Bar Food Gone Classy: Max's Wine Dive Coming Soon!

Max's Wine Dive, which originated in Houston, TX, was "named one of the "Hot 10" Wine Bars in the country," according to Bon Appetit in October 2008, and it's coming to Austin next month! Its home away from home will be located at 207 San Jacinto, and is currently under construction.

I scoped out the menu online, and it seems to be one-of-a-kind...not following traditional trends of mixing bar food with beer, but rather putting a classy twist on casual bar food, and pairing it with wine. You'll find creative comfort (bar) food menu options, such as Gulf-spacho (cold vegetable and seafood soup), Buffalo Sliders, Gator Bites, Max&Cheese with an added twist of truffle oil, Kobe Beef Burgers, the Texas "Haute" Dog, and even The Tree Hugger (a focaccia sandwhich with veggies). There are also some healthy options, including Salmon, Sea Bass, and a variety of fresh salads.

Just a heads up, don't confuse this bar food with $5 chicken wings, or a cheap order of fries. I describe it as classy casual...the "classy" referring to the higher price range, and the "casual" describes their inspiration for the menu. In fact, the cheapest wine-by-the-glass I saw was a $8.75 Malbec, but, in this town, they're bound to have happy hour specials!

Group Entertainment Spot/Restaurant Coming Soon: Max's Wine Dive at 207 San Jacinto in Downtown Austin, opening May 2009. FYI, they also have lunch and brunch (this looks delicious, and the most reasonable of all of their menus).

Like a Fine Wine...

Looking for something to do this Memorial Day Weekend? (or to entertain the fam during UT's graduation weekend...this is personally applicable to me and my soon to be Texas-Ex sister, Allyson) You may want to hit up the 2009 Austin Wine Festival at The Domain from May 23-25 (Saturday-Monday). Remember (or how could you forget??) you probably have Monday off of work/school, and what better way to spend it than by drinking vino and supporting Texas Hill Country wineries in the Texas sun!

According to http://www.texaswinefestival.com/, "Designated as the #2 Fastest Growing Wine Destination in the Nation, second only to Napa (Orbitz Insider Index) and the #1 of the best "Places to Go This Summer" (The New York Times), the Austin Wine Festival (AWF) is the place to be and be seen."

The festival is $20/day pass for a glass and a wrist band that will get you 10 tastings, or 2 full glasses of wine. Additional wines by the glass can be purchased separately. Music and wine seminars will also be sprinkled throughout the day. The exact time for these events is TBD. The information below is provided on http://www.austinwinefestival.com/schedule.html.

Regular Festival Hours:
Saturday, May 23: 1:00 - 10:30
Sunday, May 24: 1:00 - 9:00
Monday, May 25: 1:00 - 6:00

Winery Wine Service:
Saturday, May 23: 1:00 - 7:30
Sunday, May 24: 1:00 - 8:30
Monday, May 25: 1:00 - 5:30

Memorial Day Weekend Wine Recommendation: 2009 Austin Wine Festival at The Domain (May 23-25)

For a Chill Night...

Head to House Wine on 409 Josephine, right behind Barton Springs Saloon. "House Wine is a Wine Bar as unpretentious and inclusive as Austin itself." It's in a cozy little house, where you walk up to the bar and order your bottle or glass, and make yourself at home! Batami and Jonathan were in town visiting from Houston, and having guests in town was the perfect opportunity to try a new local hang-out! We were quite impressed with our $26/bottle wine choice. (This came out to about $8-$9/person, which was a good deal, considering we each got about 2 glasses out of it!) Also, they have 1/2 price wines on Sundays, and an adorable patio that will be fabulous when the weather is nice!

Wine Recommendation: Bogle Petit Syrah, 2006, from Clarksburg, CA. It had a smooth, and somewhat sweet taste, that we think came from the Boysenberry, (FYI-since this was a question on our minds that night, a boysenberry is a cross between a raspberry and the Pacific blackberry.) with a light finish. I'm still thinking about it...the sign of a good wine :) I did some research and tried to find the wine at HEB. They didn't have the exact bottle, but they did have a Bogle Merlot. So, I would suggest supporting the local scene and treating yourself to this relaxing treat where I fell in love with it!