Rock & Vine - Winter 2021-22

Rock&Vine GOOD LIFE IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY

THE STARS AT NIGHT… Texans work to keep them big and bright

ROCKANDVINEMAG.COM $4.95

CROWN JEWEL Carol Hicks Bolton Antiqűitíes brings treasures to Texas

LINKED IN Hill Country families share their sausage traditions

WINTER 21-22

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H E AT H S PA R K L I N G W I N E S

O N E W I N E D E S T I N AT I O N

G R A P E C R E E K V I N E YA R D S

HWY 290 | FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS

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BE S T W INERIES I N TEX AS

WI NE ROA D29 0.CO M 4

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FREDERICKSBURG, TX

THE

Texas Estate Winery

WWW.AUGUSTAVIN.COM

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Mon. - Thurs. 10-5:15 Fri. & Sat. 10-7:15 Sun. 12-5:15 Check website for Holidays Phone: (830) 990-8747 email: wine@fbgwinery.com

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247 W. Main

(in town - one block west of the Courthouse) Large parking area in front RV parking in back.

Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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FEATURES

in every issue

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10

STAR EYES

Publisher's Letter

Megan Willome

11

Hill Country residents are working to keep light pollution at bay as the region grows.

22

The history and pull of Enchanted Rock, the magical place in the middle of the Texas Hill Country Mike Barr

Contributors

114 STOMPIN' GROUNDS

A Texas racing legend zooms onto the local wine scene.

Lorelei Helmke

120 Drinkery Maps

130 End Notes An addictive popcorn snack and a sparkly winter drink.

Ashley Odom

ON THE COVER: Austin-based Grant Pittman captures the Milky Way with this time lapse photo from Enchanted Rock State Natural Area.

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DEPARTMENTS 28

92

IN THE HILLS

IN THE HILLS

One of the finest acoustical concert halls is hidden away in an antiques haven.

A young vocalist harkens back to a golden era.

Sallie Lewis

Sallie Lewis

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96

TASTE

DRINKERY

This Texas sausage family tradition is still smoking.

A new secret spot promises to bring quality cocktails with a focus on charity.

Ada Broussard

Ada Broussard

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102

TASTE

DRINKERY

Hill Country chocolatiers keep everyone’s sweet tooth smiling.

A primer on some of the Hill Country’s best sparkling wines.

Ashley Brown

André Boada

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108

HAUS

The magical place that is an anchor attraction in Fredericksburg’s warehouse district.

DRINKERY

Beerburg Brewing brings nature into its operations and its products.

Lee Nichols

Sallie Lewis

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SCENE

IN THE HILLS

Commercial artist John Lowery makes Round Top pop with Texas-inspired art.

Sallie Lewis

Our fall issue party brought out an eclectic mix to a hot spot in Kerrville that featured, art, wine, beer, music and much more.

90 IN THE HILLS

Brooke Rogan’s pink-inspired tour business is making a splash.

Madalyn Watson

Photo by Rebekah Sellers of Snapdragon Photography for Feast & Merriment WINTER 21-22

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contributors

Rock&Vine Featuring the best life has to offer in the Texas Hill Country.

A product of Fredericksburg Publishing Company.

Publisher/Editor Ken Esten Cooke Contributing Editor Kimberly Giles Design Editor Andrea Chupik Contributing Writers Mike Barr, Andre Boada, Ada Broussard, Ashley Brown, Sallie Lewis, Lee Nichols, Megan Willome Contributing Photographers/Artists Ada Broussard, Barney Kane, Kimberly Giles, Ashley Noble, Ashley Odom, Grant Pittman, Rebekah Sellers Advertising/Marketing Director Kimberly Giles Account Executives Kim Jung, Cindy G. Burdorf, Ann Duecker Rock&Vine Magazine 712 W. Main St. | P.O. Box 1639 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 Phone 830 997 2155 rockandvinemag.com SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: $30 for two years www.rockandvinemag.com

COPYRIGHT: Rock&Vine Magazine is published by the Fredericksburg Publishing Company. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without permission of the publisher. Editorial content does not reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice or endorsement, but is considered informative.

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Gazing into the abyss that are our dark skies

By KEN ESTEN COOKE Editor and Publisher

ne awe-inspiring experience to have in Gillespie County is a guided night hike up Enchanted Rock. My nephew Kevin and I went and our small group covered flashlights in red cellophane and made the trek up the granite dome. When we reached the top, our guide invited us to lay down on the rock and look up at the sky.

There, in the absence of a lot of external light, one can see the Milky Way with the naked eye. It was one of those experiences we’ll both remember for life.

That’s part of why we support Dark Skies efforts which encourages builders in our rapidly growing Hill Country to use dark sky friendly lighting that points down. (It’s where the light should go anyway.) And it’s why we wanted to feature dark skies as our cover story, courtesy of Megan Willome and amazing photos from Grant Pittman.

History writer Mike Barr gives a look back at Enchanted Rock, which has attracted people for thousands of years.

It’s another jewel that needs to be protected and park staff and support organizations have worked to keep conservation of the State Natural Area as a top priority.

Another thing area folks love is sausage, especially during hunting season. Food writer Ada Broussard visited with some local German families who shared their sausagemaking traditions, still an anchor activity during whitetail season. If you’re not lucky enough to have your own family sausage connection, her story will make you rush to the nearest meat market for some venison sausage.

Rock & Vine also made a return trip to Round Top for a profile of artist John Lowery and wife Laurie, who sell quirky Texas art at their amazing space, one of a bunch of quaint shops in that burg. Then travel down the road with us for the story of an acoustic miracle, a concert hall constructed in the middle of antiques country.

Back near Fredericksburg, we profile our own antiques treasure spot, Carol Hicks Bolton Antiquities, as well as the best spots for chocolate, secret spaces, singers, wines and foods of the region.

We’ll keep looking skyward to find more of the great things about our region.

We thank you for reading and hope you make it out to some of these Texas attractions. Please let us know how you like our magazine when you visit rockandvinemag.com.

WRITE US

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SUBSCRIBE

RockandVineMag@gmail.com

Kimberly Giles kgiles@fredericksburgstandard.com 830.285.7230 ig: rocknvine

$30 for two years Send to 712 W. Main St., Fredericksburg, TX 78624 or subscribe at RockandVineMag.com

Kimberly Giles is our Rock & Vine Ambassador, who is always scouting for stories in our Texas Hill Country, email her @ kgiles@fredericksburgstandard.com

Grant Pittman is an outdoors and adventure photographer based in Austin who "escapes west" whenever he can. See more of his work at grantpittmanphotography.com

Editorial submissions: ken@fredericksburgstandard.com

Michael Barr is a retired teacher who writes a history column. Read his bi-weekly column in the Fredericksburg Standard newspaper.

Andre Boada, a 20-year veteran in the wine and spirits industry, is a certified Advanced Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Ada Broussard is a writer, gardener and goat wrangler, who was raised in South Louisiana. Her love of regional foods has led to a career in agriculture, where she has overseen CSA operations, from digging to marketing, and consulted with food producers to cook simple and seasonal fare. See more at instagram.com/adalisab/

Sallie Lewis is a San Antonio writer currently based in Fredericksburg.

She has a Master's Degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University and her work has been published in The WSJ Magazine, Garden & Gun, and Town & Country. Find her online at sallielewis.co.

Lee Nichols is a freelance writer based in Austin. He loves beer and two-stepping in Texas dance halls.

Ashley Brown is a freelance writer and editor living in Wimberley. She loves to travel around the Hill Country to hike, make discoveries, and meet creative people.

Andrea Chupik is a graphic designer / art director living in Doss. View her work at designranchcreative.com.

Barney Kane is our resident ad production designer on staff at Rock & Vine Magazine.

Ashley Odom is the chef and owner of Feast and Merriment. Living and working in the Hill Country keeps her creatively motivated, and she feels lucky to live in this area with so much food, wine and talent.

Megan Willome is a freelance writer and author of "The Joy of Poetry."

To read more of her work visit meganwillome.com.

VISIT US ONLINE AT

rockandvinemag.com

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THE BILGER FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO VISIT ADEGA VINHO. Open 7 days a week, 11am to 6pm 1000 South RR 1623 in Stonewall, Texas 830-265-5765

ADEGAVINHO.COM 12

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By MEGAN WILLOME

Photos by GRANT PITTMAN

DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS

S K I E S Advocates work to preserve view of stars so they’re still ‘big and bright’

exans care about preserving natural resources. We treasure the land, the wildlife, and especially the water. But too often we ignore what’s right over our heads: the night sky.

Britton Waldron, Gillespie County resident and night sky-advocate, likes to ask urban-dwellers this question: “Do you like seeing the Milky Way?” “A lot say, ‘I’ve never seen it.’ Most people haven’t,” he said. “Once you see it, it’s just absolutely majestic.”

Estimates are that 80% of Americans have never seen the Milky Way, due to light pollution. The good news is it’s the easiest type of pollution to fix.

“We can eliminate light pollution, I like to say, at the speed of light, by switching a light off,” said Dawn Davies, night sky program coordinator at Hill Country Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the region’s natural resources.

For the lights that do need to stay on, it’s about smarter lighting — lighting the ground rather than the sky, using bulbs that glow with warm-toned light in the proper temperature range (see sidebar).

Use of motion sensors and timers also cuts down on light pollution.

Night sky-friendly lighting is, in the long run, cheaper. Save pennies, save the stars.

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Davies says one of the dangers of traditional lighting is glare, and glare makes us unsafe.

“People believe the more light you have, the safer you are. The truth is the better night sky-friendly lighting, the safer you are. What happens is people use so much light they create glare, and glare can disguise unsafe situations.

Lighting being properly directed means less slips and trips and less workplace injury,” she said. “It’s not turning out all lights, but learning how to use right lighting, shielding it and directing it where it needs to be, facing down or on an area designed to be illuminated instead of tossing it out into the night sky.”

Communities and parks can apply to be certified as Dark Sky Places by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA).

In the Hill Country, Dripping Springs, Fredericksburg, Horseshoe Bay and Wimberly Valley have all been designated Dark Sky Communities. Dark Sky Parks include Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and South Llano River State Park, both of which offer educational events, like star parties. Davies hopes to get every state park in the Hill Country IDA certified and to get parks near major cities to use night sky-friendly lighting, to better show off the stars.

But wineries will need the cooperation of their landowner neighbors. Gosnell created a downloadable flyer titled, “Hold On, Pardner. That’s Trepassin’!” which explains in a humorous way how to approach a neighbor whose outdoor lighting creeps past the property line. Because even Blanco, a town of only 2,000, emits light that can be seen from space.

L O O K I N G

S K Y WA R D

One person who spends as much time as possible looking into space is Kenric Kattner. His day job is corporate restructuring, as a partner at Haynes Boone. His night job is watching the stars through his telescope at Putman Mountain Observatory. From 2017-2020, Kattner served on the board of the IDA and was president for two years.

Both Ken and his wife, Laurie, grew up in big cities, and both developed an early love for the stars. In Houston, Laurie and her father would study constellations. In Dallas, Ken looked through a telescope at St. Mark’s School with a teacher named Mr. Dexter. On Ken and Laurie’s first date (a blind date), dinner was followed with time looking at the night sky.

Astro-tourism in the area will get a boost on April 8, 2024, when the arc of the total solar eclipse passes through Kerr, Gillespie and Llano counties. Even though that event happens during the day, it will bring attention to the sky.

Those big, bright Hill Country nights are already one of reasons people visit the region — because deep down, we know we need to look up.

“It’s really primordial, at the root of who we are as human beings,” Davies said. “We can bring that back, preserve pure night skies and do something for the soul as well.”

Darkness is an essential aspect of life. Some birds migrate at night. Lightning bugs need night in order to mate. And the American Medical Association reports that prolonged exposure to harsh light reduces the body’s ability to produce melatonin, which may increase development of certain cancers and interfere with sleep health.

So how do we spread the word about preserving clear night skies? Wayne Gosnell, president of Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky, says his community uses a multipronged approach. The group has sponsored contests for essays, songs, and art and photography that celebrates the night.

Blanco Friends recognizes businesses, neighborhoods and home developers that use night sky-friendly lighting.

Gosnell would like to implement a program to recognize wineries along Highway 290.

“We think it would be in their own economic best interest, especially for those wineries that offer accommodations,” he said. “Do the wine trail, come back at night, enjoy another glass of our wine and enjoy the night sky.”

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Kenn Kattner looks over the telescope at his Putman Mountain observatory located in remote Gillespie County.

HUMANS LIVE ON THE EARTH, AND WE HAVE THE SKY TO LOOK AT. IT’S WORTHY OF BEING PROTECTED. IF IT’S NOT, WE DON’T HAVE THAT COMMONALITY. WE LOSE NOT JUST THE CONNECTION OF THE BEAUTY OF THE UNIVERSE, BUT WITH ONE ANOTHER. - Kenric Kattner

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As Kattner got busy with his career, he forgot about the view overhead for a while, until he picked up a copy of Sky and Telescope magazine at an airport. After a visit to McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, he and Laurie talked about finding a piece of property in an area with enough night sky to take astrophotos.

“We drove around maybe a thousand miles in the Hill Country, looking for a place that was dark,” Kattner said. They found 170 acres in southern Llano County, and with the expertise of architect Eric Mustard, constructed an observatory to house a telescope.

Since Kattner works in Houston and New York City, the observatory can be operated remotely.

But as often as he can, he’s at the ranch, “on the edge of night.” The telescope is hooked up to computers that allow him to take pictures of what is beyond our vision.

“Before it gets dark, I decide what object I want to take a picture of,” he said. “You’ve got planets — they’re close. Then the stars in our Milky Way. Then outside that there’s really deep-sky stuff.”

It may take a few nights for Kattner to get the necessary footage. Once the data is collected, he mixes the information, stacking lumens and red, green and blue wavelengths to get the desired product, not unlike the way a sound mixer fiddles with tracks to make the perfect song.

Kattner also has sky quality monitoring equipment, measuring the amount of light pollution each night, every 15 minutes, unless weather prohibits accurate measurements. Information from Putman Observatory, as well as from Enchanted Rock, South Llano River, Lost Maples State Natural Area and Lady Bird Golf Course on the edge of Fredericksburg are all available at putmanmountainobservatory.com.

P R E S E RV I N G A D A R K H AV E N Kattner’s current passion is establishing a Dark Sky Reserve for a swath of land encompassing 550 square miles. Picture a triangle made by connecting the cities of Mason, Llano and Fredericksburg; right in the center is Enchanted Rock.

There is great interest in making that area’s skies as dark as possible. Central Texas Electric Co-op has adopted a resolution supporting Dark Sky initiatives, and this summer Texas Senate Bill 1090 made it easier for cities to receive IDA-accreditation. For the reserve to gain approval, both Llano and Mason will need to join Fredericksburg by becoming Dark Sky Communities. But that won’t quite be enough.

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The trick is that in Texas counties can’t pass ordinances, such as lighting ordinances — only cities can. Much of the land in the proposed reserve is rural and privately owned, so buy-in will be a grassroots effort.

“I’m not sure if there’s any better way than to talk to your neighbor over the fence,” Kattner said.

PA RT O F O U R H E R I TAG E That includes everyone from ranchers who can remember the dark skies of decades past to high-schoolers who may have never seen one. Kattner says the night sky is our “shared heritage.”

“Heritage means something we all own,” he said. “Humans live on the Earth, and we have the sky to look at. It’s worthy of being protected. If it’s not, we don’t have that commonality. We lose not just the connection of the beauty of the universe, but with one another.”

BAD LIGHTS

Kattner says some nights are so clear that he and Laurie don’t even need a telescope.

“We sit on the porch in the summertime, and we can hear the frogs croaking by the pond. It’s so dark we can look on the pond and see the Milky Way reflected in the water,” he said.

During my visit to Putman Observatory, we turned out the lights for a couple of minutes so the photographer could take night sky photos. I was sitting directly across from the Kattners at their kitchen table, and I couldn’t see them.

A few minutes later we stepped out onto the front porch, where the night sky-friendly lighting glowed a warm amber, only illuminating the steps down to the driveway.

