July 6, 2009 5:51 pm

Messina Hof Winery: Wrangling Winning Wines in the Lone Star State

For my husband's birthday, we took a one and a half hour drive out of Houston to check out Messina Hof Winery & Resort, a Texas vineyard established in 1977 located in Bryan, Texas. To be honest, I knew very little about Texan wines, but I thought it would be a fun and romantic adventure.

We arrived at Messina Hof around 4PM, just in time for a wine sampling. I felt like a crisp, summery white and first chose a Riesling while my husband opted for a silky Pinot Noir. We were very impressed with the quality of the wines. After sampling a few more wines and nibbling on chocolates infused with port (made on site Messina Hof), we toured the winery. We learned about the winery, the people behind it and the history of how the wine making establishment came to be. Founded by Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo in 1977, Messina Hof was named after their respective ancestral homelands. Paul's family is from Messina, Sicily and Merrill's family is from Hof, Germany. In Paul's family, young men at the age of 16 began to learn the 200-year-old family winemaking tradition. In Sicily, Paul Bonarrigo's ancestors are still making wine today. These oenology skills have been passed down through each generation.

We also learned that Texas plays a significant role in U.S. wine making—Texas is the fifth largest wine producing state. Messina Hof controls 25 percent of all grapevines planted in Texas and is the largest grape grower in the High Plains region, where they harvest grapes from 500 acres. Messina Hof produces and distributes 1.1 million bottles of wine annually. Not bad! In 1983, Messina Hof's first year of developing commercial wines, Paul and Merrill produced 1,300 gallons. The Papa Paulo Port, still one of the most popular wines, was the first wine made at Messina Hof. This year, Messina Hof will produce 265,000 gallons of wine and more than 18 varietals. Messina Hof is the second largest tourist attraction in Brazos County and brings in more than 250,000 visitors per year.

After the historical portion, we were taken on a tour of the property, got to explore the vineyard and see bunches of grapes that would be picked later in July for port wine. Of course, no vino tour would be complete without wine samples. I tried a Shiraz, an amazing sherry, a Muscat and sweet port. Do you see a trend? I have a sweet tooth when it comes to wine and I adore after dinner drinks! My husband on the other hand, leans towards dry and full-bodied, and thus opted for a Cabernet and different Pinot Noirs.

After much sampling, we felt a touch giddy and of course, visited the gift shop and bought a case (plus after dinner drinks) to ship home to New York. Before wrapping our winery date, we enjoyed a delicious four-course meal at The Vintage House Restaurant, nestled conveniently on the Messina Hof estate. Every dish delectably incorporates one of the vineyard's award-winning wines, and I definitely was tempted to try everything on the menu. To start, we shared an aged French Brie encrusted with almonds, then deep fried and served with Papa Paulo Port Melba sauce, red grapes and butter crackers. It was exquisite. I then had a light and refreshing Champagne Cranberry Salad (baby field greens tossed together with dried cranberries, candied Texas pecans, gorgonzola cheese and a sparkling Champagne vinaigrette), followed by a wonderful duck entr ée. My husband had a juicy steak (it is Texas after all). For dessert, we indulged in a decadent Bananas Foster, flamb éed tableside.

For those seeking the full vino escape, Messina Hof has a delightful . The estate features 10 charming, uniquely named and decorated guest rooms, each complete with original antiques that the winery's owners have collected over the years. We happily stayed in the Antoinette (like Marie) room. The Messina Hof wines and after dinner drinks recently arrived to our home in New York City—and I can't wait to crack open some of these bottles, invite friends over and pair them with tasty nibbles from Behind the Burner.

—Alexandra Wilkis Wilson

Messina Hof Winery & Resort
4545 Old Reliance Road
Bryan, Texas 77808
979.778.9463
800.736-9463 (toll free)

— Written by Alexandra Wilkis Wilson

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