations are approximate due to scale of map.
yards span rd.
38
65 Florence
16
Andice
Rogers
35 67
Georgetown 30
83 1431
Round Rock
own
20 LOOP 1
44
Aus n
35
an Marcos
2
21
183
1. 290 Vinery 300 W. Main (Hwy. 290) Johnson City, TX 78636 2. Alexander Vineyards 6360 Goehmann Lane Fredericksburg, TX 78624 3. Andreucci Wines 2 Locations 8898 US Hwy. 290 308 E. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 4. Arc de Texas 4555 Hwy. 281 Johnson City, TX 78636 5. Armadillo’s Leap Winery 6266 E. US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 6. Baron’s Creek Vineyard 5865 E. US Highway 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 7. Becker Vineyards 464 Becker Farms Road Stonewall, TX 78671 8. Bell Mountain Vineyards 463 Bell Mountain Road Fredericksburg, TX 78624 9. Bell Springs Winery 3700 Bell Springs Road Dripping Springs, TX 78620 10. The 10. Bella Vista Ranch 3101 Mount Sharp Rd. Wimberly, TX 78676 11. Bending Branch Winery 142 Lindner Branch Trail Comfort, TX 78013 12. Calais Winery 8115 W. US Hwy. 290 Hye, TX 78635 13. Chisholm Trail Winery 2367 Usener Rd. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 14. Compass Rose Cellars Inc. 1197 Hye Albert Rd. Hye, TX 78635 15. Copper Star Cellars 256 W. Mill Street New Braunfels, TX 78130 16. Dancing Bee Winery-Off Map 8060 W. US Hwy. 190 Rogers, TX 76569 17. Driftwood Estate Winery 4001 Elder Hill Rd. Driftwood, TX 78619 18. Dry Comal Creek Vineyards 1741 Herbelin Rd. New Braunfels, TX 78132 19. Dutchman Family Winery 13308 FM 150 W. Driftwood, TX 78619 20. Fall Creek Vineyards 1820 County Road 222 Tow, TX 78672 21. Fat Ass Winery Tasting Room 153 E. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 22. Fat Ass Ranch Winery 51 Elgin Behrends Rd. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 23. Fawncrest Vineyard & Winery 1370 Westside Circle Canyon Lake, TX 78133 24. Fiesta Winery 2 Locations 147A East Main Street 6260 US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624
25. Flat Creek Enoteca 112 US Hwy. 281 Marble Falls, TX 78654 26. Flat Creek Estate 24912 Singleton Bend East Rd. Marble Falls, TX 78654 27. Fly Gap Winery-Off Map 2851 Hickory Grove Rd. Mason, TX 76856 28. Four Point Cellars 10354 E. US Highway 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 29. Fredericksburg Winery 247 W. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 30. Georgetown Winery 715 Main St. Georgetown, TX 78626 31. Grape Creek Vineyards 2 Locations 97 Vineyard Lane 223 East Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 32. Hahne Estates Winery 104 E. Pecan Ave. Johnson City, TX 78636 33. Hawk’s Shadow Estate Vineyard 7500 McGregor Lane Dripping Springs, TX 78620 34. Hilmy Cellars 12346 E. US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 35. Hye Meadow Winery 10257 US Highway 290 W., Hye, TX 78635 36. Inwood Estates WineryThe Vineyard at Florence 10303 Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 37. Kerrville Hills Winery 3600 Fredericksburg Road Kerrville, Texas 78028 38. Kuhlman Cellars 18421 E. US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 39. La Cruz de Comal Wines 7405 FM 2722 Startzville, TX 78133 40. Lewis Wines 3209 W. Highway 290 (Mail to PO Box 372) Johnson City, TX 78636 41. Lost Draw Cellars 113 E. Park St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 42. McReynolds Winery 706 Shovel Mountain Rd. Cypress Mill, TX 78663 43. Mendelbaum Winery/Cellars 10207 E. US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 44. Messina Hof Winery Hill Country 9996 E. US Highway 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 45. Narrow Path Winery 111 E. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 46. Pedernales Cellars 2916 Upper Albert Road Stonewall, TX 78671 47. Pelota Wines, Inc. 3209 US Hwy. 290 Hye, TX 78635 48. Perissos Vineyards 7214 Park Road 4 West Burnet, TX 78611 49. Pilot Knob Vineyard 3125 CR 212 Bertram, TX 78605
