Houston is known internationally for many things, but the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is definitely one that Houston is especially proud of. This Texas tradition raises hundreds of millions of dollars in education scholarships for Texas youth. Wine has become a huge part of that show. This year’s Houston Rodeo started the wine portion of this charity year-long event in Summer, 2019 and runs through Spring, 2020. Thousands of wines were submitted under careful scrutiny in the Summer and Fall to the Houston Rodeo Uncorked Committee for judging in on November 16-17, 2020 by 20 wine panels of experts. The 2020 competition had 3,528 entries from 19 countries, including France, Spain, Bulgaria, Italy, Israel, Argentina and South Africa competing in this international wine competition. Texas wineries submitted 489 entries. There were 232 entries came from this year’s featured region, Mendoza, Argentina. The 2020 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition champions included:
• Grand Champion Best of Show – Piper-Heidsieck Brut, Champagne, NV
• Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show – Cavaliere d’Oro Bellezza, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, 2015
• Top Texas Wine – Bingham Family Vineyards Dugout Red, Texas High Plans, 2017
• Top Sparkling Wine – Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut, Spain, NV
• Top White Wine – Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling, Columbia Valley, 2018
• Top Red Wine – Revelry Vintners D11 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dionysus Vineyard, Columbia Valley, 2015
• Top Region Wine – Mi Terruño Mayacaba Malbec, Mendoza, 2015
• Top Dessert Wine – Inniskillin Gold Vidal Icewine, Niagara Peninsula VQA, 2017
• Top Value Wine – Raywood Merlot, Central Coast, 2017
• Top All-Around Winery – Wilson Family Winery
• Top Region Wine Company – MundoVino
• Top Wine Company – E&J Gallo Winery
• Top Texas Winery – Becker Vineyards
These wines and other Champion Wines will highlight the rodeo wine activities in February and March, 2019.
The Houston Rodeo Uncorked Roundup and Best Bites Competition will be held on February 23, 2020. Many of the award winning wines will be sipped at this event paired with culinary delights from around 100 of Houston’s TOP restaurants. Patrons will vote for the best culinary delights and savor delightful wines during Sunday evening. The Highlight of the evening is the official awarding of saddles to the Top wines. There are a few tickets available for this event held in the Reliant Center.
Limited tables are still available for the 2020 Champion Wine Auction to be held on the second floor of the NRG Center on Sunday, March 1, 2020. The reception begins at 5PM with active bidding on unique silent auction items. Dinner begins at 6 PM with the Live Auction starting at 7:15. This Live Auction is one of the Top FIVE Charity Wine Events in the USA. I am fascinated by the bidding groups that are formed to support the Houston Rodeo’s educational charities. The bidding is furious and competitive to the delight of the crowd and scholarship recipients. The bidding has reached over $232,000 for one large special edition bottle of the Grand Champion Wine.
Winning wines from the November 2019 Houston Rodeo Uncorked International Wine Competition will be featured during the Houston Rodeo Events in the Champion Wine Gardens. Access into the “wine gardens” is included with a NRG Park Admission or Rodeo Ticket. Drink tickets will be available for either wine by the glass or by the bottles with service from 4 – 11 PM on Monday thru Thursday, 4 PM to Midnight on Friday, 11 AM to Midnight on Saturday, and noon to 10 PM on Sundays. Thirteen Seminars will also be held by acclaimed wine experts on a variety of wine subjects with several of those Seminars being fully sold out.
Also available is a special commemorative branded wood box of twelve of the selected champion wines available for $650.00. Take one or two of these specially selected wine boxes with a special wine to enjoy for each of the months of the year.
Wine lovers should get their tickets to these various wine events months immediately in order to insure you get access to these world class events. For more information, go to www.RodeoHouston.com.
