One day recently, after sampling a slew of great Bordeaux wines from the 2021 vintage, bottles with labels that any for-real oenophile would recognize in an instant, I signed off for the evening with an obeidy from Chateau Oumsiyat. By any measure, it more than held its own with the iconic labels of Bordeaux.

Only the most serious and worldly of oenophiles would know without going to Google that obeidy is an indigenous white grape from Lebanon, one of the oldest wine-growing regions on the planet. But, if Sam Jaoude’s hunch proves correct, lots of Texans will soon be familiar with not just obeidy but also meksassi, merwah and sobbagiegh. All, of course, are varietals native to the country, particularly the high Bekka Valley, where the terroir couldn’t be more ideal for growing world-class fruit.

“They have 300 days of sun, nice breezes off Mediterranean, limestone in the soil and reservoirs of clean water,” Jaoude said. “It’s perfect.”

A proud Lebanese-American who originally moved to Texas to sell pharmaceuticals a decade or so ago, he then began importing foods from Lebanon and that led him to take the obvious next step — wine. He built a carefully culled portfolio of tiny wine producers, some 15 in all, with significant logistics support and financial assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development. (http://usaid.gov).

Two Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo International Wine Competitions later, the wines have collected a slew of medals, including three golds in the 2022 judging and another two last November. The Atibaia Red Blend from the Batroun District has gone two-for-two, winning golds for both the 2014 and 2015 vintages.

The only problem for Jaoude has been getting the bottles into local consumers’ cellars. But that’s about to change in a big way. You can soon expect to see a smattering of Jaoude’s wines on the shelf in Central Market and H-E-B stores. The aforementioned Oumsiyat Obeidy, from the 2021 vintage, is already for sale at the Phoenicia stores. Both fruity and flowery with traces of exotic spice, it’s a steal for $19.99.

“It’s all about creating good partnerships,” Jaoude said.

And, of course, bringing in great wines, then educating the public. Fortunately, many of Jaoude’s are blends of vinifera grapes we all know well, particularly the varietals favored by the French. Some believe cabernet sauvignon, merlot, et. al., were first domesticated in what’s now Lebanon more than 2,000 years ago, but they were probably brought by the Phoenicians from the South Caucasius  via Mesopotamia or the Black Sea.

The Israelite prophet Hosea (780–725 BC) is said to have urged his followers to return to God so that “they will blossom . . . like the wine of Lebanon, (and) their fragrance will be like that of Lebanon”.

The Lebanese Rodeo gold medalists follow. Detailed information on the wineries can be found at http://lebanonwines.com. And you’ll find all the medalists at  rodeohouston.com/rodeo-uncorked-wine.

• 2014/15 Atibaia Red Blend Batroun District.
• 2018 Chateau Mont D’Almaz Red Blend.
• 2020 Karam Maison Red
• 2019 Muse du Liban Chateau Ainata Rouge des Cedres Cabernet Sauvignon

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . Patrick Mahomes

He should have been a Texan, dammit! Instead, the Chiefs traded up to pluck him away before Houston had a chance to call his name. Still, at the time, it seemed an OK tradeoff. DeSean Watson looked to be no slouch, either, coming off a national championship at Clemson while Mahomes had quarterbacked only decent teams at Texas Tech. And Mahomes wouldn’t start as a rookie in 2017, instead playing behind and learning from the veteran Alex Smith. However, when he finally took over . . . Geez Louise! A first-team All Pro in 2018, he’s off to the best start of any quarterback in NFL history save for perhaps the GOAT himself, Tom Brady, leading KC to three Super Bowls and five consecutive AFC title games. At least there’s some solace in knowing the Texans now have C.J. Stroud under center instead of the Watson, who had talent but couldn’t have been more of an off-the-field disaster.