50. Pontotoc Vineyard 320 E. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 51. Rancho Ponte Vineyard 315 Ranch Road 1376 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 52. Salt Lick Cellars 1800-C FM 1826 Driftwood, TX 78619 53. Sandstone Cellars Winery-Off Map 211 San Antonio Street Mason, TX 76856 54. Santa Maria Cellars 12044 Hwy. 16 S. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 55. Singing Water Vineyards 316 Mill Dam Rd. Comfort, TX 78013 56. Sister Creek Vineyards 1142 Sisterdale Rd. Boerne, TX 78006 57. Six Shooters Cellars 6264 US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 58. Solaro Estate Winery 13111 Silver Creek Rd. Dripping Springs, TX 78620 59. Spicewood Vineyards 1419 CR 409 Spicewood, TX 78669 60. Stone House Vineyard 24350 Haynie Flat Road Spicewood, TX 78669 61. Texas Hills Vineyard 878 RR 2766, PO Box 1480 Johnson City, TX 78636 62. Three Dude’s Winery 125 Old Martindale Road San Marcos, TX 78628 63. Torr de Lochs 7055 W. State Hwy. 29 Burnet, TX 78611 64. Torre di Pietra Vineyards 10915 E. US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 65. The Vineyard at Florence 8711 W. FM 487 Florence, TX 76527 66. The Vintage Cellar 6258 E. US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 67. Thirsty Mule Winery & Vineyard 101 CR 257 Liberty Hill, TX 78642 68. Wedding Oak Winery-Off Map 2 Locations 316 E. Wallace San Saba, TX 76877 100 Legacy Rd., Fredericksburg (Located inside Wildseed Farm) 69. Westcave Cellars Winery 25711 Hamilton Pool Rd. Round Mountain, TX 78663 70. Western Edge Cellars 228 W. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 71. William Chris Vineyards 10352 Highway 290 Hye, TX 78635 72. Wimberly Valley Winery 2825 County Road 183 Driftwood, TX 78619 73. Winotus 115 E. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 74. Woodrose Winery 662 Woodrose Lane Stonewall, TX 78671
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HWY. 290 TEXAS VINEYARDS AND WINERIES
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For inclusion in our ROCK&Vine map, contact Cindy at 830-997-2155 for information.
FLINT RIVER REALTY
Fred Hild, Broker/Owner
Fred Hild, BROKER Flint River Realty 150 E Main St #217, Fredericksburg 830-456-3510 www.FredEHild.com fredhild@hctc.net We offer complete personal, professional and conďŹ dential service for your real estate needs in the Hill Country. Selling the Texas Hill Country for the last 12 years. If you are looking for a home in the Hill Country, a ranch, or just some acreage to stretch your legs, I will be glad to help you ďŹ nd just that right spot. 24
BECKER VINEYARDS
T E X A S H I L L C O U N T RY HOURS: Monday-Thursday 10-5, Friday-Saturday 10-6, Sunday Noon-6 from Fredericksburg, Hwy. 290 East, one mile south on Jenschke Lane
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redericksburg, Texas is home to 11 Guinness World Records. All were established in this millennium. The first was the largest jute bag which measured 30 feet high by 16.5 feet wide and was created by Timothy Koock of Fredericksburg on July 8, 2013 and Tristen Geren of Fredericksburg holds 10 Guinness World Records in gaming. œ There are over 210 species of ants in Texas. Several are considered common lawn pests, but only one is considered a serious nuisance to humans — the Imported Red Fire Ant. Red Fire Ants introduced in the 1930’s build mounds that can reach 18 inches in height, depending on the soil. Each mound may contain millions of ants. These ants feed on flea larvae, chinch bugs, cockroach eggs, chiggers, ticks and other pests. œ The world’s largest convenience store can be found in the Texas Hill Country. Buc-ee’s at 2760 IH 35 N. in New Braunfels is longer than a football field and boasts 60 gas pumps, 84 toilets and 80 soda dispensers. Owner,
Arch “Beaverâ€? Aplin opened the store in 2012 and stocks it with the addictive “Beaver Nuggets.â€? Âś Two Fredericksburg business partners, patented a more humane fly trap in the early part of the 20th Century, when DDT was the main ingredient in fly sprays. Emil John Schandua and Harry Reichenau, owners of Schandua & Reichenau Sheet Metal and Radiator Shop, patented a blowfly trap on June 10, 1930. The patent reads: “The primary object of the present invention is to provide a fly trap of improved construction which will be strong and durable, efficient, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.â€? They sold it at their store after it was patented. Âś The United States has the United Kingdom to thank for the idea of the bed and breakfast. After World War II, local people in Britain opened their homes to foreigners who needed a place to stay. They started serving breakfast to those overnight guests. The bed and breakfast model of lodging dates back to ancient China but the Brits gave us the term.
