Happenings at TWC

Carl’s Corner in Review for 2021
At year’s end it is rewarding to look back over the topics included in Carl’s Corner posts over the past 12 months. Twenty-five posts covered a range of topics that are summarized below. Unfortunately, I missed one publication date (03-15) due to hip replacement surgery. There was a 2020 summary post (12-21) that noted topics covered during the difficult 2020. Hopefully, during this more “normal” 2021, you have enjoyed the stories and the information provided has both enlightened and entertained. Here’s a look back at Carl’s Corner - 2021. Continue »

Paying It Forward: We Did It Again!
Since starting our TWC “Paying It Forward” program, we’ve asked our members and guests to help us out, but this time our team did it on our own. Read on to find out what we’ve been up to. Continue »

Cheese Burgers for the Holidays (Dec-2021)
With crazy Texas weather, it can be short sleeve warm or insulated parka cold in late November and December. If warm weather presents itself during the holiday season, backyard grilling can be fun. Continue »

Holiday Wine Selections – Nov-Dec, 2021
It seems amazing that it is Thanksgiving week, already. And Christmas and the New Year are just a few weeks away. Where has this year gone? We’ve had opportunities to enjoy and share a lot of good wines and good times in 2021, and now it’s time to consider wines that will accompany those special dinners and fun gatherings with family and friends. Here are some suggestions from the Texas Wine Collective portfolio that should brighten and enhance your holidays. Continue »

Tannins in Red Wines
When hosting wine tasting sessions at Texas Wine Collective, a question often asked is “What are tannins in wine, and why are they there?” I was reminded of this when a friend sent me a tasting note posted on www.cellartracker.com website comparing tannin qualities from two different Texas producers – basically, the taster complained about too much tannin in one producer’s wines. Being a subject that my friend and I had recently experienced and discussed, it seemed like a good topic for Carl’s Corner. Continue »

Turkey Day Pairings: What’s on the Table?
I have fond memories of Thanksgiving meals with my extended family. Both of my grandmothers were talented cooks who spent much of their days (holiday or not) in their kitchens, making bread and preserves, “putting up” fruits and vegetables, and creating filling meals that made all of us unbutton our pants when the meal was done. Continue »

October: A Month of Giving at TWC
In July, I announced our new “Pay It Forward” initiative at TWC, a program that allows us to give back to our community by donating to several local nonprofits on an annual basis. We kicked off the program in July and August and gave a portion of our sales to the Hill Country Community Needs Council’s Backpacks for Kids program. Continue »

Funky Food and Wine Pairings: Another Year of Thinking Beyond Cheese
Remember when the pandemic first started and things came to a halt? Well, it was during these slow, confusing times that GM Dave challenged some of our TWC team members to come up with new experiences for our customers who would be more than ready to enjoy wine and have some fun when everything opened up again. My brain got to work, and I presented him with 12 months of food and wine pairings: cupcakes and wine, donuts and wine, popcorn and wine, farmers market fruits and wine. These were some of my ideas that he gently turned down. Continue »

Texas Cheese and Wine Experience (Oct-2021)
The Texas Cheese and Wine Experience in the comfortable boardroom at Texas Wine Collective is available every day, by reservation. Groups of 2-12 make reservations online (www.texaswinecollective.com) and gather at the appointed time (11:00, 1:00, 2:30, or 4:00) to experience a pairing of 5 Texas cheeses with 5 Texas wines from the TWC partner wineries: Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery, and McPherson Cellars. Most Saturdays, I have the privilege to host these pairings, and while sharing with a wonderful group of ladies from Houston this past Saturday (9-Oct-2021), an inspiration came to me to write about this special cheese and wine pairing opportunity. Continue »