All around us were clear night skies. And there — above the pond — shone the Milky Way. R&V

GOOD LIGHTS

CLEAR NIGHT SKY LIGHTING (Courtesy of Dawn Davies) 1. Take a look at your outdoor lights. If you can see the lightbulb, that’s not night sky-friendly.

2. Shield lights and direct the glow so the bulb is out of your eyes and out of the skies.

3. Only use outside lighting when you need it. Either turn it off or have it on a motion sensor or a timer.

4. Use the right kind of bulb, one with warmer tones and a temperature that is no more than 3,000 Kelvin, an internationally used temperature scale more accurate than lumens. The Kelvin rating is typically printed on boxes of standard bulbs available at big box stores.

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From our

Liebeskind

(Child of Love) to your own, this holiday season; we thank you for supporting our small business.

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MIDWEEK PERKS ADD UP TO

time well spent personalized experiences at wineries | more elbow room at galleries & museums best value on places to stay | relaxed pace for shopping | wider range of tee times

CELEBRATING

MAY 2021 – MAY 2022

midweek.visitfredericksburgtx.com

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The View from

MAGIC MOUNTAIN ENCHANTED ROCK HAS ATTRACTED PEOPLE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS

By MICHAEL BARR

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Historical photos provided by GILLESPIE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

he groaning sounds and the flames dancing along the summit against the inky summer sky may have rational scientific explanations, but like the other myths and legends that surround Enchanted Rock, those mysteries are best left to the imagination.

Don’t try to make sense of it. Just relax, listen and enjoy the scenery.

The old Germans called Enchanted Rock “Zauberberg” – Magic Mountain, but the ghostly visions and the superstitions were part of the story long before the Germans showed up. It was the Native Americans who first called the rock “enchanted” or some comparable indigenous word.

A legendary frontier highway called the Pinta Trail guided wandering natives to Enchanted Rock. The Pinta Trail ran north from San Antonio to the hills above Boerne. It crossed the Guadalupe near Waring, entered Gillespie County near Bankersmith and wiggled through the pass at Cain City.

The trail forked after crossing the Pedernales south of Fredericksburg. One fork headed in the general direction of Mason, following what is today Highway 87. The other fork turned north following what is today Ranch Road 965. That fork looped around Bear Mountain, dropped into Crabapple Canyon and crossed Sandy Creek at the foot of Enchanted Rock.

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SPIRITING

In the Native American culture, spirits lived in rivers, springs, mountains and other natural objects, particularly grand or unusual places. Enchanted Rock, the most imposing natural wonder in the Hill Country, housed a multitude of restless, noisy guests.

Comanches, camped along Sandy Creek, heard moaning sounds coming from the rock in the evenings. They saw fiery apparitions in the moonlight, floating spirits of dead Indian princesses and ghosts of phantom warriors killed in battle.

A visitor to Enchanted Rock in the 1840s wrote: “At night a bright light is supposed to be seen issuing from the top.

The Indians had a tradition that the fires in former years had come from the crevices and they imagined that the rock was at one time the abode of an Indian deity. They formerly had rude structures on the summit where they offered sacrifices to the Great Spirit.”

By the 19th century an increasing number of Spanish soldiers, missionaries and treasure hunters came in contact with Native Americans along the Pinta Trail. The attitude of the Spanish toward the natives was sometimes fatherly and sometimes hostile. The legends that grew from that complicated relationship added another layer of superstition and fantasy.

According to Spanish legend a soldier named Don Jesus Navarro fell for Rosa, an Indian maiden who lived at Mission San Jose. The Comaches attacked the mission, captured Rosa and took her to be sacrificed to the spirits at Enchanted Rock. Then, just when it looked like Rosa was toast, Don Jesus saved her. Chalk up another fable for Enchanted Rock.

ADDING TO LEGEND

In 1838 a prospector returning from the San Saba with his hair still attached told of “an Enchanted or Holy Mountain” in the granite hills west of the Colorado.

In October 1842, Gen. Edward Burleson and his party, traveling north on the Pinta Trail, were awestruck by the sight of Enchanted Rock. A member of the party wrote, “The feelings and imaginations swell almost to breathless astonishment on beholding one immense solid rock of a dark reddish color.”

Each year mounting pressure from rangers, soldiers and settlers pushed nomadic Native Americans farther west.

The Natives didn’t go quietly but were forced to give way to an aggressive culture of private ownership.

In 1838, the Republic of Texas awarded a land certificate to Anavato Martinez and his wife Maria Jesusa Trevino de Martinez. The certificate was payment for services during the war with Mexico. The block of land it represented included Enchanted Rock.

Anavato and Maria Jesusa sold their certificate to James Robinson in 1841. Robinson, former Lieutenant Governor of the Texas Republic, sold it to his business partner Samuel Maverick of San Antonio in 1844. Maverick hoped to find gold at Enchanted Rock but didn’t find much.

Maverick’s widow sold the property to N.P.P. Browne who sold it to rancher John R. Moss. Enchanted Rock would have 13 owners in all.

Meanwhile the Natives lost their grip on Magic Mountain.

Needing a tangible object to blame they focused on the surveyor’s compass. The natives, who had no concept of owning land, saw in the compass an evil instrument a white man used to claim land to the exclusion to all others.

Legends express characteristics valued by a particular civilization. Take for example the story of Texas Ranger Jack Hays, cut off from the rest of his men, singlehandedly fighting off a Comanche war party from the top of Enchanted Rock. Whether or not the story happened exactly that way is for historians to debate. Either way it is a part of the legend.

For years Enchanted Rock, like El Dorado, was an elusive, mythical place. Settlers east of the Colorado heard stories about it but questioned its existence. Then eyewitness accounts made it real while adding to the mystery.

W. B. Dewees writing from “Colorado River, Texas, October 31, 1834” told of exploring “a large rock of metal which has for many years been considered a wonder.”

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Clockwise from top: In the 1940s, boys from the region gave themselves a physical challenge to ride their bicycles to the top of Enchanted Rock; the Rock provided a meeting place for afterchurch affairs, below right, or spontaneous dances, left. (Photos courtesy the Gillespie County Historical Society.)

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ATTRACTION

But even a culture that celebrated private ownership sensed the spiritual and communal nature of Enchanted Rock. In the late 19th century, Rev. Dan Moore from Willow City held church service once a year on top of the rock. Worshippers walked to the summit or rode their horses. When they got there, they found out what Native Americans had known for centuries – that standing on top of Enchanted Rock one felt a little closer to heaven.

In 1927, Tate Moss, who inherited the property, opened Enchanted Rock to campers and hikers. Then in 1946, he sold the property to Albert Faltin, who continued to operate the rock as a private park. Later Faltin sold an undivided half-interest in Enchanted Rock to Llano rancher Charles Moss.

For much of its history Enchanted Rock was not easily accessible. It was far from populated areas and hard to reach.

Then in the 1950s, the world discovered Enchanted Rock.

Paved roads and concrete bridges made travel easier. Nature lovers came from all over the country to climb the rock’s gentle slopes.

Along the way something amazing happened. Enchanted Rock proved to be the perfect antidote for the unfortunate side-effects of an increasingly urban society. The rock was the ideal place to go when the world closed in. Just being there calmed the jitters, cured the blues and eased a troubled soul.

At the same time, Hill Country families knew they had one of nature’s wonders right in their own back yard. They celebrated birthdays, holidays and other special occasions with a picnic along Sandy Creek. Then they would climb Enchanted Rock in their Sunday clothes and pose for pictures on the summit.

Still other climbers found unconventional ways to the top.

A Boy Scout troupe scaled the rock on bicycles. A GMC pickup from Behrend Garage in Fredericksburg conquered Enchanted Rock as a publicity stunt.

Today, visitors still flock to the challenge of hiking to the top of Enchanted Rock. But don’t forget to make an online reservation first; at right, a drone’s eye view of a red-tailed hawk soaring above a scenic Enchanted Rock sunset.

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SPIRIT’S PARK

In 1955, the National Parks Service considered making Enchanted Rock a National Park. That same year Lincoln Borglum, son of Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum, visited Enchanted Rock, floating the idea of carving the faces of famous Texans into the side of the mountain. Fortunately that proposal never got off the ground.

By the 1960s, momentum was building for Enchanted Rock to become a state park. The owners, like the Native Americans before them, knew the Magic Mountain was too grand and too important to belong to a person or even a family.

Enchanted Rock was special. It belonged to the spirits.

In the 1970s, the Moss and Faltin families offered Enchanted Rock to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for $1.3 million. At first, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department couldn’t meet the asking price, so the Nature Conservancy, a private conservation group from Virginia, bought the property and acted as interim owner until the state could assume ownership in 1978.

can hear the birds and feel the breeze. The view from up there is spectacular. You’re surrounded by nature. There’s nothing else like it.”

To protect the view, The Parks and Wildlife Department has long-term agreements with surrounding landowners.

The agreements, called conservation easements, give landowners tax breaks in exchange for limiting development on their property.

As Supt. Cochran explains, “We want the view in 2051 to be the same as it is in 2021.”

Keeping things natural is a standing order at Enchanted Rock. There are campgrounds and some crude paths to facilitate hikers. Otherwise, the rock, with its trickling springs, prickly desert foliage, delicate flowers, spirits, myths and legends, is just as the Comanches left it.

So enjoy the view. Leave the rest to your imagination. R&V Recommended Reading: Enchanted Rock: A Natural and Human History by Lance Allred

“People climb Enchanted Rock to find solitude,” said Doug Cochran, Superintendent of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. “At the summit you can relax. It’s peaceful. You

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THE SOUND OF MUSIC

By SALLIE LEWIS Photos by KIMBERLY GILES

James Dick at Winedale.

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in the hills

Larry Birkelbach

he tiny town of Round Top might be best known for its highly popular, twice-annual Antiques Fair, but just beyond these fields of furnishings lies a treasure all its own. Fifty years since its founding, the Round Top Festival Institute remains a temple of classical music that is revered around the world. Larry Birkelbach is the Institute’s Project Forman and knows firsthand the uniquity of its charm.

Long before he worked at this international center for musical performance and education, the Round Top native grew up helping out in his family’s café.

“I was fortunate enough to grow up in a wonderful environment,” he shared of his hometown. “I always had fifteen moms anywhere I went.”

One day, in the summer of 1975, Birkelbach was repairing the café’s screen door, when a group of gentlemen came by for lunch to discuss the Institute’s construction at Festival Hill. Despite having no carpentry experience, Birkelbach seized the opportunity to help. The next day, he rounded up some tools and headed to work.

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in the hills

THE WAY THE CONCERT HALL IS DESIGNED THERE IS WOOD ON THE CEILING, ON THE WALLS, ON THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE YOURSELF BEING INSIDE A HUGE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. - Larry Birkelbach

Behind every great vision is a great visionary, and at the Round Top Festival Institute, that visionary is the renowned concert pianist, James Dick. Following his graduation from The University of Texas, the Kansas native went to London’s Royal Academy on two Fulbright fellowships and began touring the world. Inspired by the beauty and grandeur he saw while performing abroad in legendary concerts halls, the musician began dreaming about a European-styled, state-of-the-art musical institution back home. After the arts patron and concert pianist Ima Hogg introduced him to Round Top, he started making plans for this mecca of music, “a place unlike most places” that would educate, train, and nurture the next generation of talent.

Today, the Round Top Festival Institute is an internationallyrecognized classical music destination. Every year, the Institute hosts an intensive and highly sought-after six-week festival for around 100 students whom apply from universities and conservatories worldwide. The participants are chosen by blind audition and offered full scholarships to study and train, while learning from and performing with some of the most gifted teachers, musicians, and conductors in the field. (Yo-Yo Ma played at the Institute in its early years.) The summer program was also designed to help young, talented musicians prepare for life beyond their formal education by imitating the rigors and demands of a major symphony orchestra. For many, the intimate program and small number of participants creates an almost collegial environment at Festival Hill, with personalized attention and a combination of cultures all brought together in one place.

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Steel work structure of concert hall takes form.

As it celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2021, the Institute is a gift that keeps on giving for young musicians and music enthusiasts around the world. Throughout the year, the programming at Festival Hill ranges from concerts to lectures, seminars and educational forums spanning subjects from dance to theater, poetry, puppetry and herbs, to name a few.

Since its founding in 1971, the campus has grown from six to more than two-hundred sprawling acres peppered with properties new and old, like the former Travis Street United Methodist Church in La Grange. The church, which was built in 1883 and moved to Round Top in 1994 as a center for chamber music, organ recitals, lectures and seminars, was renamed the Edythe Bates Old Chapel in honor of the great Texas art patroness. Other treasures include the 1885 William Lockhart Clayton House and the 1902 Menke House, both of which provide everything from office space for faculty to lodging and rehearsal facilities for young artists visiting every year.

Of all the buildings at Festival Hill, however, the piece de resistance is its magnificent 1,000-seat concert hall.

In 1981, Dick tasked Birkelbach, along with Managing Director Richard Royall, with building a state-of-the-art concert hall at Festival Hill. “We were basically in charge of building the dream because this was a dream of Mr. Dick to have a facility like this. There were no drawings or guidelines for us to work from so basically every idea had to be worked out on the job,” said Birkelbach. “I was handson every day.”

Carefully crafted, ornate woodwork that is acoustically attuned to give the listener a world-class concert experience.

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Classical music concerts were held outdoors in the pre-concert hall days; James Dick (center) observes woodwork being constructed for the concert hall, as young Larry Birdlebach looks on from the right.

The carpenter’s dedication and commitment never wavered over the more than twenty years it took to complete the venue. Today, it is recognized as of the nation’s most acclaimed performance halls. In the process of achieving that accolade, Birkelbach had to learn the complexity of acoustics and the nuances of wood. “The way the concert hall is designed there is wood on the ceiling, on the walls, on the floor,” he shared. “You have to imagine yourself being inside a huge musical instrument.”

Sitting within a large cello or bass, surrounded by its smooth wooden shell and polished curves, is a sensory way to envision the space. And yet, on closer inspection the complexity of the interiors reveals themselves, like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Over more than two decades, thousands upon thousands of wooden pieces were cut and laid by hand into a masterful Gothic-inspired grid work of layered starbursts and swirls, diamonds and octagons, trellises and quatrefoils, to name a few. The varying depth and dimension of the myriad patterns and surfaces was strategically designed to keep sound reflecting and moving throughout the room.

Glancing up to the ceiling, glints of blue glass reveal a lofted, 18-foot attic space designed to capture sound and keep it traveling into the rafters. The ceiling itself was made of over three-hundred pieces of solid lumbar birch plywood held together by 80,000 metal screws and 600 steel rods.

The walls were covered with thousands of diamonds, each of which required more than thirty cuts with the saw. “At one time we had a little over 10,000 diamonds, all made by hand,” Birkelbach said.

Some of the most spellbinding details, like the oversized star crowning the stage, are a testament to the enormity of the job he and his fellow craftsmen were tasked with. That star alone is made up of 720 pieces of wood. This star and the one opposite to it is encircled by an intricate pattern of overlapping swirls boasting a combined five miles of molding bent by hand and set in place, one piece at a time.

Even the balcony faces spanning all three levels are covered in Birkelbach’s fingerprints. Constructing them was a multi-step process that began with an overhead projector and the use of transparencies to trace the pattern onto plywood before it was drilled and cut out with a jigsaw.

From top to bottom, a variety of woods were used throughout the venue, from pine to birch plywood, redwood, maple and poplar, to name a few. With every decision, achieving optimal sound was the primary goal, and that dogged attention to detail means there is no bad seat in the house.

Labor wise, there were never any more than four workers on the project at any given time to ensure the best quality

control. Birkelbach, along with his tight team of craftsmen, worked diligently to take Dick’s ideas from concept to fruition.

The end result has rendered countless speechless over the years. “I can’t tell you the times I have seen people look and they can’t believe what they are seeing, especially in the small town of Round Top,” he said. “To actually see it in person is a whole different ballgame.”

Though nothing beats the physical experience of visiting in-person, the virtual tour available online is the next best thing. Even through a screen, the space has a spellbinding quality, instantly transporting viewers back to Old World Europe, with its plush red chairs, its grand, winding staircases, and its heavy, handcrafted chandeliers twinkling overhead.

