© 2013 The Texas Lawbook.
By Patricia Baldwin
Lifestyle Writer for The Texas Lawbook
(MARCH 11) — Greg Blair’s love affair with wine began innocently enough early in the new millennium with the winning bid for a wine tasting at a fundraising auction for an Austin school. Then, in 2009, a new position took the attorney and his family to Portland, Ore. One day, he noticed Portland Monthly magazine’s cover story about the 50 best regional wines. He realized he had found more than a hobby. He had discovered a lifestyle – his personal terroir.
“One of the things I’m proudest of is my blue collar background,” he says. He joined the military after high school, which later helped support him through college and law school at the University of Texas at Austin.
He adds that wine is an easy hobby to like. Why (besides the obvious)? His short list: 1. There is no “right” or “wrong.” It’s about what you like. 2. It doesn’t require a lot of equipment. 3. You can enjoy wine with people of all levels of expertise. Well, yes, he allows, the hobby can get a bit expensive at times – but you can enjoy learning about wine on a budget, too.
And after a vacation in France and Italy, his wife, Phara, shares his enthusiasm. In fact, when her husband was traveling for business, she transformed a room in their home into a “wine room.” The centerpiece is a refrigerator featuring some 300 of their favorite bottles.
“He’s brought me along,” she says. “I had never been a wine drinker. Now, we like a lot of the same wines.”
At the top of that “favorite” list are wines from Portrait Cellars, a small family winery (12-acre vineyard) on Red Mountain near Benton City, Wash. Perhaps it’s the lawyer connection. Ed Shaw, who owns the winery with his wife, Eve, practiced law in Seattle until they planted the vineyard in 1997.
“I run across an awful lot of lawyers who are into wine,” Shaw says, adding that Portrait Cellars is unique because they only sell by appointment. “My wife and I spend time with customers and talk about wine. A lot of customers, like Greg, have become good friends.”
Blair acknowledges a bias for the reds of the Pacific Northwest. Also on his list of favorites are three wineries in Walla Walla, Wash.: Abeja, Amavi Cellars and Five Star Cellars.
His suggestion for a good value in a California wine label: Bridesmaid Wines.
Tip: It’s often best to deal locally because there are complex interstate liquor laws, and some wine clubs can’t ship to Texas. Short-term wine clubs also make great gifts for friends and relatives you are introducing to your wine hobby.
“It’s a never ending journey and search,” Blair says. “The wines I love today might taste completely different next year. My goal is to continue to go to as many wine growing regions as I can.”
Blair yields to Benjamin Franklin for a final word. A key figure in the American Revolution – and well known for many talents – Franklin wrote about wine and spirits. One of his often-quoted messages: “Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions, and more tolerance.”
BEST WINE LISTS
The recent “Top 100 Wine Lists in the U.S.” from restaurant reservation website OpenTable includes four Texas establishments: Max’s Wine Dive in Austin, San Antonio and Dallas; Mercy Wine Bar in Addison near Dallas and the Tasting Room @ City Centre in Houston. The list spans 25 states and Washington, D.C. Not surprisingly, California has the greatest number of winners with 17.
What’s your favorite wine? In your opinion, which Texas restaurant has the best wine list? Have you taken a vacation that focused on food and-or wine? Please email patricia.baldwin@texaslawbook.net.
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