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GILLESPIE COUNTY FARM BUREAU EVENT CENTER The Best Value in Fredericksburg Located outside of Fredericksburg city limits, minutes from the historic district and 290 Wine Trail
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Happily ever after Whether it is a special proposal, the perfect venue, heirlooms from loved ones or a certain song, couples create special memories of their engagement and wedding by adding their own personal touches. Three couples who married in 2015 share their memories of their marriage proposal, what made their wedding special, their favorite memory, how they selected the date and venue and if they have any advice for couples planning a wedding. They also share some of their favorite wedding day “bloopers.� Answering from their hearts were the following couples: r"TIMFZ #FISFOET BOE /BUIBO 5POOF XFSF NBSSJFE PO 'FC 28, 2015, in St. Mary’s Catholic Church. r,JNCFSMZ #JFSTDIXBMF BOE $ISJTUPQIFS 4XBOOFS XFSF NBSried on Oct. 17, 2015, in St. Mary’s Catholic Church. r.FMBOJF .PPSF BOE )PMEFO -JHIU XFSF NBSSJFE PO .BZ JO #FUIBOZ -VUIFSBO $IVSDI Q. How did your husband propose to you? Ashley: * XBT MJWJOH JO 4BO "OUPOJP BU UIF UJNF BOE /BUIBO lived in Junction. It was just a Tuesday and I was having a bad EBZ BU XPSL * KPLJOHMZ UPME /BUIBO IF TIPVME NBLF UIF IPVS and a half drive to have dinner with me. To my surprise, he TBJE 0, )F ESPWF UP 'SFEFSJDLTCVSH PO UIF XBZ UP BTL NZ QBSFOUT
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and asked me to marry him when he got to my house in San Antonio. I didn’t know he had bought a ring, but he had had it almost two months. My parents were going on a two-week vacation that Thursday, and he said he didn’t want to wait until they got back. So, my randomly asking him to come to dinner on a Tuesday really worked out. *U XBT QMBJO IBIB /P PWFS UIF UPQ GSJMMT CVU UIBU T LJOE PG our personalities. Kimberly: My husband and I met in Arizona and had dated GPS TJY NPOUIT XIFO * CSPVHIU IJN IPNF UP 'SFEFSJDLTCVSH for the first time. After spending a busy weekend camping with friends and family, I had had little time to show him a beautiful spot on the family ranch, which I had talked to Chris about as a spot to build our home someday. So, on a Monday morning with only hours left before our flight back to Arizona, we finally had time to go to that spot. As we were daydreaming about what we could build there together, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a ring and proposed. )F IBE CFFO XBJUJOH BMM XFFLFOE GPS VT UP HP UIFSF TP IF could propose where we would live and raise our family someContinued
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day. However, it was the last thing I was expecting on a Monday morning! We rushed back to my parents’ house to finish packing and were able to make the rounds to personally announce our engagement to family in Fredericksburg before racing to the airport to catch our flight. Melanie: It all happened on what seemed to be a completely normal weekend. Since Holden and I had not seen each other in a few weeks, we decided we would meet at my parents’ house in Meyersville. We figured we get to see each other, spend the weekend with my parents, and all watch the Super Bowl together. Like always on the weekends at the Moore house (and for my dad every single day), we all settled down for “nap time.” After Dad woke up from his nap, he and Holden went to feed the cattle at all the places. They claimed I was snoring so loud and was sound asleep. Holden didn’t even wake me up, even though he knew that I had wanted to ride along. (Little did I know, this was all part of his plan.) So far, seems like a normal day right? I woke up from my nap feeling nice and refreshed, and I waited for Dad and Holden to get back to the house. Holden then started insisting that we go look at some of my cows. I didn’t understand why we had to go down there again since he and Dad were just there. However, I wanted to see my new baby calves that were on the ground, so I agreed to go. As I was standing in the middle of the herd, right beside one of my old show heifers Red (she’s one of my favorite cows that I have left), Holden came up behind me and put his arms around me. We started talking about how much we loved coming out here. So quiet, so calm, so peaceful. Holden said, “I have something for you. Open my hand.” I did and there was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. I started to tear up from pure bliss. I was speechless. Then he asked me to marry him, and I said yes! It may not have been the most elaborate proposal, and we may not have been dressed up for it either. But it was perfect in every little way possible. Doing what I love to do … at a place where I love to be … with the man I love with all my heart. That day was no longer just normal …