Pouring one out for . . . David Casstevens

David and I were colleagues and confidantes at the Houston Post from 1972 through 1980. I inherited the Oilers beat from him in 1976 when he received a much-deserved promotion to columnist, so we got to cover the Luv ya Blue Oilers together. I’ve never worked with a better writer, or one who suffered so much while scripting what ultimately was always the perfect column. My favorite memory — among dozens — was entering his room at the Pittsburgh Greentree Marriott the day before the first Oilers-Steelers AFC Championship Game matchup in January 1979. It was littered with crumpled-up pages, at least 20 false starts for what would, of course, become a delightful read in the end. We stayed close for the next 30 years, me writing columns for the Post and then the Houston Chronicle while he wrote columns for the Dallas Morning News and the Arizona Republic, before returning to his roots with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. But we had drifted apart in recent years and I blame myself fully for that. Sadly, David passed away recently. RIP, DC.

H-Town happenings

Tastings Every Saturday at French Country Wines: Noon-5 p.m. Free. http://frenchcountrywines.com

Tastings Every Wednesday at Montrose Cheese & Wine: 5-7 p.m. Free. http://montrosecheeseandwine.com

Symposium Saturdays: 4-5 p.m. at Stella’s Wine Bar in the Post Oak Hotel. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Brovia Barolo Estate Showcase with Elena Brovia and Alex Sanchez: 5 p.m. Tuesday at AOC Selections. $95. http://aocselections.com/products/brovia-vertical-tasting

Brovia wine dinner: Thursday, Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m., at Ostia. $180. http://eventbrite.com

Red wines from our cellar pairing dinner: Thursday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m. $105. http://eventbrite.com

Romantic Wine Pairing Experience: Tuesday, Feb. 13, at Stella’s Wine Bar. $45. http://eventbrite.com

Charcuterie Workshop and Wine Tasting: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 at JMP Wines Tasting Room. http://event.brite.com

Wine Tasting Soirée: 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, at Postino Montrose. Free. http://eventbrite.com

Wine Down Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, at The Library. $25. http://eventbrite.com

Follow me

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

X: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts. That’s me with my sidekick Jeremy Parzen above.

Friends of mine to follow

Sandra Crittenden: http://winelifehousthon.com

Russ Kane: http://vintagetexas.com

Jeffrey Kralik: http://drunkencyclist.com

Katrina Rene: http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com

Bubbles

Presto Prosecco

From the winemaker: “Light straw in color with bright yellow highlights, it offers aromas of peach blossom, apple and pear and has a fruity bouquet with a hint of apple and minerality. Delicate notes of peach and pear with a fine perlage.”

From me: It’s a classic aperitif sparkler made from well-sourced glera fruit grown in the Veneto. No further analysis needed. Drink and enjoy!

$13.99 at Whole Foods

Stella Rosa Prosecco DOC Treviso

From the winemaker: “Flavors of bosc pear, yellow apple and lemon. Pairs well with fruit tarts, pies and brunch.” 

From me: Like the Presto, it’s a wine to be enjoyed and not overthought even on cold, gray winter days. However, do note that these bubbles, made from Treviso-grown fruit, earned a 95-point score, a gold medal and Best-of-Class honors at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition.

$14.49 at Spec’s

White

2022 Stout Family Granny Rae Sauvignon Blanc

From the winemaker: “Rich Floral aromas of passion fruit surrounded by citrus lime and grapefruit zest and a slight nutty undertones. Youthful hints of citrus elements combining with neutral French oak aging, created this round and delicious wine with a slightly tart finish. Crisp, dry and clean.”

From me: When I first started writing about wine for the Houston Chronicle, I made it a point to meet Guy Stout, who had recently earned his Master Sommelier lapel pin. We’ve been buddies ever since, but that doesn’t color my opinion about his excellent wines, made in partnership since the 2013 vintage with Napa Valley icon Tom Rinaldi. This is a world-class savignon blanc, truly one of the best I’ve ever tasted, that’s offered at a most affordable price. Kudos to Stout’s Napa Valley-based son Ian for keeping his hands on the reins out there.  