Visiting the concert hall is a deeply sensory experience that feels like an escape and a fantasy in many ways.

Especially during the pandemic, that escapism was highly sought after, as people around the world craved connection through art, dance, and the sound of music. Between its stirring, soulful concerts, its awe-inspiring interiors, and its lush, expansive grounds with its gardens, ponds, fountains and trails, this is undoubtedly a place to go and feel inspired. For Birkelbach, the project is a source of great personal pride and an ongoing labor of love.

“I feel very honored to have had the opportunity to do it in my hometown,” he said. “Festival Hill moving here has been a huge blessing for the whole community and hopefully that will continue for many years to come.” & RV

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TASTE A TASTE of life in the Texas Hill Country.

Chef focused, Farm inspired.

In every issue of Rock & Vine Photo for Ashley Odom, Feast & Merriment by Rebekah Sellers, Snapdragon Photography

WINTER 21-22 35

LINKS TO THE PAST

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taste

Hill Country hunting rituals are shared by many families. Doss and Fredericksburg friends at a deer camp and harvests strapped to the hoods of autos, like this one by Clarence Strackbein, in the 1930s through 1950s were a common sight.

DURING HUNTING SEASON, FAMILIES SHARE STORIES OF SAUSAGE-MAKING TRADITION

Story and photos by ADA BROUSSARD

he story is similar: once a year, during or after deer season has ended, families around Central Texas gather, pool their whitetail harvests, and spend the day grinding, stuffing, tying, and smoking sausage. Some of these families trace roots back to the earliest wagons. For many, the annual tradition is as natural as the names Oma and Opa are familial. But I was born and raised in South Louisiana, an Ausländer to these hills, and the pervasiveness of this sausage-making heritage has piqued my interest – cultural foodways as nuanced as the Creole and Cajun cuisine of my hometown, maybe less celebrated, but perhaps more practical.

In the earliest local cookbook I could get my hands on - a 1916 edition of the Fredericksburg Home Kitchen Cook Book, put together by the Fredericksburg PTA - there are recipes for sausage: Blutwurst (blood sausage), Leberwurst (liver sausage), and Wurstrezepte (which simply translates to “sausage recipes”). Yet none of these recipes mention the use of venison and instead are written based on pork-centric, Old World sausage traditions. By the 8th edition, published in 1962, there are a few more venison recipes like “Dried Venison” and “Venison Ribs,” as well as “Sausage Surprise’’ which instructs the reader to “make small, thin patties of homemade sausage-meat” which then gets topped and baked with biscuit dough. Surprising still, there isn’t a recipe for the venison sausage itself.

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The inclination to stuff chopped meat into a casing of sorts as a way to preserve the harvest and extend the season is at least as old as written language itself. There’s archeological evidence pointing to the fact that Summerians were making sausage around 6,000 years ago, and indigenous peoples inhabiting what is now Texas made a food called pemmican – dried meat (usually bison) mixed with tallow that was preserved either in the stomach, intestine, or a bag made of sewn hide called a parfleche. Perfectly preserved in fat, an anaerobic environment, meat stored like this could last for literal decades. The pemmican would harden, and then be sliced off in blocks and eaten cold or fried… not unlike German headcheese, scrapple or panhaus, as most in this area call it.

Unsurprisingly, I talked to several locals who remember storing their sausage stash in large crocks of lard kept in the smokehouse...er, haus. Before our industrialized food system, preserving meat was a matter of survival: store it in a way that inhibits spoilage and bad bacterial growth so you can have ready-to-go calories in leaner times. A bonus?

Sausage is easily portable. When German settlers made their way to Central Texas, they brought with them all of their Old World butchery, meat curing, and wurst-making skills… and then made them Texan.

HISTORY In the late nineteenth century, after the Civil War left the country crippled and native bison herds had been decimated, Texas had beef. The commercial meat market was born from these herds, and from community traditions of butchering and barbecue. During this time, sausage was transformed from a homemade food to a commercially available one. In Elgin, a man named William J. Moon made Texas sausage famous and established Texas’s first recorded barbeque restaurant, Southside Market. This specific style of sausage, affectionately referred to as “hot guts” is distinguished by its mostly-beef, coarsely-ground filling. By the 1880s, you could buy sausage in meat markets across the state, many of which were run by German, and then Czech immigrants – the latter of which are thought to have introduced garlic to sausage recipes.

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But Hill Country sausage isn’t famous. The recipes, truly, live in the homes and memories of those making it. My mother-in-law, Holly Schmidt, keeps her family sausage recipe written (in her mother’s perfect cursive) on an old index card that lives in a small card-sized red binder, which also holds records noting the size and weight of who shot what deer, what year. The last entry of the deer cards was 2001. My friend Megan Koennecke’s family keeps its recipe in an even more practical location: written in sharpie on the sturdy wooden table her great grandfather built, pulled out of the barn and used exclusively for wurst-making, once a year.

Dutchman’s Market told me they sell around 50 sets of natural hog casings a month, and each set can make around 100 links. Considering Dutchmans is only one of several spots selling casings, my very adrift calculations estimate there are tens of thousands of links of homemade sausage made annually, in Gillespie County alone.

WHAT WURST? “We can say that food has nationality, but it used to be rooted in a landscape, in nature.

That’s a much better way to talk about food.” – Chef Adán Medrano and author of Truly Texas Mexican: A Native Culinary Heritage In Recipes

taste

After my failed attempt to find published venison sausage recipes and in an effort to more deeply understand this mysterious sausage culture of my new hometown, I called Bill Dumas, Texas’s own Sausage Sensei (pit master, sausagemaker, historian, and enthusiast). My questions were about provenance: what type of German sausage are all of these families making at home? Is it most like Bratwurst or maybe Knockwurst? Is the dried sausage just Landjäeger or Mettwurst? “I think this is something absolutely, uniquely Texan.” When the first Germans settled in Central Texas, they were greeted by a warmer and more humid climate. So they amped up the salt (and spice) content in their recipes to ward off bacteria. They also added smoke, another layer of protection. “They had to adjust everything that they knew,” Bill said.

I can’t help but shake the desire to stuff borders around this wurstmaking, but Bill, in all of his sage wisdom, paints an analogy using Bluegrass music. “When you go to Ireland and Scotland... you have the bands with the fiddle, maybe they have a banjo and maybe one of those little drums and they’re just doing their Irish or Scottish thing. And they’re playing their hearts out. But you hear elements that sound really familiar, right? In respect to chord structure and the way the songs themselves are put together.” Of course, bluegrass is the sum of all of its parts, with Scottish and Irish ancestors, but with influences from all over Appalachia that spanned several generations and picked up elements from blues and jazz. “And now the sausage is the exact same way,” said Bill.

“Yes, it’s in a tube form. Yes, it’s made with pork and other secondary proteins and [then] seasoned. But that’s where the similarities end.” When families with generations of wurst-making traditions made a home in Central Texas, then covered in grasslands and savannahs, white tail deer roamed free. And without a neighborhood H-E-B, the land was the grocery store. Like champagne, a link of dried whitetail venison and pork sausage, stuffed in a pocket for a midday snack, is a true product of (Central Texas) origin.

BACKYARD SMOKEHOUSES It seemed just about everyone I talked to with a Germansounding last name makes, or at least has made, venison sausage.

Mark Koennecke of Fredericksburg kneels in his smokehouse under a rack of freshly hung links.

I’ve been slowly calibrating my gauge for German hospitality over the past two and half years of living in the Hill Country.

To be sure, it’s different from the smack-you-in-the-face hospitality I’m used to in Cajun country; maybe a little harder-earned, though nonetheless sincere. Just to be safe, I turned to my old friend Megan and asked her to set up a meeting with her parents to talk sausage. Maybe an odd request, but they happily coddled my curiosity.

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Vintage editions of the Fredericksburg Home Kitchen Cookbook.

Cayle Koennecke and brother-in-law Joel Edwards tie links at the family’s annual sausage-making event.

Mickey Koennecke, originally from near Fredericksburg, and Mark, from closer to Johnson City, met in high school when they were attending a rodeo dance at Burg’s Corner.

They became official boyfriend-girlfriend at former dancehall mainstay Pat’s Hall, and they grumble in German idioms. They both grew up making sausage. “I know that I got in trouble going to school at Johnson City one time for taking sausage to school and selling it. But the principal was Merz, and he was a German guy. He understood where I was coming, so I didn’t get in a lot of trouble. I was just told to quell my enterprise,” Mark recalled with a teenage grin. “I’ve always wanted to teach my kids two things: to play 42 and make sausage.” That he did.

Cleaning the harvested carcass were Greg Schmidt, with young Stacy and Clarence Strackbein at their Doss ranch.

Each year the Koenneckes get together and turn their venison (plus pork) into sausage, each family member easily falling into their role that seems to have been ascribed at birth – some grinding, some stuffing, some tying links.

The way they tell it, it’s very orderly, near restaurant-like efficiency, except the Koenneckes are making sausage in a backyard, and in the case of my in-laws – on a porch. And if you’re Leroy Esensee, another interview for this story, in a garage. Mark put it best, “See, every family does it a little different. It’s all good. But like, every family has their own little recipe. But none is bad. Just everybody’s a little different.”

folks take down some sausage to freeze as “cook sausage” (or fresh sausage), and the rest is left to dry for another week or two, weather depending, to make dry links.

Mickey remembers butchering being a weekend affair that included the killing of a hog surrounded by huge black pots of rendering lard, and simmering blood that you’d have to constantly stir to avoid coagulation. Back then, her family went the extra mile and made delicacies like blood sausage, head cheese, and panhaus. Some families may still toil over vats of bubbling blood, but I think I’ll have to go to Sauer Beckman’s annual sausage demonstration to see these oldest of the Old World recipes.

Mark remembers when his family upgraded to an electric grinder. “We used to grind it by hand. And when we got an electric grinder, we thought we were uptown.” The Koenneckes still use Mark’s family grinder, and Mickey’s family tying technique which involves pre-cutting all of your string lengths (versus using one long string). After the sausage is tied, it’s hung in the smokehouse where it’s hit with a relatively cool smoke, usually of a hardwood like oak, for about 4 hours. Just about everyone I talked to followed this basic formula, and at this point, most

I met Leroy Esensee, now going on 73, in his dining room.

I could see the bottom loops of dried sausage he had hanging in his kitchen. He told me about the first time he ever made sausage. “We made 300 rings. Lord mercy, did I have a thought!” he told me with a drawn-out chucklesigh. “We sat there till 3 o’clock in the morning, cranking, that old hand crank stuffer, that matter of fact I have in that back room there. And after 300 rings of sausage, then [we] had to throw it out to the cows for a saltlick. It was so salty. I don’t know what I did. Read the scale wrong,

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or something. It was terrible. We finally got it to where you could eat it better.” Leroy’s earliest sausage memory was that of his postman sharing crocks of lard-preserved links with him and his siblings. “As a treat to us kids... he’d pull that little sausage out of that grease, wipe it off as good as you can, and start eating it, and by [the time you] finish you have all that stuff sticking to your mouth.” Sounds lip-smacking.

Leroy sent me home with a link of dried sausage from his dwindling freezer stash which I carefully sliced up the next day for a photograph, and then a snack.

Sausage-making seems more tenable when you’re butchering the deer yourself, but with processing houses in every corner of the county, it can be tempting to go this route instead. I speak from personal experience. But these regional sausage traditions – born from Germaneness and preserved through ownership or access to land on which to hunt – could easily become a thing of regional folklore instead of… supper.

Regan, my fiance, remembers when afterschool snacks were a piece of folded over “butter bread” with sliced, dried sausage. And Evelyn Weinheimer, who I met at the Gillespie County Historical Society archives, recalls sandwiches of fried blood sausage and molasses. It’s a small thing, these snack memories, but it’s also the sinew of a hyper-specific foodway fairytale.

As an Ausländer, all I can say is, I much prefer your version of sausage parities. Please keep it up. Case closed. R&V

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312 W. Main • 997-1633 www.HondosOnMain.com WINTER 21-22 45

Arrowhead Creek Vineyard

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Located on 14 beautiful acres right along the Pedernales River, with 2,000 feet of water front- you are sure to find the perfect spot to sit and enjoy a glass of wine. Arrowhead Creek Vineyard is a family owned artisanal vineyard- growing and sourcing the highest quality wines. From the minute you set foot on our property you will feel like part of our family. Everyone is sure to find a wine they love at Arrowhead Creek. Come visit our tasting room- we can’t wait to meet you.

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Sweet Sector A LOOK AT FOUR CHOCOLATE MAKERS IN THE HILL COUNTRY

By ASHLEY BROWN Photos by KIMBERLY GILES

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El Rey El Rey is the king of the chocolate kingdom. They’ve been making cacao in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, for nearly a century and they’ve been in the Texas Hill Country since 1993.

Many people associate chocolate with countries like Switzerland and Belgium, and of course, they do make wonderful chocolate. But all of the cacao beans come from the west coast of Africa or countries near the equator, since cacao only grows in a small temperature latitude. There are three major kinds of cacao beans, just like varietals of wine: criollo—the best but not easy to grow and not disease tolerant; forestero—easy to grow and tolerant; and trinatario—a hybrid of the two with great flavor that’s not as difficult to grow as criollo.

The trinatario bean, farmed in Venezuela, is what El Rey uses for its chocolate. The expertise of the family farm growers combined with the expertise of the factory—many are third- and fourth-generation makers—create a very special flavor. “It’s the equivalent of a Napa Cab,” said manager Patti Vanderlyn.

“El Rey’s family-owned parent company has agronomists who go out and help farmers get the right trees and grow their cacao in the sustainable way we want. Years ago, we helped them set up a farmers’ cooperative. We pay about 50% more than the world cacao market because we are looking for a particular quality of bean,” Vanderlyn said.

The process of transforming a cacao bean into chocolate is an art. The beans are placed in a wooden box with banana leaves where the fermentation develops the taste and aroma.

The beans are then laid out in the sun and dried, then it’s off to the factory where they’re roasted. This whole process occurs at the Venezuelan factory of El Rey’s parent company. When possible, the cacao is shipped to Houston, then to Stonewall, where they ship it all over the U.S.—to people who just want to pick it up and eat it, home bakers, and professional chocolatiers.

The Stonewall location was a happy accident. Vanderlyn used to own Rosehill Manor. When she noticed a location around the corner, she and her son began to wonder, if people come out to the area to taste wine, why not chocolate?

Visitors can taste the quarter-sized pieces of pure chocolate El Rey makes; some of their favorite products they buy back from chocolatiers who’ve made treats with their chocolate; and now, products they make themselves—chocolate bark, truffles, fudge, and more. “Ninety percent of our customers have no idea what chocolate is…that it’s a bean that grows on a tree; it’s fun to educate people who come in,” Vanderlyn said.

There are just six employees in the States (and 250 in Venezuela), and all have in a role in constantly developing recipes. “I’ve tasted and seen just about every chocolate product,” said Vanderlyn. “When we think about doing something new, we have a continual focus group in Stonewall, and Jonathan Lee is making products all the time.”

El Rey has won the International Chocolate Award for Best White Chocolate six times in a row (they’ve stopped entering now). In addition to noting the health benefits of dark chocolate, she highlighted that it’s a good thing for humankind, even emotionally, overall…but that we just need for farmers to be fairly compensated.

Chocolates-ElRey.com

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Dripping springs chocolate

After the Wilson family took a transformative mission trip to Nicaragua, they knew they wanted to find a way to make an impact in similarly impoverished areas. They quickly discovered that most cacao farmers are not paid fair wages and also learned it costs money for farmers to apply for Fair Trade certification, making it impossible for many. So, the seeds for Dripping Springs Chocolate was born out of a passion for helping others.

The family found Meridian Cacao, a trustworthy distributor who sources cacao beans directly and ethically from small farms around the world. With basic chocolate-making equipment small enough to use on the kitchen counters of their house, they began experimenting.