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Ashley and Nathan Tonne — Photo by Dos Kiwis Studio
it was ordinarily extraordinary. What more could I ask for? Q. As you were planning your wedding, was there one particular aspect of the ceremony or reception that was the most important to you and why? Ashley: We probably would’ve preferred a smaller wedding, but both growing up in small towns and having a lot of college friends, that just was not an option. So our main focus was to have FUN and make sure all of our
guests had fun! We focused on good food and drinks and a live band. The dance floor was full all night. Kimberly: For me, tradition was very important. I wanted our wedding to be timeless and incorporate pieces of both of us. We had the San Antonio Liederkrantz Men’s Choir sing traditional and German wedding music, we said tradiContinued
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tional wedding vows and read a prayer my parents had prayed at their wedding 40 years ago. With the help of our photographer, we were able to recreate some photos that my parents had taken on their wedding day. My dad put a penny in my shoe, I incorporated something from all of our grandmothers into my wedding bouquet, and wore a ring and watch from Chris’ great-grandmother. We started the dancing at the reception with the traditional Grand March and even had rice bags for people to shower us with as we left the reception. We really enjoyed those traditional details that made the day feel so special and complete. Melanie: Holden and I decided to have an “unplugged� wedding ceremony. We mentioned it on our wedding website, and we also had our pastor who was officiating the ceremony, ask our guests to turn their phones, cameras and electronics completely off. We really felt like that turned the focus of the ceremony to what was truly important, becoming husband and wife before God while our family and friends were fully in the moment with us, also free from distractions. Q. How did you go about selecting your wedding date and venue? Ashley: Having a Catholic Mass at St. Mary’s was very important to us, so we knew we wanted the wedding to be there. Due to the size of the guest list, the Gillespie County Fair
Grounds was really the best option for our reception. February 28 was the only Saturday both were available, so we took it. Kimberly: Although we live in Arizona and my husband is from North Carolina, I couldn’t imagine not getting married in my hometown. We decided to have our wedding ceremony at St. Mary’s Catholic Church because that is where I attended church growing up and five generations of my mother’s side of the family have gotten married there. I had also always dreamed of a beautiful outdoor wedding reception on my parents’ ranch. My parents were amazing as they spent our entire engagement period turning the pasture into a park to create a gorgeous reception on the ranch! We got engaged in April and decided that in order to have an outdoor wedding reception in Texas where you won’t freeze or melt, we needed a fall wedding. Between opening day of hunting season, Oktoberfest and church availability, we had little choice but mid-October. Because the church was booked solid, they generously allowed us to have a morning wedding ceremony, which wouldn’t have been our first choice at the time, but it turned out to be perfect. Our ceremony was at 11 a.m., we served our guests lunch, and then we were able to dance the afternoon away. Melanie: The wedding date was a battle that I ended up losContinued