$28 at http://aocselections.com

2019 Diatom Bar-M Chardonnay

From the winemaker: “Like a pent-up wave just about to break, rich and luxurious fruit is harnessed in by bracing acidity and precision. Lemon, citrus blossom, and wet sand on the nose. Precise and balanced textures. Impeccably clean, focused and transportive to the maritime landscape from which the wine emerges. Saline, white peach flavors.”

From Jeb Dunnuck, who scored it a 93: “A rich, medium to full-bodied chardonnay with a killer texture, nicely integrated acidity and a great finish. It gives up a juicy, vibrant nose of tart pineapple, citrus, and honeyed flowers. Pairing wonderfully fresh, complex aromatics with plenty of oomph and richness on the palate, this beautiful chardonnay is ideal for drinking over the coming four to five years.”

From me: Made with grapes sourced from 20-plus-year-old vineyards in Santa Barbara County’s under-appreciated Los Alamos region, where the sandy loam soils give the fruit more flesh and weight, it’s surprises the palate, being neither predictably Burgundian nor Californian in flavor. Winemaker Greg Brewer always thinks outside the box.

$22.99 at Kroger (West Gray)

Pink

Espiral Vinho Rosé

From the winemaker: “Fresh aromas of pineapple and strawberry leads to a palate rich with acidity, peaches and citrus fruit.”

From the Reverse Wine Snob, which scored a 6 of a 10-point scale but a 10 for value: “Opens with aromas of strawberry and watermelon jello, some citrus notes and fruit punch. It’s sweet but not overwhelmingly so. The fruit turns a bit more tart when tasting along with continued citrus notes, strawberry and watermelon. It finishes a bit short, but it would certainly be refreshing on a hot day.”

From me: Or a cold one, which we’ve had a few of lately. It’s a non-vintage pink wine that’s shockingly good at this price point. You’d think the bottle alone would cost this much, never mind the shipping charges.  

$4.99 at Trader Joe’s

Red

2018 Marchesi di Barolo

From the winemaker: “Garnet-red color with ruby highlights. Intense perfume with clean scents of ripe fruit, dog roses, tobacco and spices. Full, elegant and austere flavor with a good body and lingering hints of the olfactory sensations.”

From Decanter, which scored it a 94: “Density of fruit in the mouth with sweet red berries, dried herbs and earthy notes. Stunning intensity. Broad and suave, it has weighty concentrated fruit without excessive extraction with dusty texture to the finish.”

From me: Don’t just take my word for it. This was the 2024 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo’s grand-champion red wine. I was delighted to hear the news because I’ve gotten to know the Abbona family, whose roots in Barolo date to the early 19th century. They’re super people with a super lineup of wines. And what a superb price for a Barolo. Thank you, Spec’s!

$49.97 at Spec’s

2020 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas

From the winemaker: “Rich and hearty mouthfeel with notes of red fruits and aromatic herbs (basil and laurel). A mineral-rich and elegant wine associated with notes of truffles and flowers showing a gorgeously long finish.”

From Vinous, which scored it a 96: “Dark magenta. Vibrant cherry, raspberry and lavender aromas show excellent clarity and a spicy white pepper hint. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, it displays expansive red fruit and spice cake flavors with a subtle touch of candied licorice. Closes sappy and impressively long, with resonating floral and red fruit notes and gentle tannins that build slowly.”

From me: A classic blend of grenache (78 percent) and syrah (14 percent) plus cinsault and mourvèdre, this is Michel Faraud’s only wine. His vineyard plots are scattered throughout the Gigondas appellation, but the most prized fruit comes from the Col du Cayron, which is 1,500 feet above sea level in the Dentelles that rise behind the village. He ages the juice for a couple of years in giant old oak foudres. No new oak for him!

