Food would be Guy Davis' meal ticket through college, where he thought he'd gone to learn how to become a stockbroker. But the most important subject he studied while working in the kitchen for "a couple of crazy French guys" in a Boise, Idaho, restaurant called The Creperie was wine.
"I answered an ad in the newspaper, and I wound up getting an unbelievable education," Davis said. "I got bitten by the bug at the age of 19."
The now-50-year-old Davis learned to appreciate wine's every stylistic nuance because his bosses offered him almost nightly tastings, accompanied by long philosophical discourses on the nuances of the different regions. Soon, their passion became his passion. Go to his Web site and the first thing you read is this:
"At Davis Family Vineyards, we have some pretty strong beliefs about wine. We believe wine is an essential element in a rich and passionate life. It adds an extra layer of flavors to both meals and to friendships. And, like a lover, wine has a sensuality of perfumed aromas and silky, supple textures -- endless charm and character that brings many pleasures to our senses and spirits."
If those words don't make you want to pop the nearest cork, nothing will.
Davis' thoughts on wine are relevant because of his small-production 2005 Davis Family Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, which will be formally introduced at the "Rodeo Uncorked! Best Bites" soiree Sunday as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's seventh Grand Champion. The cab will also be the star attraction at a dinner in Davis' honor tonight at Sullivan's Steakhouse.
He confesses he didn't know much about the Houston competition until one of his Texas contacts told him it had become an important, prestigious event. Among the nearly 1,800 wines that were entered, his triumphed. Now, most of the 700 cases he made wound up at Spec's, priced at $43.33 a bottle.
Because Houston is considered to be the hottest cabernet market in the country, he's delighted to now be more than just another blip on the city's radar screen. But he's hardly a one-trick pony. In fact, he's probably better known for his Russian River offerings such as pinot noir, syrah and chardonnay.
For Davis, though, it's about terroir. He doesn't force square pegs into round holes. In his eyes, all grape varietals are created equal.
"I just love making wine from special areas, to show that true sense of place and the character of the varietal," he said. "I'm about working with the right grapes in the right place."
After graduating from Boise State, Davis started selling wine, and that meant he was tasting lots of it he said. The more he sampled, the more he believed his future was in the cellar and the vineyards. By the late 1980s, he was actively hunting for property in Sonoma, and by 1994 his winery was open on a ridge top in the Russian River Valley.
His timing was perfect. The first cabernet Davis released was a 1997, frequently referred to as Napa's "vintage of the century." And the New York Times selected Davis' initial offering as one of the valley's 20 best.
His champion Houston cab represents a lucky 13th vintage, and there are at least that many more to come, now that his oldest son, Cole, is working at the family business. It's hard work and perhaps only glamorous when you win prestigious awards -- the '05 cab has now claimed several -- but Davis insists days off are overrated.
"I'm lucky the wine business gives you so much in return," Davis admits. "There are many sides to it, and they're all rewarding."
EVENT OF THE WEEK
• What: Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup and Best Bites Competition.
• Where: Reliant Center, Halls D and E.
• When: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sunday
• Info: Many of Houston's finest restaurants and caterers will have serving stations, and the rodeo competition's top wines will be featured, including the Grand Champion cab from Davis Family Vineyards and the George Bush Foundation Top Texas Wine, the Flat Creek Estate "Mistella" dessert wine. Proceeds benefit the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo charity.
• Cost: $100 in advance, $125 at the door. Table of 10, $1,800.
• Reservations: Visit the show's ticket office inside Reliant Center, or go to rodeohouston.com or call 832-667-1128.
So many Malbecs, so little time! Here's my pick for a perfect Valentine's Day...around $18 a bottle. 
After months of planning, it's my great pleasure to announce a week full of events with Guy Davis, owner and winemaker of Davis Family Vineyards located in the heart of the Russian River region in California.
Tropical Ceviche
Paired with 2007 Davis Family Reisling, Santa Lucia Highlands
Phyllo Purse Filled with Apples Blue Cheese and Walnuts served with Bitter Greens
Paired with 2007 Davis Family Chardonnay, Russian River.
Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Meuniere Sauce over Risotto.
Paired with 2006 Davis Family Pinot Noir, Russian River.