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ing. I wanted a spring wedding in March/April, and Holden wanted more of a summer wedding in May. Based off of the calendars of our family and friends, and the way holidays fell, May 30, 2015, just seemed to fit. Plus, our venue of choice was open for us to book that weekend. We chose The Lodge at Country Inn Cottages in Fredericksburg as the venue for the wedding reception. It was a no brainer for us, really. Once we went there to visit, Holden and I knew immediately that The Lodge was the place … hands down probably the easiest decision of all our wedding planning. The church was also an easy decision. Holden is a member at Bethany Lutheran Church, and we really both connected with Pastor Casey and loved having him as our officiant for our wedding. Q. What is your most treasured memory of your wedding? Ashley: I really treasured having a full Catholic Mass for our ceremony and having a lot of our family and friends there to witness our marriage. We both had a great time all day which was our priority. We wanted to have a fun day and create memories with our family and friends that would last a lifetime, and we definitely achieved that. We both climbed into the limo at the end of the night with aching feet from not leaving the dance floor with our friends. We spent the whole ride to San Antonio talking about how much fun we had. Kimberly: All those moments you dream of as a little girl, your dad walking you down the aisle, your first kiss, being introduced as Mr. and Mrs., your first dance, the father-daughter dance, all those moments were more special than I could ever have dreamed of. But, the very best part was at the end of the day knowing that I had married my best friend and the man who will stand beside me for the rest of my life. That was amazing. Melanie: Well, if you ask me, it was the look on Holden’s face as soon as I saw him while walking down the aisle. The look of pure joy and happiness and the love he has for me was showing all over his face. All the stress and craziness of planning a wedding was all worth it just to
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Melanie and Holden Light see that, and I am blessed that I get to remember that and relive it for the next 100-plus years as his wife. Q. Did you have a wedding day “blooper?” Ashley: Well there was the 20-degree day that had most roads closed for half the day. My hair and makeup girl couldn’t get to Fredericksburg as planned the morning of our wedding, so we got someone local to come start on the bridesmaids and I waited for her. A lot of our guests couldn’t make the wedding as planned due to snow and ice and had to cancel last minute. Other than that, I think everything went as planned. Kimberly: I definitely went into the day with the mindset that the only thing
that mattered was that we said “I do” and that the people we love were there. But, one of the funny memories we like to tell happened at the church. The bridesmaids wore pale pink fulllength dresses. Our first attendants to walk down the aisle were Chris’ uncle and sister. When the priest saw them at the end of the aisle, he mistook them for my dad and I and had everyone in church stand for the bride. All our wedding party got to walk in to a standing congregation. Melanie: Haha … yes we did. While we were doing The Grand March, the song cut off for some reason and the next song started playing. Holden and I always joke that we did “The Half March” at our wedding since ours was cut short. Continued
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Q. Knowing what you know now, do you have any advice to give to brides as they plan their wedding? Ashley: We stayed very laid back throughout wedding planning process and the wedding day. I would advise others to try and do the same. I tried to stay focused on our main priority which was to have a great time with our family and friends. The weather that day and guests not being able to make it wasn’t ideal, but it was out of my control. Rather than worrying and being upset all day, we just appreciated those that were able to make it and had a great time. Kimberly: Make sure you have an awesome photographer, because having those gorgeous pictures that capture all the little moments is priceless. Have fun planning your wedding. It was definitely easy to get overwhelmed by the magnitude of all the planning, so try to have fun doing it. And try not to focus on the latest fads and trends for weddings or feel like you have to have it all. Focus on what’s important to you and your groom, because that is what you will remember and appreciate. Melanie: Don’t be afraid to let others help you. I had such a great group of family and friends that went above and beyond to help us out with SO many different aspects of our wedding. Also, get a wedding planner/coordinator. They are worth every penny. Adrienne Lopez with Girl Friday & Co. Events is amazing. She helped me out so much, and she is fantastic to work with! Q. As the groom, was there a particular aspect of the ceremony or reception that was important to you and why?