$43.59 at Spec’s

1. Blog on a more regular basis, dropping at least three per month.
2. Well, at least two.
3. Make it back to Napa and Sonoma, and the Texas Hill Country. Especially the Hill Country. It’s close and there’s a lot of good folks in the trenches fighting the good fight in the face of drought everywhere, and Dicamba in the High Plains.
4. Resume doing group blind tastings. There’s no better way to judge wine and I love the personal interaction.
5. Become even more of a regular at Porta’Vino. Superb food and great value — still no entrees over $29 — and BYOB, although Bill Floyd’s small, splendidly curated wine list beats every place in town hands-down price-wise.
6. Call bullshit more often on ridiculous wine-pricing markups. Except I rarely frequent the ripoff artists, and we have plenty, unless I’m invited.
7. Find a way to schedule more tastings at the Alliance Francaise in our nicely redone — or at least repainted — salon. The late, great Bear Dalton made the Alliance an important gathering place for local oenophiles and we sorely miss him. (I say we because I’m the president of the board of directors.)
8. Broaden my wine-drinking horizons although my doctor would probably recommend doing the opposite. But, as Willie Nelson is wont to remind us, “There are more drunks than there are old doctors so, brother, let’s have another round.” Hey, Willie just turned 90. I’ll have what he’s having . . . except the stuff that has to be smoked. All in gummies, however. The wines pictured above? I’ve never tasted any of them, but that’s going to change over the next few days, er weeks.
9. Expend more energy badgering producers to go to screwcaps. For 99 percent of the wine produced annually, they makes way more sense.
10. Dig even deeper than I already have into Italy’s Piemonte, my favorite wine region on the planet. Especially the new Nizza DOCG, where the once lowly barbera is attaining Grand Cru status. I’m excited about leading a http://gourmettours.biz trek through that beautiful region in late May/early June. Still have two spots open, folks!

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . the Texans

Whether or not they make the playoffs, and it all comes down to their game against the Colts in Indianapolis Saturday, this season has been a stunning success. C. J. Stroud is having one of the finest rookie seasons ever for an NFL quarterback despite playing behind an injury-decimated offensive line, and Will Anderson Jr. has already broken J. J. Watt’s franchise rookie record for sacks. (Right, blasphemy!) There’s no question that DeMeco Ryans deserves serious consideration for coach-of-the-year honors. And it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of guys, starting with DeMeco himself. I loved conversing with him as a player back in the day.

H-Town happenings

Tastings Every Saturday at French Country Wines: Noon-5 p.m. Free. http://frenchcountrywines.com

Tastings Every Wednesday at Montrose Cheese & Wine: 5-7 p.m. Free. http://montrosecheeseandwine.com

Tastings Every Thursday at Cueva in the Marriott Marquis Houston: 6:30-7:30 p.m. $40 http://eventbrite.com

Symposium Saturdays: 4-5 p.m. at Stella’s Wine Bar in the Post Oak Hotel. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Truly Greek, Truly Unique wine tasting: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18. at JMP Wine Tasting Room http://eventbrite.com

Texas Wine Market: Noon-4 p.m. Jan. 24. Bluebonnet Tasting Room, 401 Commerce St., Tomball, $30 presale, $40 at the door. https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLF89X8DCFFR0/checkout/SSO7TMRRWB7F5JCKE44MGPDX

Red wines from our cellar pairing dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, at Atkins House. http://eventbrite.com

Follow me

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

X: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts. A new one, hosted by Jeremy Parzen (yep, that’s us pictured above, sharing a bottle of Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco in the Piemonte), will be dropping over the weekend. You can follow Parzen’s own blog at http://dobianchi.com. (Huge kudos to Jeremy and his wife Tracy for continuing to fight the good fight against a heinous neo-Confederate “monument” marring the landscape in her home town of Orange.)

Friends of mine to follow

Sandra Crittenden: http://winelifehousthon.com

Russ Kane: http://vintagetexas.com

Jeffrey Kralik: http://drunkencyclist.com

Katrina Rene: http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com

Updated 12-30

I’m closing out what has been a wonderful 12 months of swirling and sipping on two continents with a typically eclectic array of wines, three of which hail from Texas and all of which I have enjoyed recently. And I’m especially happy to report that, with New Year’s Eve less than a week away, my four sparklers can all be found on shelves locally.

Here’s wishing everyone a splendid 2024. Cheers!