As these self-taught chocolate makers started to share the chocolate with friends and neighbors, those friends and neighbors started asking to buy it. “We knew we were on to something,” said Tracey Wilson. “We made chocolate bars, packed up a cooler, and went to the local farmers market in Dripping Springs, and we sold out!” Not only that, but people kept coming back for more, week after week at the markets, and retailers began approaching them.

In 2015, they founded Dripping Springs Chocolate and got their commercial kitchen up and running, and they’re now able to buy enough cacao to be making a substantial difference, with retailers throughout the Hill Country selling their products.

“We’ve always loved food and loved to cook as a family, which is why it didn’t seem too crazy to do this. And when my husband Bob mentioned chocolate when we were looking into how to help these areas, our ears definitely perked up!” Their children, Aubrey and Andrew, both worked in the factory store through high school.

Around the holiday season, a popular product is their hot cocoa that comes in a “giftable” tin, but their year-round best-seller is the 65% dark chocolate with almonds and sea salt. “That’s my go-to afternoon pick-me-up snack for sure,” said Wilson, who enjoys tasting chocolate from different origins regularly. As a single-origin craft chocolate maker, each product is made from cacao from one place (most of what they make features Ecuadorian cacao). Just like coffee or wine, chocolate is going to taste different based on the terroir of where it was grown, and that makes small craft chocolate uniquely delicious.

DSChocolateCo.com

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“Quite frankly, Diana and my staff are the ones who get the credit for keeping the business alive!” LaSala said. “We all taste and tweak recipes. Our fudge recipe is the same one John came up with, but we continue to come up with exciting new flavors. I really love every flavor we have, and my growing waistline proves it! John was always proud, and I am too, of our fudge being made from scratch rather than a mix that you add butter and cream to. We hear from our customers all the time about how creamy and delicious it is.”

Having added the retail store to their candy kitchen, it’s a one-stop shop where customers can see their favorite treats being made and sample the famous fudge. They actually enjoy being off Main Street, where they were originally located, because customers can pull right up to the door of their shop at the City Industrial Park. “Right now, we are getting ready to make some cosmetic changes to our building that we think will be fun for our customers. It’s been exciting to experience all of the new changes and opportunities that owning a business in this town presents. We are grateful,” LaSala said.

Fredericksburg Fudge and Confections

John Honigschmidt opened Fredericksburg Fudge in 1981.

He was more entrepreneur than chef, but came to find he enjoyed the business because it was about making and selling something that makes people happy. John died in 2017, but the business he grew—now making over 225 products— and stayed in the family. His wife Laura LaSala took over as the “mastermind,” according to Laura’s sister, Diana, who also helps run the business.

Fredericksburg Fudge offers year-round online orders of their large variety of products, in addition to serving locals and tourists who visit the kitchen. Treats include things like corporate gift boxes and favors for weddings. But…they do 75% of their business in the last two months of the year.

Diana, just like John did, loves the work and the atmosphere.

“We have a great staff. Our requirement is that you have to be kind to everybody. We treat people to sweets, and we like for our work lives to be just as sweet,” she said. When you’re providing customers with something delectable that makes them smile, what’s not to love about work?”

FBGfudge.com

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Quintessential Chocolates Company

Lecia Duke’s been making chocolate since she was a little girl in her French grandmother’s kitchen. In 1984, she founded and incorporated Quintessential Chocolates Company, a specialty chocolate company making Liqueur Praliné—liquid center chocolates—using a unique 200-year-old European process.

They are the only maker of this unique type of chocolate in America. While the traditional product is filled with liquor only, they’ve developed recipes filled with coffees and fruit nectars in addition to spirits and wine.

The chocolates are handmade using their own variation of the Swiss technique of spinning a thin sugar shell around the liquid. The zuckerkrust (sugar shell) preserves the essence of the liquid so that when you put the chocolate in your mouth (it’s recommended you never bite into it), it quickly melts, and you feel like you’re getting a shot of whatever delight is inside. These luscious bites of heaven are popular for locals and visitors. From start to finish the process of making them takes three to five days, and Duke recommends enjoying them slowly and luxuriously as well.

Duke, the “Chocolate Diva,” has really embraced the concept of a traditional European chocolate shop with Chocolat, the retail store she opened when she moved to Fredericksburg in 1998, featuring display cases that tantalize all of the senses with the array of artisan chocolates. Visitors can also watch the chocolate being made.

“When I started, no one was creating chocolates with a pure ingredient list,” Duke said. “For the liquid centers, we use three ingredients. For our ganaches, we use two main ingredients: chocolate and cream, then we flavor with fruit, nuts, or liqueurs. We make everything we sell on the premises and have chocolates for diabetics and vegans…we’re trying to address any situation someone has. We work with a lot of national individuals, distillers, and companies to create private label products for them. We help the young craft distillers who need another income stream in their first few years. And it’s just fun! I love being creative and doing a variety of things.

We’ve even made cocktails. We not only think outside the box, we create outside the box.”

LiquidChocolates.com

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Best Brunch in town!

!

ocal l t i g Keepin

BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY BEER • WINE • MIMOSAS FULL BAR

902 South Adams Fredericksburg, Texas 830.997.5904

Open Daily 7am-2pm Closed Wednesday

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l u f e t s a t e r Whetions begin crea

Serving Breakfast and Lunch Outdoor Seating • Wifi Beer • Wine • Mimosas Catering • Parties & Private Events Rehearsal Dinners - Your Place or Ours 305 S. Lincoln Street • Fredericksburg, TX • (830) 997-2246 Mon - Sat 9 am - 3 pm • WoernerWarehouse.com WINTER 21-22 53

m ar rf u ! o e l m b F ro you r ta to

Walk with Us Enjoy our wines and views at our Winery & Vineyard.

LOCATED AT 6331 South Ranch Rd 1623 in Stonewall (830) 644-2144

EVENTS

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GARDENS MARKET RESTAURANT VINEYARD 54

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Life is Sweet, Kelani makes it Better!

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NOW OPEN

38 JENSCHKE LANE | FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS 78624 | WWW.FOYTWINES.COM 56

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Fredericksburg's best kept secret.

WINTER 21-22 57

“One of our top places to visit downtown. Amazing doesn’t begin to describe this adorable shop. All natural, fresh skincare made from Texas pecan oils and the fragrances are unmatched. Elegant, eclectic and inviting all rolled into one experience.” ★★★★★ Nicole Smith, San Antonio

FARMLUXE San Saba Soap Company, founded in 2015, is a family owned business located in downtown Fredericksburg, Texas on MarktPlatz Square one block off of Main Street. We specialize in premium goat milk soaps and Pecan oil bath, skincare and colognes. Our incredibly scented products are all natural and made fresh by hand, with every skin type in mind.

PECAN OIL Did you know Pecan oil is the highest in antioxidants and rich fatty acids - over all other oils used in skincare? San Saba, Texas is Pecan Capital of the World and our source for premium pecans used in all of our products. Come shop at our historic downtown location today or find us online at sansabasoap.com

Downtown on MarktPlatz 102 W Austin • Frederickburg TX sansabasoap.com

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HAUS We invite you into our HAUS section, where we will explore our area architects, home styles, and elegant décor.

Photo by Ashley Noble for Carol Hicks Bolton

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Your year-round spot for Round Top art and antiques.

Housed in the heart of Henkel Square, Humble Donkey Studio offers original artwork

by John R. Lowery, unique antiques, donkey merch and other finds you won’t see anyplace else.

195 Henkel Circle | Round Top, Texas 78954 | 713.870.9948 | humbledonkeystudio.com 60

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Every time you buy art, a donkey gets its wings.

WONDER

LA ND

F

G N I D N I

CAROL HICKS BOLTON ANTIQUES IS A SPELLBINDING FREDERICKSBURG FIND

By SALLIE LEWIS

WINTER 21-22 61

isiting Carol Hicks Bolton Antiques in downtown Fredericksburg feels like falling down a rabbit hole.

Wonderland is a fitting name for this eccentric, 30,000-square foot landmark destination filled with treasures collected around the world. At every turn, cabinets and cases stocked with oddities and curios titillate the imagination.

Visitors may be lured by the sounds of jazz playing within the Lincoln Street shop. Sunlight streams through the airy showroom, while all are lured by a maze of dusty old books and painted opera screens, grand French paintings and travel trunks telling faraway stories.

Behind this spellbinding setting is the equally spellbinding woman named Carol Hicks Bolton. Growing up in Beaumont, creativity was fostered from a young age, so much so that upon turning sixteen, Carol and her two sisters were encouraged to empty out their bedrooms and decorate them to their liking. “I slept on the floor for at least a year, maybe two, because I couldn’t find the bed I wanted,” she remembered.

“I’d rather have nothing than something I don’t like.”

Husband and wife duo, Tim Bolton and Carol Hicks Bolton

After her father’s retirement, the family opened a furniture shop and solicited the help of a consultant named Tim Bolton.

“Tim taught us all how to buy, sell, and merchandise,” said Carol of her future husband, whom she married in 1980.

The couple moved to Fredericksburg and began their own entrepreneurial endeavors in 1985 when they purchased a storefront at 223 East Main Street and called it Homestead.

In the years that followed, they opened a handful of stores down Main, each exploring a different story or trend, from gardening to dishware and fine linens. “Our stores were kind of like miniature ABC Homes in New York City,” she said of the properties. “Our whole thing was feather your nest, enjoy your home, let it be your place.”

In 1992, Carol was invited to design a collection for the North Carolina-based furniture company EJ Victor. “I learned so much about making fabric and designing frames. It was one of the highlights of my design life.”

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photo by Kevin Chupik

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Bella Notte velvet bedding paired with antique bed frame photo 64

by Ashley Noble

Rock&Vine

IF YOU GO LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC YOU MISS ALL THE OTHER STUFF AROUND IT. - Carol Hicks Bolton

That kindness and generosity they experienced firsthand is something the Bolton’s are passionate about sharing back home. “I don’t hold my cards close to my vest,” she explained. “As a community, I would love for us to keep that going and share the love. There is enough business for ten more antique shops here.”

Making big, beautiful beds came to be one of her early trademarks and specialties. “We would buy all these French and American beds that were full size and stretch them to Queens and Kings,” she said. Today, these stately, oneof-a-kind beds still sit like thrones in the Bolton’s Lincoln Street shop, and each is made up with luxurious linens and velvets by brands like Bella Notte and MagicLinen from Lithuania.

Fabric is a continual source of inspiration for Carol, who collects and saves all sorts of materials, from old grain sacks to burlap bags found along the way. “We buy fabrics wherever we can find them,” she shared. “The second time we went to India a nice man from Varanasi scooped us up and showed us how to be in the fabric business. Most of our things are now made on powerlines but for the first fifteen years of doing business in India everything was made by hand – it was a great experience.” Today, visitors to the shop will find bolts of breezy fabric hanging from the walls, sourced from Carol and Tim’s extensive worldly travels.

In the 1990s, the duo acquired a deeper appreciation for antiquities after a trip to London, when they met a man whose leather club chairs inspired a love affair. “At that moment, Tim fell in love with France,” she said. So deep was the love that Tim traveled to France with the proprietor, spending the next week exploring the markets and learning the language of French furnishings.

Over the years, many have come to Carol soliciting advice and wisdom, like Jill Elliott of Blackchalk Home & Laundry.

Others, like Robin Brown and John Gray of Magnolia Pearl, are loyal clientele. Indisputably, the couple has inspired myriad styles across the Hill Country, and they continue to build a reputation for items rich with story. “I think we were successful with bringing a different customer here,” she said.

In the process of developing their taste and aesthetic, both Carol and Tim learned to be open to whatever they might find. “If you go looking for something specific you miss all the other stuff around it,” she shared. “Everything has beauty. I think it is about finding things that tell a story about the layers of life, the good parts, the hard parts, the people who came before us.”

Honoring those stories and perpetuating them for another generation is part of their shop’s allure, as is the feeling that nothing is too precious. There’s a deconstructed sensibility and authenticity expressed through stripped-down layers and patched-up pieces.

Once, at a flea market in Europe, Carol noticed a chair mended with six different fabrics. That chair told a story, just as the wooden tables they found in India did, with their large cracks running down them from decades of sitting in the sun. “I was seeing this generational story everywhere I looked,” she said. “Whether it was a happy or sad family story, there is still beauty in all of that.”

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DISH is a staple store filled with tableware, unique glassware, and inspirational stationary journals

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photo by Ashley Noble photo by Ashley Noble

Iconoclastic objects are on display throughout Carol Hicks Bolton

Year after year, the couple receives shipments from all over the world, including Mexico, France, and Hungary, though Carol is quick to quip she’s not a “proper” antiques dealer. Rather, both she and her husband are drawn to the items’ history, patina, and human touch. Often, these pieces were built out of love, necessity, or for a real person’s own pleasure. “That really draws me to them,” she shared.

Today, the Bolton’s run their business from Fredericksburg’s historic warehouse district, where they have a cluster of interconnected stores for visitors to experience. In addition to Carol Hicks Bolton Antiques, the neighboring Room No. 5 is an all-white oasis filled with linens and elegant home goods, while colorful tableware and entertaining objects, along with antiquities, vintage garden statuary, and handmade beds and dining tables abound at DISH and Gus Antiques & Wonders, located in the city’s old feed store.

“Even now, we get so many people that come into our stores because they grew up coming in from the countryside to get their feed,” she shared.

On any given visit, one will find an assortment of people perusing the labyrinth of treasure, from tourists to collectors, resellers and decorators of all stripes. Despite her undeniable style and flair for decoration, Carol doesn’t consider herself an interior designer. “Honestly I don’t like to do it,” she said admittedly. “I’d say I’m a thing-finder and a stylist.”

Her panache and passion for styling shines through in the shop’s quirky, eccentric merchandising. “My favorite thing to do are assemblages, taking a group of things and hanging them in a different way,” she said. “I love the idea of people stopping and saying, ‘Wow, why did she do that? Why is that there? Why is that piece of old string hanging inside that crystal chandelier with a wedding ring tied to the end of it?’”

Visiting the Boltons’ wonderland is a sensory feast and an invitation to ponder the oddity, mystery, and beauty of their myriad collections, like the impressive assemblage of taxidermy, which was acquired from a Natural History Museum in Belgium after it closed down.

The extensive array of religious memorabilia is a reflection of the couple’s strong, enduring faith. “I’ve always been a Jesus follower,” said Carol adding, “I met Him really deeply when Tim and I got married.” Their mantra, ‘God First, Family Second, Work Third,’ is deeply felt throughout their stores and in conversation with the couple, who embody a spirit of gratitude and graciousness. “God always takes care of us,” she said, smiling. “We’ve never been without.”

A vast collection of rare taxidermy on display at Carol Hicks Bolton

Visit Carol Hicks Bolton at 301 South Lincoln Street Fredericksburg, TX 78624. Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

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HABERDASHERYBOUTIQUE.COM 221 E MAIN STREET, FREDERICKSBURG (830) 990-2462

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830.998.1556 • BLACKCHALKHOME.COM FOLLOW US @BLACKCHALKHOMEANDLAUNDRY WINTER 21-22 69

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SCHREINER GOODS

WOMEN’S CLOTHING + ACCESSORIES

For bold women with timeless style.

214 Earl Garrett St. Kerrville, Texas 78028 | 830.315.5000 | schreinergoods.com 74

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KERI KROPP DESIGN CUSTOM INTERIORS

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728-732 Water St. Kerrville, Texas 78028 | 830.315.5374 | kerikropp.com WINTER 21-22 75

DEEP IN THE

ART OF TEXAS

John and Laurie Lowery - Photo by Tim Matt 76

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Humble Donkey and Lower 40 Found Objects art gallery in Round Top, TX

By SALLIE LEWIS

ohn and Laurie Lowery are living the dream.

Years before trading their home in Houston for a simpler life in the country, the owners of Humble Donkey Studio in Round Top spent their weekends exploring the state in their Airstream trailer.

In 2014, they invested in a 42-acre tract of land in the town of Burton, located between Round Top and Brenham, lured by its quaint community and wide-open spaces. “It was kind of like going back to my childhood,” John said of the property, which reminded him of his days growing up in Fort Bragg. “Here, you escape, you don’t see another soul, and you are close to nature.”