that there are a lot of people who care about your marriage. Chris: The first dance was important to me because it was going to be my last first dance. Holden: I truly can’t pick just one thing. Everything about our wedding was important to me and absolutely perfect. Q. Did you have a wedding day “blooper?” Nathan: Just the weather. Chris: When starting our vows, Father Enda, the presider, started by saying “Kimberly,” intending for me to start my vows by saying “Kimberly.” I thought he was addressing Kimberly and was standing there waiting for her to respond. Kimberly had to clue me in that they were waiting for the response from me. With a grin and chuckle, I started our vows with “Hey you, Kimberly.” Holden: “The Half March.” Q. Knowing what you know now, do you have any advice to give to grooms as they get ready for their wedding? Nathan: I would tell the grooms to prepare themselves to really pay attention to the ceremony and what it stands for ... and then go have a great time at the reception. As our wedding planner said, “If you will just hold off until after the ceremony, I don’t care if your hair hurts on Sunday!” Chris: Have fun with it and don’t take it too seriously. And try to take it in and remember your wedding as much as you can. Some other advice that was both given to me and learned includes make sure your ring bearer can get down the aisle, aim the cork for the champagne up and away from people, don’t drop anything, especially the bride when dancing, and show up on time.
Nathan: I placed a lot of emphasis on the entire ceremony portion of our wedding. Marriage is a pact between two people and God, and I think that the vows, scriptures and exchange of rings during the ceremony need to be remembered forever. As far as the reception, just being able to visit with friends and Holden: If anything is not ready or done, don’t worry about it. family and celebrate was important, as well. It is nice to know No one will know as long as you have beer and food.
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0DUULDJH OLFHQVHV ÂľD PXVWÂś LQ 7H[DV Before the trip to the altar and the exchange of rings and “I do’sâ€?, couples planning their weddings are reminded that they must also obtain a marriage license. The following are important reminders about applying for and using a marriage license: Where to go? r (JMMFTQJF $PVOUZ $MFSL T 0GGJDF JT JO 3PPN PG UIF (JMMFTQJF $PVOUZ $PVSUIPVTF .BSZ -ZOO 3VTDIF JT UIF DPVOUZ DMFSL BOE QFSTPOOFM UIFSF are ready to assist applicants with the QBQFSXPSL r 0GGJDF IPVST GSPN B N UP Q N .POEBZ UISPVHI 'SJEBZ r 5P DPOUBDU UIF DPVOUZ DMFSL T PGGJDF DBMM What to bring? r $PVQMFT BQQMZJOH GPS B NBSSJBHF license must both be present when the license is issued.
r &BDI TIPVME CSJOH BU MFBTU POF GPSN of photo identification (such as a driver’s license or passport) or two other forms PG OPO QIPUP JEFOUJGJDBUJPO TVDI BT certified birth certificate, Social Security card, current utility bill or school SFQPSU DBSE FUD " .FYJDBO .BUSJDVMB $POTVMBS DBSE XJMM OPU CF SFDPHOJ[FE BT BQQSPQSJBUF JEFOUJGJDBUJPO CVU B .FYJDBO WPUFS DBSE DBO CF VTFE BT B OPO QIPUP r #F QSFQBSFE UP QBZ UIF DPTU PG the marriage license. Payment can be NBEF POMZ CZ DIFDLT PS DBTI r " SFEVDFE NBSSJBHF MJDFOTF GFF PG JT BWBJMBCMF UP DPVQMFT XIP DPN QMFUF UIF GSFF FJHIU IPVS i5PHFUIFS JO Texas� course and bring in a certificate of completion at the time of applying for their marriage license. *O 'SFEFSJDLTCVSH UIF DPVSTF JT OPU SFMJHJPO CBTFE BOE JT PGGFSFE UISPVHI 7JDUPSZ 'FMMPXTIJQ $IVSDI &BTU $PMMFHF 4USFFU 5IFJS UFMFQIPOF OVNCFS JT The course is also available through
4U .BSZ T $BUIPMJD $IVSDI XIFSF JU T collated with counseling. A couple will SFDFJWF UXP TFQBSBUF DFSUJGJDBUFT 0OF SFDPHOJ[FE CZ UIF $BUIPMJD $IVSDI says they’ve completed the program. The other certificate for the county DMFSL TIPXT UIBU UIFZ WF DPNQMFUFE UIF “Together in Texas� program. 4U .BSZ T JT BU 8FTU 4BO "OUPOJP 4USFFU BOE UIF UFMFQIPOF OVNCFS JT r "QQMJDBOUT XIP BSF PS ZFBST of age must bring with them their legal guardian at the time of applying for the license and the guardian is also required to show photo identification. r 5IF NJOJNVN BHF SFRVJSFE UP BQQMZ GPS B NBSSJBHF MJDFOTF JT ZFBST Anyone younger should bring with them a court order to obtain a license. Common law marriages r $PVQMFT DMBJNJOH UP CF NBSSJFE CZ DPNNPO MBX TIPVME LFFQ JO NJOE UIBU if they have a baby, the father must