Bubbles

Frerejean Freres Grande Réserve

From the winemaker: “Our signature wine is a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir aged for a minimum of five years, producing an elegant Champagne that embodies the richness of the Frerejean Frères terroir. Low brut dosage and late disgorgement mean that it’s both balanced and generous.”

From me: Brothers Guillaume, Richard and Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger struck out on their own a few years back, leaving the giant Taittinger brand to other members of the iconic Champagne family. They’re boutique growers and producers in every sense of the term, although their intention wasn’t to reject their famous heritage. Their wine satisfies at a savory price.

$59.84 at Spec’s

Madame Zéro Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru

From the winemaker: “All fruit that we grow is from one village, the iconic village of Vertus in the champagne region of France, and derived from 47-year-old vines. We grow beautiful chardonnay, so we focus on singularity and aging four times longer than traditional champagne. We don’t need the added sugars normally found in champagne to achieve balance like many of the large brands. We are the first champagne house to include nutrition facts on the label out of France.”

From me: Healthy bubbles? Hey, count me in. “House” founder Matthew Massey (quoted above by Texas Lifestyles Magazine) may have grown up on Galveston island, but it didn’t take him long to grasp the glories of champagne after he’d made good money working in the energy sector. As a fitness buff, Massey felt compelled to deliver a low-cal sparkler that can run with the big dogs. He succeeded . . . and then took things to an even higher level with his 2013 vintage brut “Mille,” featured below.

$63.64 at Spec’s

2013 Madame Zéro Grande Vintage “Mille”

From the winemaker: “Offers a delightful nose of honeycomb, lemon zest, and white flower. On the palate, this Champagne exhibits exceptional structure with a silky mousse, chalky minerality, and crisp acidity. The deep and elegant character unfolds in layers, showcasing stone fruits such as peach and apricot, accompanied by fresh lemon, white raspberry, and honeysuckle notes that linger on the long, elegant finish. “Mille” promises to evolve beautifully with time, with its crisp acidity and fine structure maturing and flourishing over 10 to 20-plus years of cellaring. True to the progressive and transparent foundation of Madame Zéro, the our vintage sparkler is also ultra-low sugar with less than half a gram per glass, and openly provides nutrition info on the label.”

From me: The hand-picked fruit, 85 percent chardonnay and the rest pinor noir, grew on 45-year-old vines in Vertus. Aged for more than nine years on the lees, the wine is equal parts complex and in-your-face delicious. Why “Mille?” Only 1,000 bottles were made, and 300 of them come in gorgeous gift boxes largely hand-crafted by Massey’s dad. These bubbles check all the boxes at fair price, given the exquisite quality.

$200 at Central Market

Gran Moraine Brut Rosé

From the winemaker: “Aromas of strawberry shortcake, canned pear, white peach, lightly toasted broiche, and rose petals. The palate flirts with tangerine, kumquat, nectarine on the finish with warm watermelon rind and lemon meringue pie. Balanced fatness and acidity on the texture, vibrant and exceptionally clean all the way through to the finish, phenomenally precise.”

From the Wine Spectator, which scored it a 94: “A rare domestic rosé that captures the vibrant acidity of Champagne, offering delicate strawberry, raspberry flavors laced with steely minerality and sprinkle of graham cracker on the finish.”

From me: It’s a classic Champagne blend of estate-grown pinot noir and chardonnay with a bit of pinot meunier too from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Shane Moore, who has been at Gran Moraine since 2013 after working in cellars all over the world, from Western Australia to the Golan Heights. took charge of the winemaking in 2016. He’s known for picking his fruit early, explaining “that’s how I was going to achieve the tension and energy that I was seeking from my wines.”

$52.60 at Spec’s

WHITE

2021 Cormorant Cellars White Blend

From me: Charlie Gilmore blended the certified organic grenache blanc (64 percent) and marsanne from Preston Family Vineyards deep in the Dry Creek Valley, during fermentation to “combine the aromas of the wine early in its life.” Like all of Gilmore’s offerings, fermented primarily in 7-year-old barrels, it was bottled unfined and unfiltered and could easily pass as a fine white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This is a superb first-vintage effort at every level from a winemaker best known for his sauvignon blancs. And it comes in at only 12.9 percent alcohol, perfect for an apero.