A few months after the purchase, John was involved in a serious motorcycle accident. “Part of my healing was being on this raw land and using a tractor and a chainsaw to clear areas,” he shared. “I spent hours, days, and weeks in nature. It slowed me down and allowed me to heal.”

In the process of acclimating to life in the country, he also began to paint. Art has always been a passion for the entrepreneur, who knew since he was eight years old he wanted to be an artist. In high school, a teacher who noticed his talents made a connection that led to his first job after graduation.

“The artwork we did was significant,” he said of his experience as an illustrator at NASA. Using acrylic paint and tiny airbrushes, he published many pictures, from Hypersonic airplanes to satellites and shuttle landings, all of which helped illustrate the organization’s ambitious plans. “It was a thrill to be paid to paint and be published at an early age.”

The job also supported his education at The Art Institute of Houston. Later, he became an Art Director at Jay Advertising and Space Industries, Inc., before founding his own creative agency called Design At Work in 1990.

Today, John paints passionately and prolifically for the Humble Donkey Studio and art gallery, while Laurie

sells her one-of-a-kind antiques and vintage furnishings through Lower40 Found Objects.

The name pays tribute to the lower forty acres of the farm they purchased back in 2014.

“I call myself the accidental antiques dealer,” she teased. Everything in the store, be it a fine French armoire or a vintage typewriter, is hand-selected and pays homage to the past. “I have a lot of respect for the things we find and display in our store.”

Additionally, she carries a unique blend of apparel and accessories, from silk wild rags to handmade hats and alpaca blankets from Ecuador.

Mixed among these eclectic collections is John’s colorful, expressive artwork. “It is one thing to go to college and learn painting and techniques, but what really makes an artist, I think, is when you decide to express yourself and break the rules, experiment, and come up with who you are,” he shared. “You are fulfilling something in your soul.”

While John’s commercial work has been published for years, moving to the country sparked his creativity on a new and personal level. “Once we got here, I had this urge to paint a longhorn and other animals just for fun,” he said. In jest, Laurie told her husband not to forget the humble donkeys out grazing in the farm fields. That comment not only inspired the namesake of their business.

Today, the couple sees the animal as both a mascot and a metaphor, underscoring their belief that a quiet confidence and heartfelt humility goes a long way in life.

WINTER 21-22 77

“Roxie”

I AM TRYING TO CREATE A STYLE THAT IS ‘ME,’ SOMETIMES IT IS REALISTIC, SOMETIMES IT IS WEIRD. THE FACT THAT PEOPLE LIKE IT IS JUST THE MOST AMAZING THING. - John Lowery

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Eclectic vintage items are added in with Lowery’s color-popping artwork at The Humble Donkey.

These days, John produces his smaller work in a matter of hours while larger paintings may take up to a week. He attributes this speed to his background as a deadline-driven professional artist. His evolving style is a combination of realism and impressionism, with unexpected dashes of whimsy and humor. In acrylic on canvas, he lets his imagination fly, painting everything from winged donkeys to psychedelic armadillos, bohemian crows and fedoracladded cows smoking cigarettes, to name a few. “I am trying to create a style that is ‘me,’” he said. “Sometimes it is realistic, sometimes it is weird. The fact that people like it is just the most amazing thing.”

“Like” is a modest word for the 60% growth the Lowery’s have experienced over the last year alone. “It has absolutely exploded,” John shared of the business. “We are very lucky that the art has been well-received.”

Product mix aside, the couple attributes much of their success to the lively and welcoming culture they have built onsite.

“We want to make sure everyone that comes here has a great experience,” Laurie said. “I definitely think our store offers that. It is a happy place.” From free Lone Star Light to music, art, and one-of-a-kind furnishings, there is something for everyone – and always a reason to celebrate. In fact, every time a piece of art sells, the Humble Donkey tradition involves ringing a cowbell and chanting ceremoniously, “A Donkey Got Its Wings!” before sending the painting off to its new home.

Looking back, the Lowery’s credit their move, and all that has come from it, for helping them navigate life as empty-nesters. “We didn’t know what we were doing, obviously,” Laurie shared. “We reconnected because we had the common goal of working this place and it kind of took a life of its own.”

Though reconnected and deeply committed to their husband-and-wife-run business, the success they have experienced in just a few short years still comes as a shock to them both. “If you look at us now, you would think we had planned this out,” admitted John. “But it is the craziest, happiest accident and we have grown closer as a couple. We are so lucky.” R&V

“Ride-em!”

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mustard

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Njem Haus is a travel-inspired guesthouse for you and your family. A modern yet cozy retreat for couples and families looking for rest, comfort and fun together.

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A Luxury Hotel Pillow made just for you!

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EXPERIENCE THE MOST COMFORTABLE BED PILLOW

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ESCAPE TO

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Veteran owned business providing discounts for veterans and first responders Metal & shingle roof installations for residential and commercial properties

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Battalion Roofing wishes you and your family all the best in 2022!

Home is where the  is this Holiday Season ĬšàƢÃĦ˘êğêŋĆÃĦŜ˘ÃĦæ˘ÿÃğğ˘ĉĦ˘ğĬŷêʧ˘ ÃŋŜšŎê˘žĬšŎ˘ĥêĥĬŎĉêŔ˘ŸĉŜƢŋğêĦŜž˘Ĭÿ˘ŋĆĬŜĬŔʧ

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WINTER 21-22 85

Woodworking at its finest

401 S. Lincoln Street, Fredericksburg | (830) 990-0565 | www.kingwoodcabinets.com

2 Blocks from Main Street above KingWood Studio 401 S. Lincoln St | Fredericksburg, TX 78624 | 830.992.9681 | www.kingwoodsuites.com

Fredericksburg Flooring Center Keeping the Hill Country Covered

• blinds • tile • carpet • stone • laminate • wood 86

Rock&Vine 401 S. Lincoln Street, Fredericksburg | (830) 997-8375 | fbgflooring@gmail.com

Outshine holiday expectations.

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At La Cantera Resort & Spa, relaxed sophistication is our specialty. A vacation unlike anything else in Texas–here, discovery awaits you at every corner. lacanteraresort.com | 210.558.6500 WINTER 21-22 87

• The

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KEVIN CHUPIK

contemporary western art

RODEO KING Acrylic on wood, 40” x 36”

TRICK ROPE Acrylic on wood, 34” x 54”

kevinchupik.com kevinchupik@yahoo.com kevinchupik

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Brooke Rogan with her grandmother, mother and tricked out pink suited drivers of the Bubble Bus

BROOKE’S BUBBLE BUS YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR STARTS ‘PINKIFIED’ LOCAL WINE TOURS

By MADALYN WATSON Photos by KIMBERLY GILES

hen she was looking for a new car, Brooke Rogan discovered a pink bus for sale in El Paso, which reignited her dream of starting her own wine tour.

The 24-year-old local purchased the bus — which she still isn’t old enough to drive — and less than a year later she owns a total of four pink vehicles that are a part of Brooke’s Bubble Bus wine tours.

“Ever since I was young, I’ve been very good with people. And I’m really passionate about pink,” Rogan said.

“I am overjoyed about what I do every day for work.

Maybe, I’m lucky. Maybe, the stars aligned.”

The brains behind the bubbles Growing up in Fredericksburg, Rogan watched her hometown grow from an agricultural community to a booming tourist destination.

Reflecting on the city of Fredericksburg from her childhood — an agricultural town with only a few wineries — she said she “never would have thought there would ever be a wine tour in Fredericksburg.”

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in the hills

BROOKE'S BUBBLE BUS brookesbubblebus.com 830.998.7007

Plum Gin Fizz The University of Texas graduate, who drove a pink Volkswagen bug during her school years, wanted to start her own wine tour company out of college.

In addition to Dub and Lynn, some of her friends’ husbands drive for her wine tours. Without them, there would be no tour since Rogan is still not old enough to drive with a CDL.

“I drove a pink Volkswagen bug, that was my first car, when I turned 16,” Rogan said.

A sparkling pink personality, wine

“I traveled around the states doing shows and attending photoshoots.”

Listening to her mother’s concerns, Rogan worked for two years at a clothing company before starting her own business.

Even though she can’t be in every vehicle, Rogan is always in the Bubble Bus and at all the locations where the tours converge.

“People come up to me every single time and they say, ‘What made this tour was you,’” she said.

Rogan’s presence is what makes the day so special, she explained.

Once she returned home to Fredericksburg, Rogan found the pink vehicle that would carry her to the next stage in her life.

“The celebrations that I get to be a part of, they become extremely special to me by the end of the day,” Rogan said.

Just a day later, she purchased the vehicle, but without the proper license she had to rely on a limousine driver to help her take the bus home.

“I don’t know them until they get on the bus, but by the time they get out of the bus, I feel like family. I feel like friends.”

Finding a driver in an unexpected place

Brooke’s Bubble Bus has had an overwhelming success, going viral on Tik Tok and exceeding anything she could imagine.

The following Saturday, while sitting in a champagne bar with her mom, Brooke’s Bubble Bus got its first booking.

Shocked, she thought “Wow, I just got a booking and that tour is not going to happen because we don’t have a driver.”

Since her fledgling company had its first booking she turned toward the staff of her alma mater to find a driver with a CDL. Lynn Blackwell, who was Rogan’s principal as a freshman at Fredericksburg High School, helped her out and today, he’s the head driver.

“His brother is my limo driver. Everyone knows Dub,” she said.

“Everyone loves him because he’s like the sweetest human on Earth.”

Left to right Debbie McCall, Ashley Long, Brooke Rogan, Michelle Robertson, Susan Mossberger, Ana Buchart

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The

BEST is yet to COME

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in the hills

By SALLIE LEWIS Photo by ERIC COLEMAN

rowing up in San Antonio, young vocalist Diego Martinez remembers being surrounded by music. While his father played in a band and his siblings had their own musical talents, jazz was a love entirely his own. At the early encouragement of his mother, he began performing with local groups before finding his love for big band during his middle-school years. In high school, he graduated from The International School of the Americas and accepted an invitation to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he’s a junior today.

Diego, dressed simply in a plaid-checkered shirt with khaki plants and worn brown boots, had an air of elegance, confidence and charisma that defied his young age.

Throughout the pandemic, Diego studied virtually from his home in San Antonio while pursuing his musical passions through gigs across Central Texas. Currently, he’s the lead male vocalist with the Beethoven Big Band, which performs every third Friday of the month from March to October at Beethoven Männerchor in San Antonio’s historic King William neighborhood.

“It was my dream to sing in front of a band, especially big band jazz music,” he said of his audition four years ago. Since then, he’s expanded his repertoire from ten to more than two-hundred songs. “I have definitely grown with them,” he said. “It is lots of fun.”

Unsurprisingly, Diego finds inspiration in iconic crooners from the past, like Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Bublé. In 2019, he had the opportunity to sing with Bublé after being selected at his show in the AT&T Center in San Antonio. “I had seen him do that in his past concerts but I was struck,” he shared. “The first thing I noticed was every movement of mine was on a giant screen.” With microphone in hand, he sang one of his favorites, Ain’t That A Kick In The Head, and earned the high marks of Bublé himself, who called Diego “a new American idol.”

Most recently, the young artist has been wooing audiences in the Texas Hill Country. In late 2020, he received an email from the team at Martini’s Seafood House in Fredericksburg, inviting him to perform for two nights in December. “It was a pretty big hit,” he said of his trial run. “Most of the live music there is not jazz and so people were kind of confused but they liked it – and Martini’s liked it.”

As fate would have it, a gentleman at one of those shows was impressed with Diego’s talent, and introduced him to the owners at the Elk Store Winery & Distillery in town. Once again, the crowds swooned for his fresh, inventive spin on classic songs. “We absolutely fell in love with him,” said General Manager Daniela Morales. “It is just a great energy when he’s here.”

Even in his short career, Diego’s skills have noticeably evolved thanks to his palpable passion, his continued commitment, and his consistent lineup of ongoing performances. “I’ve gotten so much better at performing. My voice has improved, my stage presence…” he said. “Even in school we are taught different warm ups and how to take care of your voice but I am not as productive unless I’m performing.”

Historically, the young showman admits he’s been drawn to songs for their melody over their lyricism, though he says that is changing with time. “The more I listen to the lyrics I understand why they’ve lasted all these years,” he shared.

“The storytelling is pretty phenomenal.”

Regardless of what song he’s performing, Diego always dresses to the occasion, donning a nice coat, elegant slacks, and shined shoes. “I’m still crafting my originality,” he said. “I’m trying to lean away from intimidation as much as possible but want to stay true to the art of the genre.”

He’s also grateful to his family, which has supported him throughout the years. “My dad comes to every single gig,” he shared. “He’s very supportive. My mom, too. She holds the fort down.”

While Diego will return to college in the northeast this winter, he is also preparing an album in 2022 featuring covers of the Great American Songbook, plus a few original tracks. In five to ten years, he hopes to be traveling more, preferably with a big band, and making it into some of his dream gigs back home, like Jazz, TX, located in the basement of the Bottling Department at the Pearl Brewery.

For this twenty-year-old dreamer and doer, Sinatra had it right. The best really is yet to come. R&V

Follow along on Instagram @diegosatx or book him for your private event by sending him an email at: diegojazzsa@gmail.com

Diego Martinez performing at Salvation Spirits; (Fredericksburg, TX ) grand opening party.

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N O W

O P E N

TASTING ROOM HOURS: Thursday - Saturday 11am-6pm Sunday - Wednesday 12pm-5pm EAST, 10915, US-290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 830-998-8306 slatetheory.com 94

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Just 4.2 miles from downtown Fredericksburg, the estate features 40 acres of vineyards and nearly a dozen boutique Texas brands including the wines of 1851 Vineyards.

The historic farm, settled in 1851, is the location of the first Pioneer Flour Mill, founded by Carl Hilmar Guenther.

WWW.SLATEMILLWINECOLLECTIVE.COM Tasting Room Hours Thursday-Saturday: 11-6pm Sunday-Monday: 12-5pm Cellar tours are available by appointment:

tours@slatemillwinecollective.com For more information about our tasting room:

info@slatemillwinecollective.com

4222 S STATE HWY 16, FREDERICKSBURG, TX 78624 • 830.391.8510 WINTER 21-22 95

Salvation Spirits mixologist Sean Lemaster 96

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MAKING HAPPY PEOPLE HAPPY SPEAKEASY FOCUSES ON CHARITY, SUSTAINABILITY, QUALITY

By ADA BROUSSARD

Photos by KIMBERLY GILES

visited Salvation Spirits just a few days before the distillery’s bar, The Speakeasy, was officially open to the public. The Speakeasy is hidden, a should-be requisite for any establishment claiming this moniker, between a row of orchards and vineyards and behind a cheery, albeit delusive, farmhouse facade.

While the interview was at noon on a Tuesday, I couldn’t help but wish it was 6 p.m. on a Friday, and I was there surrounded by a flock of my best friends, ideally with a driver patiently awaiting our grand exit from this portal to both an earlier era, and maybe a different city. Mostly, I’m content with Fredericksburg’s sunny wineries and biergartens, but occasionally, I crave the anonymity and sexy drinkware that a dark bar has to offer. The Speakeasy ticks those boxes, and then some.

Patrons of Salvation Spirits sipping on house harvested cocktails

Salvation Spirits is the brainchild of Trey Blocker, who together with Sean Lemaster (VP of Operations & Master Mixologist), showed me around the property including The Speakeasy itself, as well as a 10-acre orchard featuring blackberries, peaches, grapes, pecans, pears, plums, and one impressive persimmon tree that was laden with neon orange fruit the day I saw it.

Most of the fruit was planted around 13 years ago as a part of Bariloche Farm – the property’s previous holder. One of the farmers that helped establish this hill country Eden over a decade ago was Israel Tomas, and like Sean (who also has a background in agriculture), Israel has joined the Salvation mission to, in Trey’s own words, create “a purpose driven, environmentally conscious, distillery, winery, and brewery.”

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Wesley Pride, mixing up concoctions at Salvation

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drinkery Before ever deciding to open a distillery (and speakeasy and soon-to-be production facility, restaurant, events venue, farm) Trey built a career as a lawyer and lobbyist in Austin, where he still works part time. The move to spirits may seem like a divergence unless you know that part of Trey’s lobbying career has involved efforts to, “apply a free market, pro-business attitude toward the industry,” as he put it.