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undergo an affidavit process to claim paternity unless the couple comes to the county clerk’s office some time before the baby is born and declares that they have been married and living together since a certain date. That “informal marriageâ€? fee is $36. Someone claiming an informal marriage cannot claim a date that places them at less than 18 years of age. Other things to know ‌ r %JWPSDFE QFSTPOT BQQMZJOH GPS B MJDFOTF UP XFE BHBJO must be divorced for 30 days or longer, unless there is a XBJWFS PG UIBU XBJU JO UIFJS EJWPSDF EFDSFF r 4BNF TFY NBSSJBHF JT BDDFQUFE BOE IBT UIF TBNF QSP DFTT BT PQQPTJUF TFY NBSSJBHF r "GUFS B NBSSJBHF MJDFOTF JT JTTVFE UIF DPVQMF JT HJWFO UIF EPDVNFOU UP UBLF UP UIF QFSTPO XIP XJMM CF PGGJDJBU JOH BU UIF NBSSJBHF DFSFNPOZ "GUFS UIF XFEEJOH UIBU PGGJDJBOU XJMM GJMM PVU UIF SFNBJOEFS PG UIF MJDFOTF BOE SFUVSO JU UP UIF DPVOUZ DMFSL T PGGJDF XIFSF JU XJMM CF SFDPSEFE BOE UIF PSJHJOBM MJDFOTF XJMM CF NBJMFE CBDL UP UIF OFXMZXFET r $PVQMFT BSF SFNJOEFE UIBU B NBSSJBHF MJDFOTF NVTU CF VTFE XJUIJO EBZT PG JUT JTTVBODF PS JU XJMM CFDPNF void. r $PVQMFT PCUBJOJOH B MJDFOTF NVTU LFFQ JO NJOE UIBU UIFSF JT B XBJUJOH QFSJPE PG IPVST BGUFS UIF MJDFOTF IBT CFFO JTTVFE CFGPSF UIF XFEEJOH DBO UBLF QMBDF r 5IF XBJUJOH QFSJPE UP VTF B MJDFOTF NBZ CF XBJWFE by a district judge or if one of the applicants is on active EVUZ XJUI UIF 6OJUFE 4UBUFT NJMJUBSZ BOE DBO TIPX QSPQFS NJMJUBSZ JEFOUJGJDBUJPO $PNQMFUJOH UIF i5PHFUIFS JO 5FYBTu DPVSTF XJMM BMTP XBJWF UIF IPVS XBJUJOH QFSJPE
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“Celebrating the Past - Envisioning the future� serving Fredericksburg since 1899 q )XOO NLWFKHQ IDFLOLWLHV q $LU FRQGLWLRQHG q $FFRPPRGDWLRQV IRU XS WR SHRSOH q 2XU PLVVLRQ ,QFXOFDWH LQ LWV PHPEHUV ORYH DQG HVWHHP IRU WKH *HUPDQ WRQJXH FXVWRPV DQG PRGH RI OLIH
Information and reservations 830-456-1999 rental@stjosephssociety.org For Available Dates Visit: http://www.stjosephssociety.org/Calendar/calendar.htm
Photography by Vanessa
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Maggie Gillespie sees the natural beauty of wildflowers and she has turned that love into her inspiration for wedding planning. “I grew up on a ranch and every morning before school, I rode around looking at flowers,� Gillespie said. “I draw my inspiration from the natural world and want to create something like that.� She soon came to realize that she wanted others to enjoy the same beauty she saw in nature. Twenty years later, Gillespie has planned over 600 weddings and events for people all over Texas. “I make the experience very unique for people,� said Gillespie. “I see it as a big art project as well as something that is representative of them.� Her planning services range from finding venues, caterers, bands and dee-jays to selecting her favorite, the flowers. She also takes into consideration, the lighting of the venue. “I help find a place, vendors and more, and take the pieces of the puzzle and then come up with an overall design,� Gillespie said. “Each wedding is different, each one is special.� She sees the design process similar to that of an interior designer. She creates canvas boards with colors and textures to match what the bride is looking for in terms of design and budget. “I take a minimalist, modern approach,� Gillespie said. “I want to create a ranch-style Texas look that is distinct and elegant.� She pays special attention to the floral design. “People always asked me if I would do their flowers for their wedding, knowing that I had a background in studio art and color theory,� Gillespie said. “The flower designs mean a lot to me,� she adds. “There is nothing like them, maybe