$27 at http://cormorantcellars.com/purchase

2020 Saint Tryphon Clement Sangiovese

From the winemaker: “The wine is supple and fresh, with red plum and dusty cherry lead the charge, and a pleasant floral character and smooth, lively tannins, too. I was aiming for this wine to fall somewhere between a Brunello di Montalcino and a DOCG Chianti. It is broad, but not too big, embracing vivacity over power.”

From me: The quote above from Silouan Branford, Saint Tryphon’s owner-winemaker, was shared by Russ Kane in his http://vintagetexas.com. The “Texas Wineslinger” also shared the wine, bless him. The Brunello clone fruit from Neal Newsom’s High Plains vineyard was subjected to wild fermentation and thrice daily punch-downs. One barrel aged in new French oak.

$45 at http://sainttryphon.com

RED

2018 Rouge Bleu Lunatique

From me: Winemaker Caroline Jones, who hails from Australia, worked only with grenache from Rhone Valley floor vines, most of them growing in Sainte Cecille between Gigondas and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, that were planted in 1910. The “lunatic” reference relates to the fact that the grapes are biodynamically farmed, not to either Jones’ or her French husband Thomas Bertrand’s mental state. The wine is equal parts powerful and elegant.

$53 at French Country Wines

2020 Tenuta Luce LaVite Lucente

From the winemaker: “The nose is rich in black fruits such as blueberries and blackberries, accompanied by a light balsamic and pan brioché note. The palate is soft supported by a nice freshness, with enveloping tannins and a long fruity aftertaste.”

From James Suckling, who scored it a 93: “A rich and flavorful red showing subtle cocoa powder, roasted spices, cassis and sweet berries. Juicy and medium- to full-bodied on the palate with fine tannins and a long, polished finish.”

From me: A beautiful intersection of quality and value, this one. It will pair splendidly with haute cuisine or hamburgers. Interestingly, the winery was initially a visionary collaboration between Vittorio Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi plus their sons Lamberto and Tim respectively. Lamberto took charge by his lonesome when the Mondavi family pulled out of the partnership in 2005.

$23.99 at http://wine.com

2021 C. L. Butaud Cease & Desist Red Blend

From the winemaker: “For the Cease & Desist wines we have made here in Texas, we start with a base of our flagship tempranillo, tipping our hat to the red blends of Spain from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Toro, et al. Blended in the past with syrah and mourvèdre, these wines have been voluptuous, showstopper wines, with my artistic focus based more on the hedonistic pleasure of drinking robust and velvety wines.”

From me: Houston native Randy Hester began Ceast & Desist as a California project, with grenache front and center. But that variety struggles in Texas so Hester deftly shifted gears. Note that it comes a very heavy bottle, often a marketing tactic that confers gravitas to wines that lack same. Not in this case, folks.  

$48 at http://clbutaud.com

2021 Juggernaut Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

From the winemaker: “Aromatics of cherries, raspberries, ripe strawberries, caramelized brown sugar with an element of earth and subtle black tea leaf. Flavors of plush red fruits, red plum, rich viscosity and lingering vanilla bean and baking spices.”

From me: Juggernaut says its wines “harness the power of nature to produce robust, compelling wines.” Exhibit A would be this pinot, which spent an average of 12 months in both new and used oak. It packs a lot of flavor — vanilla is prominent — without being overly tannic.

$21.99 at http://wine.com

2017 RIVENYATES Kerrville Hills

From me: John Rivenburgh, who purchased Kerrville Hills in 2018, earned a reputation as a tannat savant during his previous tenure at Bending Branch Winery, which he and Dr. Robert Young co-founded in 2009. Ron Yates, in turn, may be Texas’ greatest champion of the tempranillo grape. Being good friends, they pooled their passions, became “co-conspirators” and created this truly unique bright red gem of a Texas High Plains wine. It opens slowly but closes fast.