He is the current director of the Texas Spirits as well as the Texas Winery PACs, the latter of which formed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in an effort to give wineries a distinction more like a restaurant or manufacture instead of a bar, which at that point were operating under stricter guidelines from the Governor.

The Speakeasy is just Phase 1 of what will be a multifaceted destination on the 290 corridor – a project which will likely take a couple of years to complete. But the Speakeasy itself is done. It’s cocktail program features ingredients organically grown on site, making use of the 4 acres of blackberries to create their flagship Fritztown Gin – a product which is currently being distilled offsite (at a secret location), but will soon be produced in the 500-liter German-made copper pot still that I saw patiently waiting its turn, tucked away in a storage barn.

The business has a proud commitment to donate 10% of its net profits to charity, including most recently, the Hill Country Community Needs Council. In fact, its brand takes inspiration from St. Michael, the patron saint of the German people.

There’s a large spotted pig, Miss. Pickles, who roams the orchard, and a line of candied pecans made from the orchard’s fruit. Trey, Sean, Israel, and even Miss Pickles are busy building something worth the detour.

Surrounded by dark olive velvet and balancing arms of brass lighting, I was delighted when Trey told me the story of he and Sean’s 2018 entrepreneurial meet-cute which happened at the one and only Otto’s Bistro, “We sit at the bar… and [Sean] whips up these incredible cocktails…. And once you become a spirits geek, you’re staring at everything on the shelf... And he knew everything about everything that is on the shelf. By our third cocktail, which was as fabulous and as different as the first and the second…. And so we’re like, we like this guy. And then [Sean] throws in this sustainable farming degree, and Mark and I looked at each other and said, this is another God-thing, right? I’m just setting it up to say, this is the most incredible mixologist I’ve ever met.”

Luckily, my trip ended with a test of this bold allegation, and while I’m not in the habit of systematically ranking the mixologists I meet, both the gin martini and blackberry sorbet cocktail I tried were damn delicious and indubitably memorable.

“My job as a lobbyist is to develop relationships… It’s an entertaining business to a large degree. So it’s not a far jump from that to this,” Trey said. “What’s different with politics compared to this project is everybody’s mad in politics, right? So our goal here is to make happy people happy.”

The blackberry gin martini is dotted with a dehydrated berry, and this drink, as well as the garnish, made me happy. Sean points out the fact that airy blackberry bobs on top of the drink instead of sinks to the bottom. He thinks it makes for a nicer experience, and I think he’s right.

We talk about the nuances of ice chunks, the bell curve of a craft cocktail as it relates to the melting of aforementioned chunks, as well as the importance of texture in a good drink, like that of their blackberry gin sorbet cocktail that had hits of lime, honey, rhubarb bitters, and aquafaba – a commonly used ingredient to add body to a drink.

“There’s a complexity that you want,” Sean said of their cocktail program. “And, obviously, sometimes you get too complex. We’re trying to toe the line. They’re just complex enough, but also simple.” I got that – the gin is perfectly botanical without slapping you in the face, and their flagship martini made with the gin, well balanced. Because of Salvation Spirts’s distinction as a winery/distillery, they cannot purchase outside ingredients above a certain ABV – like Campari, an essential ingredient for the gin-based negroni. The solution? Sean spent 3 months coming up with his own campari-like recipe, a testament to just how much detailed work goes on behind the scenes.

Sean hopes to continue to create their own cocktail modifiers (apéritifs, liquors, etc.) using the ingredients produced off the land. I’m looking forward to sampling the vermouth he plans to make with the grapes growing out back. In no time, Salvation Spirits is set to be a closed loop system both ecologically and socially, there to make happy people happy.

To see the happy details for yourself, head to The Speakeasy’s website and make a reservation, which are required for a visit. R&V salvationspeakeasy.com

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WELCOME TO YOUR HOME IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY. Discover our family-owned, boutique wine resort in a rustic-meets-upscale oasis in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Stay in our spacious villas with luxury amenities.

Pamper yourself in The Spa. Whether you’re visiting for a day or a much needed get away, Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa is the perfect escape.

WINE, DINE & BREW Equal parts rustic and refined, Old 290 Brewery combines Hill Country craft beer with hearty, Texas-inspired cuisine featuring locally-sourced ingredients. Enjoy awardwinning wines inspired by a founding family of Texas Wine Country. In true Lone Star State style, enjoy live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night.

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4064 West US Highway 290 | Johnson City, Texas 78636 855.729.0443 | reservations@cartercreek.com | CarterCreek.com

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BUBBLICIOUS Popping Your Way Through Texas Hill Country

Photo provided Courtesy of Heath Sparkling Wines

By ANDRE BOADA

here is an unmistakable sound that occurs when opening a bottle of sparkling wine, usually ringing in a moment of celebration. Yet do we understand how that effervescence transcends in winemaking? More importantly, did you know Texas Hill Country offers a wide range of options to satisfy the quest for bubbles? We sought to unlock the mystery of producing bubbles in wine, then guide readers through Hill Country region to find the best offerings.

First let’s start with the process. Basic winemaking entails converting natural sugar in wine grapes via yeast to create alcohol. The yeast eats away at sugar, converting it to alcohol.

Once the yeast converts the sugar, it then dies off and is known as lees. The byproduct during fermentation is CO2 (carbon dioxide gas) that usually escapes which allows winemakers to make a wine with no carbonation.

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Luckily and by happenstance, the French region of Champagne, with some help from the British, discovered if you trap the CO2 gas, bubbles in wine come to life. From there, it’s just a matter of perfecting that process and finding a glass mold to hold the 70 PSI pressure.

What most consumers don’t know is there are numerous ways to create bubbles. They range considerably in cost and style, and are usually based on what regional influence and the winery perfecting that product. Let’s break it down with the most common styles and naming found here in Texas.

Champagne Method, Méthode Champenoise or Traditional Method Champagne. All three names represent the same method. But to call sparkling wine Champagne, it must come from Champagne, France. True Champagne from the region represents the most prestigious and, from a sommelier viewpoint, the highest quality. They have a long history with unique terroir to showcase distinctive personality and excellent aging potential. That said, it can carry a steep price tag for the best Grand Cru’s and Premier Cru classification. A vintage (year listing on label when the grapes are harvested) is only declared when it was an exceptional growing season. Otherwise, it is listed as a nonvintage and is a blend (cuvee) from several vintages. For those who love Champagne, vintage 2018 was considered one of the best ever so be on the immediate lookout since they are being released this year.

This Champagne Method is the most expensive to produce, since winemakers first make a still wine, then conduct a secondary fermentation in the bottle to trap the CO2 and rest the lees in-bottle during that tirage stage. The French Champagne region has the strictest rules that parlay with time. Once aged, vintage requires a minimum of 3 years, and nonvintage, 15 months. Vintage Champagne tends to be more complex with a rich mouthfeel, compared to a softer nonvintage, representing a house style.

Method Charmat or Tank Method. This is similar to the Champagne Method, but the secondary fermentation takes place in a pressurized tank. Aging requirements don’t apply in this method and depends on the winery producing the wine. The result is a lively expression with less complexity and lower cost to the consumer. Another noticeable difference is in the size of bubbles with the Champagne Method being more refined and smaller in size.

Other names to note when looking at sparkling wines: Cava – Famous in Spain and produced near Barcelona.

The grapes used in Spain are different from traditional Champagne grapes of Chardonnay (white), Pinot Noir (red) and Pinot Meunier (red), so a distinctive flavor profile.

Winemaking styles are across the board with Traditional Method to Tank Method. Overall, a great value, especially for the Traditional Method style versus Champagne.

Prosecco – Northern Italy’s homage to sparkling wine and one of the most-consumed alcohol beverages in Italy. It’s usually light and lower in alcohol, so a lovely expression of bubbles. It’s another great value for sparkling wine lovers.

Most Proseccos are tank method with a quick grape-toglass production timeline. Be sure to look for the DOCG classification to ensure the highest standards.

Pét-nat, or Méthode Ancestrale, is a method of sparkling wine production used all over the world.

Interestingly, winemakers can use any grape to create this wine. Unlike traditional-method sparkling wines, like Champagne, which adds sugar and yeast to dry, still wine in order trigger a second fermentation and produce bubbles, pét-nat works by bottling wine that is only partially fermented. Buyer beware on this style: expect cloudy, unfiltered bubbly wines and a rustic style.

What to expect and where to go in Texas Hill Country

Photo provided Courtesy of Heath Sparkling Wines HEATH SPARKLING WINES, located next to Grape Creek Vineyards is a vison of proprietor Brian Heath. It offers a unique tasting experience designed exclusively to a rotating array of four sparkling wines. Each wine, a different style and cleverly named, showcasing Texas and California fruit sourcing. All the wines are exceptional but felt the ultradry, vintage 2018 Blanc de Blanc (all Chardonnay) stood out.

They are thoughtfully paired by chef, Savanah Zapata with seasonal small bites using private suites limited to six guests.

The staff is well-trained and execute a flawless experience mixed with a large screen, video educational tool as a backdrop. The tasting room is architecturally stunning, sleek and modern giving way to panoramic vineyard views. Soon, a new member patio will open that shouldn’t be missed.

Tasting Room Manager Richard Foster has a long history working for the Heath family. “The sparkling wine program is excelling with quality year after year,” Foster said. “The winemaker, through working consistent vineyard sites, is pushing forward with higher standards and minor tweaks and crafting artisan wines with more complexity. A good example is our 2018 Blanc de Blanc with 18 to 20 months of aging on the lees.”

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AUGUSTA VIN, Fredericksburg is setting the stage for the future of premier Texas Hill Country wineries. It’s a destination winery with all the right elements. The drive into the estate reveals perfectly groomed vineyards, a magical 60 acres of vineyard bliss. It’s followed by a majestic tasting room crafted by proprietor Scott Felder, a home builder from the Austin area. The entire property is impressive in design yet welcoming with a causal elegance throughout. The winery is estate-focused so when tasting wines, one can truly embrace a sense of place while overlooking the vineyards. The sparkling wine program carries through on estate focus. All are hand-bottled with a local artist designed label representing the “Sirens” of Greek mythology. Be sure to explore the 2020 Sirens Sparkling Rose’ Estate, a Brut styled expression of two red grapes grown on the estate, Sauso and Counoise.

Dane and McKenzie Sanvido, Untamed Wine Estates

UNTAMED WINE ESTATES, Johnson City – A new kid on the 290 wine trail that’s buzzing with exciting wines. Founders Dane and Mckenzie Sanvido are well-respected by local competitors, who sincerely feel winemaker Dane is the one to watch in Hill Country. His style reflects international training and savvy attention to detail. Mckenzie is trained around chemistry and supports lab work for local wineries.

She’s also an excellent chef, crafting tantalizing menu offerings that pair perfectly with her husband’s wine. They only offer one sparkling wine at Untamed Wine Estates, but this 2019 Blanc de Blanc, Champagne Method sparkling wine is a winner. Sourced from cool, coastal vineyards in Monterrey, California, and aged on lees for 18 months.

Classic elegance shines through with this release and it gains more complexity with aging.

RON YATES WINES –Ron Yates and and his wines at the facility located near Hye showcase an authentic Texas winemaking experience. His flair is mesmerizing and real.

An excellent example is a single vineyard Texas Grenache, sparkling rose. A Pét-nat style, salmon pink in color and quite interesting. Fresh strawberries layered with earthy rhubarb dance around lively bubbles. Rustic and unfiltered, yet worth discovering.

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MESSINA HOF, Hill Country represents one of the founding wine pioneers in Texas, and the Bonarrigo family’s history runs deep and centers on family values and quality Texas wines. When visiting Messina Hof, one will find a large selection of wines that covers every spectrum of wine consumer. That mentality carries over to the sparkling wine program. The 2017 Blanc de Blanc and 2018 Rose are solid, yet what intrigued me is their best-selling Sparkling Almond, semi-sweet, Methode Traditional wine. Not everyone wants a dry sparkling, and this wine delivers incredible flavor and quality.

TURTLE CREEK OLIVES & VINES in Kerrville takes on a dual role when discovering sparkling wines. They offer private-label, 100% Texas wines, but double down with a classy, two-story historic wine bar that sells an international wonderland of sparkling wines. They include Champagne, Burgundy Crémant, California, Spanish Cava, Italian Prosecco, and even rare sparkling bottlings from the South Africa and Tasmania regions. Most wines are available to taste before buying and served by highly trained professionals. Truly a place to discover a wide range of sparkling wines at reasonable price points.

Now it’s time to bubble through Texas Hill Country.

Celebrate life with friends or family, and sip these bubblicious recommendations. I know I’ll be toasting to the Texas Hill Country award-winning wineries and supporting their efforts. R&V

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100% Texas Private Label Extensive Wine List Wine Tastings Small Plates

Follow us!

Reservations recommended (830) 896-0010 Tuesday - Saturday 12 - 8 PM

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turtlecreekolivesandvines.com info@turtlecreekolivesandvines.com 211 Earl Garrett Street, Kerrville, TX 78028

A H E R I TA G E R E I N C A R N AT E D

Five generations ago our family began farming in India, cultivating crops of cocoa, coconuts, rice, and turmeric. Today, our family calls Texas home. We believe our wines exemplify how the blending of two cultures can create something authentic, yet entirely new and exciting. Come experience a heritage reincarnated!

5 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN

414 GOEHMANN LANE • FREDERICKSBURG KALASICELLARS.COM

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INTO THE WILDCRAFT BEERBURG BREWING FOCUSES ON A HOP-LESS, HERBALBASED APPROACH

By LEE M. NICHOLS Photos by FABIAN REY & LISA HAUSE

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ill Country breweries will always have one huge advantage over city breweries: Mother Nature. In addition to brewing great beer, many of them also offer pleasant beer gardens under the shade of live oaks, sometimes with a breathtaking, eye-pleasing vista to enjoy between sips.

But none of them are emphasizing nature to quite the degree of Beerburg Brewing. When owner and head brewer Trevor Nearburg (yes, it rhymes with Beerburg and that’s completely intentional) uses phrases like “all-natural,” “organic” and “locally sourced,” they aren’t just marketing buzzwords. And for him, natural doesn’t just mean chemical-free – it means wild.

Nearburg is boldly experimental with some of his beers. Yes, he offers plenty of standards, the lagers and pale ales brewpub patrons expect, and he does them well. But Beerburg also has a menu of “Wildcraft” beers. They might not be what you expect. They’re definitely a different experience.

Given a chance, however, they’ll really grow on you (pun intended). is essentially “Wildcrafting just making something for consumption with foraged local ingredients,” Nearburg explains.

“Rather than cultivating my ingredients, I’m going into nature, connecting with and learning about the things around me and brewing with them.”

Translating that concept into beer, it means making a radical departure from one of the building blocks of brewing: The Wildcraft line doesn’t use hops. Hops are the plants used to add bitterness to beer. You may think you don’t like bitter beers (like IPAs), but even that light lager you prefer has some amount of hops in it.

Hops don’t grow well in Texas, so local brewers import them from other regions. In his attempt to make truly Texas beers, Nearburg looked in Beerburg’s literal backyard for other flavoring agents. On Rock & Vine’s visit, that meant an ESB brewed with mugwort, a golden ale with szechuan pepper, horehound and prickly ash, a Berliner-weisse with sumac and a porter with mesquite.

It may sound familiar – Beerburg’s across-the-street neighbor Jester King Brewing (they’re both part of the Fitzhugh Road brewing/distilling scene) is famed for relying on the yeasts found naturally in the air on its property. But Beerburg is going even beyond yeasts, and Jester King is noted for specializing in sour styles and farmhouse ales, which Beerburg doesn’t do. “We’d be foolish to try to compete with Jester King,” says Beerburg general manager Ricardo Gutierrez, acknowledging his neighbor’s reputation as the giant of those styles.