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because they are associated with people and with life. ‘Simple’ makes you feel good.� Throughout the planning process, her goal is to focus on the client and how to best make their day special. “I have them bring in what they love so I can better understand what they love,� Gillespie said. “Maybe it’s something that reminds them of a specific time or place, but I want the look to be very natural.� She almost always gets her inspiration for designs through the natural beauty of the outdoors. “I wanted it took look very natural and simple, rather than embellishing it,� she said. Her favorite part of the wedding process is seeing everything come together.
“I love seeing the transformation takes place,� said Gillespie. “It’s a magical celebration; nothing really compares to a wedding, party or anniversary. There is a certain adrenaline rush. “It’s kind of like comfort food; it makes you feel good and it tastes good, too,� she adds. At the end of the day, Gillespie spends about 100 hours per wedding in the span of six months to a year. Gillespie’s work has been featured in Rock & Vine, The Knot and she is a member of the Little Black Book. )RU PRUH YLVLW ZZZ PDJJLHJLOOHVSLHGHVLJQV FRP
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From asking “Will you?” to saying “I do!” or for that special getaway weekend! Call (830) 997-7373 for an appointment.
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'RQ W IRUJHW WR VKDUH WKH QHZV YLD WKH ORFDO SDSHU It seems like there are a million things to take care of when planning a wedding and here is just one more detail to keep in mind — sharing the news with readers of your local newspaper. In Fredericksburg, the Standard-Radio Post will run wedding and engagement announcements and photographs as well as follow-ups on pre-nuptial parties and showers. To help couples share their news in the paper, the paper has several options available for submitting the information. There is no charge for having engagement and wedding announcements and shower stories published in the newspaper. And while there is no deadline prior to or after the wedding, couples are still urged to submit the information and photographs in a timely manner. Weddings which have taken place after a reasonable length of time will be shortened to include only the highlights of the day (with photograph). Information on weddings that are current take precedence in where they are placed on the Life pages over those which took place several weeks or months before. The deadline for submitting articles and photographs for the Life section of each week’s paper is noon on Monday. Black and white photographs or color photographs can be
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used, providing the picture is in good focus and is of good quality. Photographs can be submitted in a variety of formats. Some couples may choose to submit an original photo with their information while others may choose to submit the photograph on a CD or flash drive. Also, e-mailed photographs will be accepted, provided that they are submitted in a jpg format at a minimum of 300 dpi resolution. In an effort to aid couples in submitting information to the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post, engagement and wedding forms are available at the newspaper office at 712 West Main Street. Forms are also available by telephone at 997-2155, by writing to P.O. Box 1639, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 or by e-mailed requests to yvonne@fredericksburgstandard.com. In addition, couples can visit www.fredericksburgstandard. com for engagement and wedding forms.
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Are you looking for the perfect place to hold your next family reunion, bridal shower, baby shower or birthday party? Well, look no further. The Golden Hub Community Center is the place to go. We have a great space at a great price.
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