$60 at http://kerrvillehillswinery.com

Which is to say, in Italian, the whole world is a country, and a small one at that. The last time Jeremy Parzen and I convened for a podcast, I brought up a favorite new wine of mine, the Smith-Madrone Riesling, which you read about in my most recent “Sippin’ with Sporty” blog. Well, as it happens, Julie Ann Kodmur, who is married to Stu Smith — yep, the Smith in Smith-Madrone — grew up in the same La Jolla neighborhood where Parzen’s family lived. In his words, she “was like a big sister to me.” And, he added, “Julie Ann was just enough older than me to be my baby-sitter.”

Damn.

But then last week I received an email from the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo announcing the winners of its International Wine Competition. In a field of 2,985 wines representing 22 countries, Smith-Madrone’s 2018 Riesling had earned Reserve Grand Champion honors.

Damn again.

Full disclosure: Best as I can recall, I’d somehow never crossed paths with a Napa Valley riesling — never mind one that made me say, “Wow!” — before my fortuitous meeting with the Smith-Madrone, which drinks like a great Alsatian or Mosel riesling.

The fruit grows on the vertiginous Spring Mountain above St. Helena, a place I’d always associated with chardonnay because of the historic Stony Hill Winery located nearby. And you can’t get any higher on Spring Mountain than Smith-Madrone, whose vines grow at elevations of 1,200 to 1,900 feet — and above the fog line, as shown above.

Stuart Smith took a hike through the forests up there in 1970. It was love at first sight, and height. In only a year’s time, he had founded his winery and, in 1973, brother Charlie came on board. (The Smiths are pictured here.) The first vintage put in the bottle was 1977. And, in 1996, Stuart and Kodmur were married. A year later, she launched the marketing/consulting firm (http://julieannkodmur.com) that she still runs all by her lonesome.

So who’s Madrone, you ask? It’s neither a he nor a she but rather a tree species that grows prolifically on Spring Mountain.

Kodmur apologizes for not remembering anything wild and crazy about her childhood friendship with Parzen. “We lived two or three blocks apart on Avenida Cresta,” she said. “Our mothers were close friends, so we saw a lot of each other. We’d go down to the tide pools . . . ride bikes . . . just had fun.” Yet, serendipitously and fortuitously, they both ended up in the business of promoting wine despite educational detours. She would earn a Master’s in art history; he a Doctorate in Italian, which he speaks fluently.

Besides, obviously, Smith-Madrone, Kodmur’s clients include Aridus, Castello di Amorosa, BARRA of Mendocino, Notre Vue Estate, Kelly Fleming Winery, Silver Trident Winery, Hawk and Horse Vineyards, Calla Lily Estate, Meyye, Appellation St. Helena, Spring Mountain District Association and, on a pro bono basis, the Sunrise Horse Rescue, Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch, Nimbus Arts and The Cameo Cinema.

I hope to visit the Smiths and Kodmur in Napa before the 2024 Rodeo (February 27-March 17) and further explore their beautiful story. Also, I haven’t been on Spring Mountain since before the disastrous 2020 Glass Fire and I will likely find it a different place than I remember with such fondness. Fortunately, Smith-Madrone suffered no catastrophic infrastructure losses unlike several of their neighbors, but their forests were devastated. And many trees that didn’t burn had to be felled to prevent future catastrophes.

Smith said of his massive logging effort after the conflagration: “It breaks my heart to do this. The area where the timber is coming from was a beautiful Douglas fir forest. Now it’s not. To protect ourselves and the mountain, we need these trees gone.”

His mantra today? “Fire-safe farming.” Brilliant. Like his riesling.

The 2024 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition champions, determined during a weekend of judging in mid-November, are listed below. To see the medalists, go to http://rodeohouston.com/rodeo-uncorked-wine.