“I’ve never been one to lock myself down in one style as a brewer,” Nearburg says, who previously worked for Real Ale in Blanco and Uncle Billy’s Brewing in Austin. “I have so much respect for brewers that focus on a style or method of brewing, but I’m always fascinated by new stuff. I love being outdoors, I’m always out hiking, and I would see things like beautyberries or sumac.”

Of course, ingesting random plants and berries could land one in the hospital (or worse), so as he began exploring the wildcraft idea, he was widely advised to consult an herbalist. He ended up taking classes with Sacred Journey School of Herbalism in Austin to learn what might work and what wouldn’t.

“Now I can identify what to gather and how to use it,” Nearburg says. “There are so many plants people are aware of but don’t realize how much they can use.” Nearburg actually offers “herb walks” on the Beerburg property to educate the curious.

The natural, holistic philosophy extends to everything at Beerburg. Gutierrez, who is also the head chef, says, “Our kitchen only uses clean products. Our meat and chicken are antibiotic-free.” He says they use organic products whenever possible and source local when they can, such as getting beef from 44 Farms in Cameron, northeast of Austin. “I don’t cook with garbage,” Gutierrez says. “I often forget that’s a selling point … it’s just the way I cook.”

He learned that lesson young, beginning in his family’s south Texas restaurant business when he was six years old, working alongside his grandmother. He credits both his grandmothers for teaching him to cook. Gutierrez came to Beerburg with a different plan, aiming at brewpub

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WILDCRAFTING IS ESSENTIALLY JUST MAKING SOMETHING FOR CONSUMPTION WITH FORAGED LOCAL INGREDIENTS. - Trevor Nearburg

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staples like burgers and sandwiches. But the pandemic intervened and shut Beerburg down, and like so many other businesses, they came back as a leaner operation.

“When we reopened the beer garden, we had to simplify to what two people could handle,” Gutierrez says. So he went back to his roots: tacos and Mexican street food. “It’s easy and in my repertoire. We rebranded the kitchen as Taqueria la Violeta,” named after his family’s ranch.

Violeta’s foods are made from scratch as often as possible, including the salsas and tortillas, and even some spectacular ice cream that is not to be missed. Both the steak quesadillas and caramel-drizzled Mexican vanilla ice cream we enjoyed on our visit dazzled our taste buds and showed that beer is only one of the great reasons to stop in.

Along a stretch of road that has so many breweries, tourists tend to hop from one to the next. Gutierrez says his kitchen’s goal is to create food that makes them stop and hang around for more than one beer. It works.

All of this is best enjoyed outside on Beerburg’s picnic tables, perhaps with a live band playing and a gorgeous view that, thankfully, will remain forever – unlike so much of the area west of Austin being developed, Beerburg’s 15 acres abuts a nature preserve. In other words, it will stay wild … like the wildcraft beers.

Nearburg says he’s still getting feedback on the wildcraft menu, because the pandemic delayed putting the experiment into commercial reality. “My focus [during the pandemic] has been on ‘how do we survive?’ not on ‘how do I explore my weird experiments?’ But the feedback has been really good from people that enjoy the concept.”

Frankly, says Nearburg, he knows that the “normal” beers will probably be what makes the business succeed, but as for the wildcraft menu, “I’ll never stop, even if it doesn’t make money. I enjoy it and I’ll keep fine-tuning it.”

The funny thing is, if you look back at the over 5,000year history of brewing, what Nearburg is doing is really pretty normal. Hops only became a staple of beer in the last millennium. But Nearburg rejects the notion that he is engaging in some sort of throwback practice.

“People try to classify this as ancient, but I’m trying to modernize,” Nearburg says. “Instead of ancient, we’re removing the barriers we’ve put around ourselves. I don’t understand why people restrict themselves.

“Come on this journey with me,” Nearburg says. “I feel like we will get there.” R&V

BEERBURG BREWING 13476 Fitzhugh Rd • Austin, Texas 512-265-0543 beerburgbrewing.com Thursdays 3-8pm Friday-Sunday noon-8pm

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THE CLUB

The Locals’ Place

Opening Hours: Thursday - Saturday 5-11 pm Saturday Afternoon: Bluesic - Wine - Bistro Wine Tasting by Reservation 316 Goehmann Ln. Fredericksburg, TX • 830-992-3421

LIVE M US FINE B IC AND I SPECIA STRO LTIES

18 CABINS on 26 acres just two minutes to Main Street along the creek.

The only Vineyard IN Fredericksburg!

Home of the “Cabelas” photo shoots

Barons

The Romantic

830-990-4048

Getaway

www.baronscreekside.com

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WILLKOMMEN

Welcome to THE site for Fredericksburg, Texas real Estate and properties for sale.

Nestled in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg’s Small-town atmosphere, relaxed lifestyle, and the quality of life draw families and retirees from all over.

Whether you are buying or selling, or just considering the perfect place for your retirement years, I would love to serve youEVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

Homes • Ranches • Land

Honoring the Past While Celebrating the Present.

100% TEXAS WINES • LIVE MUSIC EVENTS

CAROLE REED

CAROLE@CAROLEREED.COM

830-992-9446

Broker J.R. Russel Lic# 601430

830.992.3323 • TexasHeritageVineyard.com 3245 E. US Hwy 290 • Fredericksburg WINTER 21-22 113

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DTC manager and sommelier Luke Hricik of Foyt Winery

FOYT WINERY

HONORING THE ICONIC SUPER TEX

By LORELEI HELMKE

Photos by KIMBERLY GILES

What do fine wines and race cars have in common?

Both require teams.

Both need innovators.

Both inspire passion.

Both make my heart race.

Larry and A.J. Foyt IV began in the industry to quench their thirst for delicious wines and to pay homage to A.J. Foyt, AP’s Co-Driver of the Century (along with Mario Andretti).

They focus on small productions for each wine. Until recently, these wines were only available direct to consumer or at the Foyt Wine Vault at the Indiana Speedway.

It seems only fitting they opened the Foyt tasting room in Texas.

The man they honor is, after all, a most admired Texan.

Private dining space with AJ Foyt memorabilia in the “Library” can be booked for private events

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Not just a tasting room, it serves as a museum of racing history.

Two of A.J.’s race cars are on display, as well as Foyt family racing suits, helmets and pieces of memorabilia from all their amazing racing careers.

A one-of-a-kind tasting room in honor of a one-of-a-kind Texan, Foyt winery along 290 should not be missed. Here is a rundown of their wines.

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#14 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Napa Valley #14, the car number that is infamous with A.J.'s winning history. A deep garnet hue with candies and black cherry aromas. There are rose petals, soft leather, anise, and an herbal quality rising in the glass. Silky tannins finish out this delectable Napa Cab. Pair with Stilton Cheese and a rib eye.

Lucy 2020 Rosé Sonoma Coast Named for A.J.’s beautiful wife Lucy, this tonguetingling rosé offers up notes of strawberries, watermelon, and roses. The medium-long, clean finish makes for a tasty pairing for a cold crab and shrimp.

#67 Chardonnay 2019 Los Carneros Sonoma County #67, for the year A.J. co-pilated the first and only American to win La Mans. It has a bright straw color and almost Chablis-like flavors, with green apple and lime zest, backed up by tropical aromas of mango. Hints of French Oak and vanilla round out this enticingly balanced Chardonnay. A nice accompaniment to goat cheese or grilled fish.

#41 Merlot 2015 Sonoma County #41, for the car number A.J. built his first race car with his father. Bewitching, deep ruby color with a bouquet of black cherry, warm plum, licorice, and cigar spice on the nose. Soft tannins show on the palate. I want a slow-cooked roast alongside this tasty red.

#38 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Dry Creek Valley #38, for the street address of their new Fredericksburg venture. Interesting raspberry fruit rollups in the deep brick red wine. Wafts of sweet cigar smoke and soft cream notes on top of ripe, red raspberry perfume. Enjoy with braised short ribs and a balsamic glaze.

60th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville, Napa Like Twizzlers and licorice whips together is a gorgeous purple-hued garnet wine. Complex aromas of blackberry crumble, pumpkin pie spice and suede leather with an earthy essence. No need for food, but if you insist, try with pancetta stuffed mushrooms and beef tenderloin.

2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Mounty Veeder, Napa Reserve As sexy as the cars that sit on the tasting room floor.

This Cabernet Sauvignon offers rich aromas of red plum, black cherry pie and saddle leather, a viscous, full-bodied red with a long finish. A glass of this with blue cheese and figs – done.

#72 Meritage 2016 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc #72, for A.J. winning Daytona that year and becoming the only driver to have won Daytona, Indianapolis, and La Mans. Scents of Christmas spices engage the senses, while blackberry and smoke notes swirl in the glass. Elegant satin tannins on the finish. This one will gracefully pair with Beef Wellington at any holiday table.

Dan Gurney and AJ Foyt kicking off the very first celebratory champagne spray in race car history.

WINTER 21-22 115

116

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SUBSCRIBE

Tex as

2 years for $44.95

GUIDE. Annual guide to the HILL COUNTRY’S BEST FOOD & WINE.

Now accepting space reservations.

Contact

KIMBERLY GILES

830.285.7230 kgiles@fredericksburgstandard.com

Includes Rock & Vine tshirt.

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WINTER 21-22 117

scene

Peggy Hudson from Hill Country lighting, artist John Self, Melisa Walters from Hill Country lighting

Sara Shotliff and Karyn Lane of The Great Trumpet band

The Great Trumpet band

Lisa Hamlyn Field and Lori Appleton

Photos by KIMBERLY GILES

Rock&Vine

Chef James of Seeds catering

Cory Schulse and Andre Boada

Charcuterie provided by Hill Country Cravings

ROCK & VINE FALL LAUNCH PARTY

118

Cory, Rachel, and 5 year old Oliver Schulse from Turtle Creek Winery

Marla Coffee and Lori Appleton of Slate Gray Gallery

n October 27, Rock & Vine partnered with La Escondida 1962 Bar in Kerrville to host a fall issue bash with an eclectic crowd, drinks, art, music and lots of smiles. La Escondida 1962 is owned and operated

by Daniel and Anabel Medrano, along with their barber shop, 1962 Barber Company. The businesses are part of a renaissance in downtown Kerrville, and many of the town’s new attractions have been featured in our pages.

scene

Kari Johnson of the Elephant Preserve and mother Beverly White

Ken Esten Cooke and Michael Kelliher, executive director of Arcadia Live, Inc.

JR Carr and Doug Landrum

Ada Broussard, Kimberly Giles and Andrea Chupik

Daniel and Anabel Medrano, 1962 Barber Company and La Escondida 1962 bar

The Great Trumpet band

John Self, artist of Slate Gray Gallery

We appreciate The Great Trumpet for providing their unique and rhythmic music that evening, which patrons enjoyed until after 10 p.m. Other businesses and cool peeps featured or attending that evening included artist John Self, Turtle Creek Winery, Seeds Catering (shout out to the coolest “R&V” food display), Slate Gray Gallery (which features Self’s work), Arcadia Live theater and venue, Basement Brewers of Texas (the town’s newest

Greg, Alex and Kim Richards

drinkery establishment). More friends who joined us included reps from the Elephant Preserve, our wine guru Andre Boada, and the Richards family from Dwell Well.

Those who partied with us enjoyed the food truck tacos, the peaceful outdoor area under the live oaks, and music and art that both teased and tantalized. There’s always something going on at La Escondida 1962, so check the social media pages to see what’s going down in K-town.

WINTER 21-22 119

drinkery maps Pontotoc

35

SAN SABA 108

113

Lake Buchanan

Florence

Tow

281

Blufftown Buchanan Dam

MASON

LLANO

42, 71 & 84

Inks Lake

Castell

104

Oatmeal

Lake LBJ

87

Sunrise Beach

290

FREDERICKSBURG

7

SEE PAGE 120

12

Stonewall

90

83

80

98

49

107 3

Hye

75

KERRVILLE

COMFORT 5 73 5 21

10

33

112

62

35

281

4

6 69

87

12

Canyon City

Gruene

34

Bulverde

NEW BRAUNFELS

Wineries

Breweries

BREWERIES 9.

Altstadt Brewery

10. Last Stand Brewing

2.

11. Jester King Brewery

3.

Boerne Brewery

106 Sage Brush • Boerne

4.

Cibolo Creek Brewing Company

5.

Comfort Brewing

122 N. Plant • Boerne

523 Seventh St. • Comfort

Dodging Duck Brewhaus

402 River Rd. • Boerne

Fitzhugh Brewing

15435 Fitzhugh Road Dripping Springs

Fredericksburg Brewing Company

Distilleries

E S

Highlighted areas on page 116

DISTILLERIES

12 Fox Brewing

6120 E. US Hwy 290 • Fredericksburg

W

28 Seguin

103

4700 Fitzhugh Rd • Dripping Springs

N

100

60 Smithson Valley

183

SAN MARCOS

Canyon Lake

3

AUSTIN

36 Driftwood 35

WIMBERLEY

82

LEGEND

245120 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg Rock&Vine

83

39

BOERNE

9

290

2

DRIPPING SPRINGS

Spring Branch

67 Vanderpool

8.

16

9 11 10 11 91

3

1 15

88

Bandera

7.

7

BOURBON

Sisterdale

53

6.

1

9

Bee Cave

8

17

87

3.

Lakeway

109

87

18

2.

99

Blanco

Center Point

1.

JOHNSON CITY

Luckenbach

Jonestown Lago Vista

94

50

13

61 64

ROUND ROCK

68 Cypress Mill

24

Lake Travis

93

Round Mtn.

58

10

40

Spicewood

WILLOW CITY

45

183 Travis Peak

MAP

25

14

MARBLE FALLS

Horseshoe Bay

15

GEORGETOWN

Liberty Hill

Granite Shoals

RV DRINKERY

Rogers

35

76

Kingsland

31

Andice

Bertram

Burnet

105

102

78

Hitmaker Brewing

11160 Circle Dr • Dripping Springs 12345 Pauls Valley Rd Bldg I & J • Dripping Springs 13187 Fitzhugh Rd • Dripping Springs

12. Kinematic Brewing Company 635 E. Hwy 46, Suite 207 • Boerne

13. Pecan Street Brewing

106 E. Pecan Dr. • Johnson City

14. Pint & Plow Brewing Company 332 Clay St. • Kerrville

15. Real Ale Brewing Company 231 San Saba Court • Blanco

1.

4.

5.

6.

Andalusia Whiskey Company 6462 N. Highway 281• Blanco

7.

Deep Eddy Vodka

8.

2250 E. US Hwy. 290 Dripping Springs

Dripping Springs Vodka

5330 Bell Springs Rd. Dripping Springs

Garrison Brothers Distillery

1827 Hye Albert Rd. • Hye

Hill Country Distillers

723 Front St. • Comfort

Hye Rum

11247 W. US Hwy. 290 • Hye

9.

Iron Goat Distillery

817 Usener Rd. • Fredericksburg

One Shot Distillery and Brewing

31610 Ranch Rd. 12 • Dripping Springs

Revolution Spirits Distilling 12345 Pauls Valley Rd Bldg H Dripping Springs

10. Salvation Spirits

10091 US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

11. Treaty Oak Distilling Company

16604 Fitzhugh Rd. • Dripping Springs

Listing numbers correspond with numbers on map. Locations are approximate not to scale.

WINERIES 1.

12 Fires Winery

30. Cross Mountain

61. Lewis Wines

2.