Filet au Poivre
Rested on a Bed Wilted Winter Greens and Roasted Potatoes
2005 Davis Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Grand Champion Houston Rodeo)
Chocolate Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Port From the Davis Family Winery
The Granada Theater in Dallas is a treasure - always a kick to see a show there. Yo La Tengo rocked the house last Saturday night.
oin Guy Davis of Davis Family Vineyards in celebration of winning the biggest award given this year from the HLSR International Wine Competition. Guy's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa received the Grand Champion and Best of Show.
KONTEKI - Pearls of Simplicity
From one of Japan’s smallest breweries, this Daiginjo is made with Japan’s highest quality rice and local Fushimi mizu, the soft, pure water from Japan’s Eastern Mountains. Highly-respected rice farmer Masayasu Tanaka carefully works the naturally fertilized soils of his farm in eastern Tottori prefecture to grow some of Japan’s best quality Yamada Nishiki, considered the pinnacle of premium sake rice. 
"Clear. Aromas of banana custard and praline follow through on a supple, silky entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with excellent smoothness and integration of flavors. Finishes with nice interplay of spice, dried apples and bananas, toffee, and earth notes. A rich, flavorful daiginjo that will shine at the table with spicy sushi."
Welcome to Heliotrope Wines.
23 Jan 10 is a fruit day.
This is a great day for wine.
Introducing Heliotropewines.com to the fans of TexaCali Wine Co. Heliotrope Wines was founded in 2009 by local Austinite Daniel McKeever who I've known through the wine biz around here for years. Daniel's website focuses on the "biodynamic" calendar."This biodynamic calendar is broken down into fruit, flower, root, and leaf days, and each plant performs different tasks each corresponding day. The sap of the plant moves into that specific area on that day and produces fruit, flowers, roots and leaves.Wine too performs differently on the days of the bio calendar.", says Daniel on his website.
Be sure to bookmark Heliotropewines.com and sign up for their Wine of the Week video blast as well.
Daniel picked Pellegrini Family Vineyards 2006 Olivet Lane Pinot Noir this week - go take a look! He heard I had this wine out in the market last week during a root day which usually calls for drab tasting wines, but this one, maybe because it's an 2006 that was released over two years ago showed very well. This wine tends to show earth with layers of bright cherry and red apple peel...singing right now!
Welcome to the world of online wine education Heliotropewines.com! We love what you are doing and most importantly making us a little more curious about biodynamic farmers and producers. Cheers - Ali
This morning I heard one of my favorite bands on the radio Bon Iver. The song "Rosyln", a collaboration with St. Vincent which is marvelous...listen to Rosyln here. Every year in January, the winegrowers in Burgundy celebrate and give thanks to their patron, Saint Vincent. Legends abound as to the origins. It is said that one day St Vincent stopped at a vineyard to chat to one of the wine growers. His donk
ey started nibbling the young shoots on the vine with the result that the following year, the crop was far more productive. The Saint’s donkey had invented pruning!
Maybe it is just that the time of the celebration corresponds climatically to the transition between the hibernation of the vine and the beginning of the new growth or ’Vincent’ is a derivation of ’vin sang’ or blood of the vine. However you like to interpret it, this is a celebration which has been going on since Medieval times.
There are ‘confréries’ or associations of vignerons in each wine village but the grandest of all is the Confrérie des Chavaliers du Tastevin founded in 1938. On the Saturday morning, dressed in their scarlet robes and full regalia carrying banners, the members process through the stre
ets leading the statue of their saint to celebrate mass followed by a wine tasting and banquet.
Well, I'm not in Burgundy today or going to be anytime soon, so here's the closest thing to being there...hello Volnay! We'll raise our glasses and toast to St. Vincent tonight! Cheers - Ali
The New Year has started out with a Texas travel bang! January is usually a month where I stay put in Austin in attempt to gather my wits that start taking off during the OND sales season. Well that went out the window this year - 1000 new miles on my car just last week. 
'll be visiting Mendoza, Argentina in late February with Vine Connections. It was a visit to Mendoza in spring of 2005 that changed my life and became the heart of TexaCali Wine Co.
distributor pitches, pitches to the account, distributor inventory management, distributor staff training, account education & support) of making certain "good bottles of wine" are placed into the right kind of accounts and left into the trusted hands of "good wine ambassadors". 
Hurrah! 2010 brings Year 5 for TexaCali Wine Co. and I'm back to spreadsheets and sales meeting planning. Also working on some killer new online applications and fun reasons to keep checking this site and learning more about our special producers. So stay tuned... 