• Grand Champion Best of Show – Beau Joie Brut Champagne AOC, NV
• Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show – 2018 Smith-Madrone Riesling, Spring Mountain District
• Top Texas Wine – 2021 Meierstone Vineyards The Airship Red, Texas High Plains
• Top Red Wine – 2018 Marchesi di Barolo DOCG
• Top White Wine – 2022 Perissos Vineyards and Winery Winemaker’s Reserve Pape Blanc, Texas High Plains
• Top Sparkling Wine – Champagne Telmont Reserve Brut Champagne AOC, NV
• Top Dessert Wine – 2020 Quady Winery Essensia Orange Muscat, California
• Top Region Wine – 2022 TerraNoble CA1 Carmenere Andes, Colchagua Valley DO
• Top Value Wine – 2022 Animus Vinho Verde DOC
• Top Wine Company – E & J Gallo Winery
• Top Region Wine Company – Winebow Imports
• Top All-Around Winery – Nice Winery
• Top Texas Winery – Becker Vineyards
  rodeohouston.com/rodeo-uncorked-wine

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . Alphonse Dotson

Russ Kane and our wives recently had a wonderful visit with Dotson, who was in Houston to check on his 105-year-old mother. Fifty years ago next May I met Dotson, who’s 80 himself now, for the first time. The Houston native had come out of retirement to play for the Houston Texans of the World Football League, which I’d been assigned to cover as a 21-year-old soon-to-be newlywed, and we hit it off straight away.

Those Texans didn’t last long — less than a full season in Houston — and I wouldn’t see Alphonse for a long while. But we reconnected years later when I found out he’d become a grape grower and winemaker in Mason County. Chardonnay from his Certenberg Vineyard helped Fall Creek Winery claim Grand Champion White Wine honors in the Rodeo’s 2017 competition. You can read the story I wrote about this remarkable achievement at https://www.houstonchronicle.com/food/article/Champion-rodeo-chardonnay-from-Texas-a-story-of-10981264.php.

Dotson is delighted to report that his mom is still sharp as a tack, and so is he, although he’s dealing with all the physical issues you would expect of an octogenarian ex-football player. Still, he insists he’s a long way from being finished as a winemaker and I believe him.

Check out what he and his lovely wife Martha have going on at http://dotsoncervanteswines.com. You’ll notice a striking similarity between his bottle label and the logo on the Raiders’ helmet. He may have also played for Kansas City, Green Bay and Miami, plus those hapless Texans, but Alphonse will always be a Raider. He loved Al Davis, and one of Davis’ ownership partners, who lived in Rutherford in the Napa Valley, was responsible for getting interested in wine.

I should also mention that Dotson’s son, Santana, was an NFL star in the 1990s and won a Super Bowl ring with the Packers.

H-Town happenings

Tastings Every Saturday at French Country Wines: Noon-5 p.m. Free. http://frenchcountrywines.com

Tastings Every Wednesday at Montrose Cheese & Wine: 5-7 p.m. Free. http://montrosecheeseandwine.com

Tastings Every Thursday at Cueva in the Marriott Marquis Houston: 6:30-7:30 p.m. $40 http://eventbrite.com

Symposium Saturdays: 4-5 p.m. at Stella’s Wine Bar in the Post Oak Hotel. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Sparkling wine tasting: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15. 2515 Harvard St. Free. http://eventbrite.com

The Rado Wine Club Tasting Experience: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Rado MKT. $50. http://eventbrite.com

Texas Wine Market: Noon-4 p.m. Jan. 24. Bluebonnet Tasting Room, 401 Commerce St., Tomball, $30 presale, $40 at the door. https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLF89X8DCFFR0/checkout/SSO7TMRRWB7F5JCKE44MGPDX

Follow me

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Facebook: Dale Robertson

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts. A new one, hosted by Jeremy Parzen (yep, that’s us pictured above, sharing a bottle of Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco in the Piemonte), will be dropping over the weekend. You can follow Parzen’s own blog at http://dobianchi.com.

Friends of mine to follow

Sandra Crittenden: http://winelifehouston.com

Russ Kane: http://vintagetexas.com

Jeffrey Kralik: http://drunkencyclist.com

Katrina Rene: http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com