290 Vinery

31. Dancing Bee Winery (Off Map)

62. Limestone Terrace

290 Wine Castle

32. Das Peach Haus

1851 Vineyards

33. Driftwood Estate Winery

Ab Astris

34. Dry Comal Creek Vineyards

Adega Vinho

35. Duchman Family Winery

Alexander Vineyards

36. Fall Creek Vineyards

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

100 Durango • Johnson City

308 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg

300 W. Main (Hwy. 290) • Johnson City 101 Durango • Johnson City

411 S Lincoln S • Fredericksburg

4222 S. Hwy. 16 • Fredericksburg

4001 Elder Hill Rd. • Driftwood

320 Klein Rd • Stonewall

1741 Herbelin Rd. • New Braunfels

972 S County Rd. 1623 • Stonewall

13308 FM 150 W. • Driftwood

6360 Goehmann Lane Fredericksburg

2 Locations 18059-A FM 1826 • Driftwood 1820 County Rd. 222 • Tow

Andreucci Wines

37. Fat Ass Winery Tasting Room

2 Locations 8898 US Hwy. 290 308 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg

153 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg

38. Fat Ass Ranch Winery

Arc de Texas

51 Elgin Behrends Rd. • Fredericksburg

4555 Hwy. 281 • Johnson City

39. Fawncrest Vineyard & Winery

10. Armadillo’s Leap Winery

1370 Westside Circle • Canyon Lake

2 Locations 134 E. Main St 6266 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

11. Arrowhead Creek Vineyard

140 Augusta Vin Ln • Fredericksburg

13. Baron’s Creek Vineyard

N

E

463 Bell Mountain Rd. • Fredericksburg

16. Bell Springs Winery / Brewery 17. Bella Vista Ranch

S

3101 Mount Sharp Rd. • Wimberley

18. Bending Branch Winery

142 Lindner Branch Trail • Comfort

19. Bingham Family Vineyards

3915 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

20. Blue Lotus Winery

8500 W Hwy 290 • Hye

21. Branch on High

704 High St. • Comfort

22. Brewbonnet (inside Wildseed farms) 100 Legacy Rd • Fredericksburg

23. Calais Winery

8115 W. US Hwy. 290 • Hye

24. Carter Creek Winery

4064 W US-290 • Johnson City

25. Chisholm Trail Winery

2367 Usener Rd. • Fredericksburg

26. Cicada Cellars

14746 E. US Hwy. 290• Stonewall

27. Compass Rose Cellars Inc. 1197 Hye Albert Rd. • Hye

28. Copper Star Cellars (Off Map) 13217 FM 1117 • Seguin

29. Covington Hill Country Wine 8262 W US HWY 290 • Hye

43. Foyt Winery - coming soon 38 Jenschke Ln. • Fredericksburg

2 Locations 307 E. Main St. 464 Becker Farms Rd. • Fredericksburg

3700 Bell Springs Rd. Dripping Springs

42. Fly Gap Winery (Off Map)

2851 Hickory Grove Rd. • Mason

5865 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

W

147A E. Main St. 6260 US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg 24912 Singleton Bend East Rd. Marble Falls

12. Augusta Vin

15. Bell Mountain Vineyards

40. Fiesta Winery - 2 locations 41. Flat Creek Estate

13502 E., US Hwy. 290 • Stonewall

14. Becker Vineyards

8060 W. US Hwy. 190 • Rogers

44. Fredericksburg Winery

247 W. Main St. • Fredericksburg

45. French Connection

1197 Hye Albert Rd. • Hye

46. Georgetown Winery

715 Main St. • Georgetown

47. Grape Creek Vineyards

10587 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

48. Grape Creek Vineyard on Main 223 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg

49. Hahne Estates Winery

14802 US Hwy. 290 East • Stonewall

50. Hawk’s Shadow Estate Vineyard

7500 McGregor Ln. • Dripping Springs

51. Heath Sparkling

10591 US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

52. Hilmy Cellars

12346 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

53. Hill Country Cellars & Winery 3540 S. Hwy 16 Ste 2D • Bandera

54. Horn Wineries

9953 E. US Hwy. 290 • Hye

55. Hye Meadow Winery 9953 US Hwy. 290 • Hye

56. Inwood Estates Winery

10303 US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

57. Kalasi Cellars

414 Goehmann Ln • Fredericksburg

58. Kerrville Hills Winery

3600 Fredericksburg Rd. • Kerrville

59. Kuhlman Cellars

18421 E. US Hwy. 290 • Stonewall

60. La Cruz de Comal Wines 7405 FM 2722 • Canyon Lake

3209 W. US Hwy. 290 • Johnson City 101 Rocky Meadows Lane Wimberley, TX

92. Southold Farm + Cellar 10474 Ranch Road 2721 Fredericksburg

93. Spicewood Vineyards 1419 CR 409 • Spicewood

63. Longhorn Cellars

94. Stone House Vineyard

64. Longhorn Hills and Winery

95. Tejas Winery

65. Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards

96. Texas Heritage Vineyards

66. Lost Draw Cellars

97. Texas Wine Collective

67. Lost Maples Winery

98. Turtle Creek Winery

68. McReynolds Winery

99. Texas Hills Vineyard

69. Mendelbaum Winery/Cellars

100. Three Dudes Winery

70. Messina Hof Winery

101. Torr Na Lochs

71. Murphy's Cellars

102. The Vineyard at Florence

72. Narrow Path Winery

103. The Vintage Cellar

315 Ranch Rd. 1376 • Fredericksburg 555 Klappenbach Rd. • Johnson City 6009 US Hwy. 290. • Fredericksburg 113 E. Park St. • Fredericksburg 34986 Farm Market 187 • Vanderpool 706 Shovel Mountain Rd. • Cypress Mill 10207 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg 9996 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg 120 Fort McKavett St • Mason 2 Locations FM 1623 (South of Hye) • Albert 111 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg

73. Newsom Vineyards 717 Front St. • Comfort

74. Pedernales Cellars

2916 Upper Albert Rd. • Stonewall

75. Pelota Wines, Inc.

3209 US Hwy. 290 • Johnson City

76. Perissos Vineyards

7214 W. Park Road 4 • Burnet

77. Perspective Cellars

247 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg

78. Pilot Knob Vineyard 3125 CR 212 • Bertram

79. Pontotoc Vineyard

320 W. Main St. • Fredericksburg

80. Ron Yates Wines

6676 W. US Hwy. 290• Hye

81. Safari

5479 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

82. Saint Tryphon Vineyard 24 Wasp Creek Rd • Boerne

83. Salt Lick Cellars

1800-C FM 1826 • Driftwood

84. Sandstone Cellars (Off Map) 211 San Antonio St. • Mason

85. Santa Maria Cellars

12044 S. Hwy. 16 • Fredericksburg

86. Signor Vineyards

362 Livesay Lane • Fredericksburg

24350 Haynie Flat Rd. • Spicewood 8638 US 290 West • Hye 3245 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg 10354 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg 211 Earl Garrett Street • Kerrville, TX 878 RR 2766 • Johnson City 125 Old Martindale Rd. • San Marcos 7055 W. State Hwy. 29 • Burnet 8711 W. FM 487 • Florence

6258 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

104. Thirsty Mule Winery & Vineyard 101 CR 257 • Liberty Hill

105. Timber Ridge Winery

2152 Timber Creek Rd. • Pipe Creek

106. Untamed Wine Estates 202 RM-1320 • Johnson City

107. Vinovium

214 Edmonds Avenue • Johnson City

108. Wedding Oak Winery

2 Locations 316 E. Wallace (Off Map) • San Saba 290 Wine Rd., • Fredericksburg (Under construction)

109. Westcave Cellars Winery & Brewary 683 Ranch Rd 1320, Johnson City

110. Western Edge Cellars

228 W. Main St. • Fredericksburg

111. William Chris Vineyards 10352 US Hwy. 290 • Hye

112. Wimberley Valley Winery

2825 County Road 183 • Driftwood

113. Wines of Dotson Cervantes 13044 Willis Street • Pontotoc

114. Winotus

115 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg

115. Woodrose Winery

662 Woodrose Lane • Stonewall

116. Zero 815 Winery

11157 W. US Hwy. 290 • Hye

87. Singing Water Vineyards 316 Mill Dam Rd. • Comfort

88. Sister Creek Vineyards 1142 Sisterdale Rd. • Boerne

89. Six Shooters Cellars

6264 E. US Hwy. 290 • Fredericksburg

90. Slate Mill Collective

4222 S State Hwy 16 • Fredericksburg

91. Solaro Estate Winery 13111 Silver Creek Rd. Dripping Springs

WINTER 21-22 121

drinkery maps

FREDERICKSBURG 16

22

290

65

Rd

Meusebach Creek Rd.

BLUMENTHAL

1376

69 56

86

38

52

115

47 51 43

14

Albert

fort

111

59 6 116

6 74

ALBERT

HYE 20 55 27 45

4

1623

Rd

CAIN CITY

10

97

.

Rd

io on

-Cain nbach LuckeCity Rd.

70

8

290

STONEWALL

30 & 106

Lower Albert Rd.

13 63

26

11

Hahn Rd.

ROCKY HILL 81

89 7

LBJ STATE HISTORICAL LBJ NATIONAL PARK HISTORICAL STATE PARK RANCH Pedernales River

Upper

nt Old San A

19

Pedernales River

Jenschke Lane

96

101 2 40

Luckenbach Rd.

290 87

Woodland Dr.

33

Goehmann Lane

57

Hye Albert Rd

Gellermann Lane

Goehmann Lane

Klein Rd.

5

72

Old

Com

LUCKENBACH LEGEND WINE CORRIDOR

Wineries

Breweries

Distilleries

DOWNTOWN FREDERICKSBURG W. CENTRE ST.

PECAN ST.

ELM

W. COLLEGE ST.

TRAVIS ST.

ORCHARD ST.

FREDERICKSBURG

RV DRINKERY MAP

16

SCHUBERT ST.

PIONEER MUSEUM

10

72 114 40 37

44 SAN ANTONIO ST.

EK ST

E. CRE

E

16

UFER ST.

S PARK ST.

66

Rock&Vine

29 48

8

MUSEUM OF THE PACIFIC WAR

14

77

MAIN STREET

8

87

N W

LINCOLN ST.

MARKTPLATZ

LLANO ST.

110

ADAMS ST.

ORANGE ST.

79

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER

AUSTIN ST.

S WASHINGTON

MAIN STREET

MILAM ST.

EDISON ST.

BOWIE ST.

ACORN ST.

AUSTIN ST.

CROCKETT ST.

SCHUBERT ST.

122

TRAVIS ST.

290

1 95 3 54 23

M O R E T H A N A B R E W E R Y. RELAX ON OUR

OUTDOOR

BEER GARDEN & PATIOS

LIVE MUSIC EVERY WEEKEND THURSDAYS

1/2 PRICE PINTS & HOUSE WINE

WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY

DINE WITH US LUNCH & DINNER

6120 EAST US 290 | FREDERICKBURG, TX | WWW.ALTSTADTBEER.COM WINTER 21-22

123

MAY 2021 —

— MAY 2022

175 years of German influence.

One Texas-sized grand finale celebration!

Fredericksburg, Texas is 175 years old! Mark your calendar for May 5-8, 2022 — the grand

ife

your l n i or l o c e l tt i l Ad a

n o s a e s y a d i l o this H with Zertz

106 E. MAIN ST. FREDERICKSBURG, TX

830.990.8900

zertz.com @zertzfbg zertztagram/

124

Rock&Vine

LIFE IS GOOD YELLOW BOX SPERRY HAUTE SHORE BAGS BRÜMATE DAYDREAMER TEES BIRKENSTOCK RAY-BAN KENDRA SCOTT DEAR JOHN

finale weekend of our year-long tribute. The festivities will include events like a cowboy cookout, dances, historical ceremonies, Main Street parade, fireworks and more. Learn about Fredericksburg history and get the most up-to-date schedule of events at 175TH.ORG

FREE PEOPLE Z SUPPLY PJ SALVAGE ALEX AND ANI SANUK STEVE MADDEN KUT

Photo compliments of Gillespie County Historical Society

1903 July 4th Parade on Main Street Sincere thanks to the generous sponsors who are making the Fredericksburg 175th anniversary year possible.

See 175th.org/sponsors for details.

Yee Haw Ranch Outfitters

3915 HWY 290 E. • Fredericksburg www.yeehawranch.com • 830-998-2079 WINTER 21-22 125

FREDERICKSBURG General Store TEXAS

Your Fredericksburg Souvenir Headquarters We have something for everyone. Open seven days a week, earlier and later than most others.

126

Rock&Vine

143 E. Main St. ~ 830.990.4100 www.fbgEnEralStorE.coM

Proud member of

WINTER 21-22 127

Grape minds

think alike JUST LIKE YOU MAKE AND SERVE THE BEST WINE, WE ARE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS.

At SWBC Insurance Services, we are focused on providing customized insurance coverage to protect wineries and/or vineyard operations—so they can focus on their craft. When we partnered with Chris Brundrett, we knew our shared value of excellence would help us form a strong, lasting partnership.

Visit or call one of our Hill Country experts today to learn more about how we can find the best coverage for your winery, vineyard, or brewery.

C.W. Lees SWBC Insurance Services Commercial Lines Producer

Cell: 830.307.4202 Email: clees@swbc.com

“At William Chris Vineyards, we work hard to provide the best possible customer experience every day. We strive to be the very best at what we do and having a great partner like SWBC, who understands our goals, makes a big difference. It’s clear they care about us and our success, and we’re proud to work with them.”

Monty Melcher

—Chris Brundrett | Co-Founder and Winemaker, William Chris Vineyards

609 N. Llano Street, Fredericksburg, TX 78264

SWBC Insurance Services Commercial Lines Producer 924 Jefferson Street. #4, Kerrville, TX 78028 Cell: 830.285.5439 Email: mmelcher@swbc.com

©2020 SWBC. All Rights Reserved. 1045-A8529 04/20

128

Rock&Vine

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WINTER 21-22 129

END

notes

Recipes and provided by ASHLEY ODOM, FEAST & MERRIMENT Photos by REBEKAH SELLERS, SNAPDRAGON PHOTOGRAPHY

CARAMEL BACON BOURBON POPCORN 5 quarts plain popped corn (freshly air-popped recommended.) ½ - 1 lb thick cut bacon chopped, fried to just about crispy and well drained 1 cup butter 2 cups brown sugar ½ cup light corn syrup or 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon baking soda 3 oz bourbon (we used Garrison Bros., but any favorite will do) Preheat your oven to 250º.

Melt 1 cup of butter over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar, corn syrup and sea salt and then stir until boiling at the edges. Lower the heat slightly and let boil until the caramel is 250º. Remove from heat and add the baking soda and bourbon.

Mix caramel with popcorn in a large metal bowl and once fully incorporated, stir in the bacon. Place popcorn on a pan with parchment paper and put into the preheated oven for about 45 minutes to an hour, mixing with high heat spatula every 10-15 minutes to keep the popcorn coated.

Once done, cool and break into pieces. Enjoy!

POMEGRANATE GINGER SPARKLER 1 cup sugar ¼ cup finely minced peeled ginger 1 bottle (750 ml) prosecco or other dry sparkling wine 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses 1 small bottle of pomegranate juice Instructions Combine the sugar, 1 cup water and the ginger in a saucepan over medium-low heat; allow to come to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Remove from the heat and let the ginger syrup cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup and discard the ginger.

To champagne coupes, add 1oz ginger simple syrup and 1 tsp pomegranate molasses into each cup. Top with splash of pomegranate juice and stir to combine. Top with bubbles and garnish with candied ginger or candied cranberries. Saluti!

130

Rock&Vine

Fredericksburg’s first one-stop destination to sip, savor + stay.

An elevated tasting room experience featuring English Newsom Cellars.

Sitting on 140 acres located on the Pedernales River. The Resort features on-site cottages for rent, The Edge tasting room, a five-story wine memberexclusive Tower, a seasonal food menu, incredible water features, golf putting green, and much more.

English Newsom Cellars is proud to be 100% Texasgrown, with one of the largest production facilities in the state. From the stem of the vine to the stem of the glass, each English Newsom wine is carefully crafted in the heart of the Texas High Plains.

T H E E D G E | T H E T O W E R | T H E C OT TA G E S | THE STORE | THE MARKET | THE CELLAR Discover more at www.TheResortAtFredericksburg.com

WINTER 21-22 131

We don’t just sell the Texas Hill Country…

WE LIVE HERE.

Since 1965, Fredericksburg Realty has been known as the premier real estate brokerage firm in the Texas Hill Country. Over the years, we’ve helped families and investors discover the property of their dreams, from second homes to sprawling ranches and everything in between. Clean country air. Rolling green pastures. Breathtaking golden sunsets. Discover what could be, from our family to yours.

8 3 0 - 9 97- 6 5 3 1 F R E D E R I C K S B U R G R E A LT Y.CO M 132

Rock&Vine