currently served by the glass at Vino Vino…

The River City’s been blessed with some nice weather lately (especially if you like it on the chilly side) but here at Vino Vino, we’re already thinking about the spring and warmer temperatures. And that means we’re craving crisp, fresh, thirst-quenching white wines.

Piedmontese wines are always well represented on our list but we know there’s more to life than just Nebbiolo and Barbera (grapes we love). Even though Piedmont is more famous for its red wine production, it also makes some of our favorite whites, like this Gianni Giagliardo Roero Favorita “Fallegro” made with 100% Favorita (Vermentino) grapes in the foothills of the Italian Alps (the pie or foot of the monte or mountain).

What particularly turned us on about this groovy little wine was it has just a kiss of bubbles… leggermente frizzante, as the Italians like to say (doesn’t that make you feel sexy when you say it? le-jehr-MEHN-teh free-TZAHN-teh…).

Gianni Gagliardo is one of Italy’s greatest winemakers (famous for his legendary Barolo) but he’s done a smashing job with this bright, light expression of the northern Mediterranean. Perfect for seafood and warmer weather at Vino Vino…

Here’s what food and wine blogger Safoodnazi had to report about a recent visit to Vino Vino with her husband, “the sommelier”:

After some playtime with Rheagan at a local park, the sommelier and I headed up to North campus to completely involve ourselves in the nectar of the vine. Of all the places in Austin that the sommelier and I could have headed to at four in the afternoon for a glass of wine, Vino Vino was absolutely perfect. As soon as we walked in, I could tell this space was special. The entire left side of the wall was lined with wine, with a large variety of Old World styles, which always capture my heart. As we walked across the floor, the boards gave under my weight just slightly, noticed their beauty, and could instantly see the heritage in their placement. We later found out that the owner, Jeff Courington, bought them from an old dance hall from some small town deep in the Texas countryside, restored them, and placed them here in his wine lounge. He even recycled an original long bar. There’s nothing I love more than true Texas history. And here we were, surrounded by old world wines and Texas pine.

Click here to find out what they drank!

Thank you, Safoodnazi, for your thoughtful post! Come and see us anytime!

Anyone who’s ever dined at Vino Vino or who’s tasted with wine director and owner Jeff Courington knows that Jeff is a certified Rhône freak: he just loves the meaty, earthy style and bright acidity of these wines and the reds are always a go-to when he’s looking for a pairing with the second courses on our menu.

Many of the Rhône wines that make it on to Jeff’s list are imported by wine industry legend, Kermit Lynch, who was among the first to champion unfiltered wines from the Rhône back in the 1970s before the style was popular. In Jeff’s view, if you filter a wine like this, you’re essentially bottling only half of the wine. In fact, one of the things that makes the wines of the Rhône so unique is their chewy mouthfeel — a meal in a glass!

Here’s what the folks at Kermit Lynch’s Berkeley, CA outpost have to say about his personally blended Côtes du Rhône:

The growing success we have enjoyed over the last three vintages is proof enough that the KL Côtes du Rhône fits both the taste profile and quality standards that our customers have come to expect. Since 1929, this winery has been bringing local vignerons together from the outlying areas of Avignon in the Southern Rhône to produce delicious wines that epitomize the region’s complex terroirs. Kermit works closely with winemaker Jean-François Pasturel to develop the blend. Pasturel is thrilled to be able to have the chance to produce a Côtes du Rhône he does not have to filter to death. It is his tête de cuvée, his pride and joy.

Featured by the glass this week at Vino Vino…

Thank you, Cameron!

The northwest Italian region of Piedmont (meaning the foot of the mountains) is generally known for its red wines: Barbera and Dolcetto, Barbaresco and Barolo…

But they also grow and raise some excellent white wines there.

When it comes to Italian white wines in general, owner and wine director at Vino Vino Jeff Courington always seems to be reaching for one of his personal favorites: Gavi (appellation) made from Cortese (grape variety).

The Cortese grape is all about freshness and bright acidity. The village of Gavi where this wine is grown is located about halfway from the upper Mediterranean sea and the foothills of the Alps. As a result, it enjoys cool air coming down from the mountains heading toward the sea. The cool air helps to keep the vineyards ventilated (thus preventing rot and mildew) and it keeps the fruit cool at night during the summer as the berries reach complete ripening.

Palladino is an OLD SCHOOL producer: no spoof here! Classic, clean, crisp Gavi, ideal for seafood and spicier dishes here at Vino Vino.

PAELLA EVERY SUNDAY

7 PM SHARP!

Photos by Linda Ryan.

If you’re a fan of Vino Vino, then you know that one of owners and wine director Jeff Courington’s great passions in Southern Rhône and in particular Gigondas. On any given day, you’ll find a wide selection of earthy, acidity-driven bottlings of Grenache on his list. One of his favorites is Domaine de Cabasse.

On his recent trip to Europe, Jeff visited the winery.

The following are some of the images captured during his stay there. It’s not hard to understand why these wines are so special.

Evening Happy Hour
Monday-Friday 5:30-7 pm

$2 OFF ANY GLASS OF WINE
HALF-PRICED
SELECT DRAFT BEER
6 HALF-PRICED APPETIZERS

Late Night Happy Hour
Sunday-Thursday 10 pm-12 am

$2 OFF ANY GLASS OF WINE
HALF-PRICED
SELECT DRAFT BEER