The Chair: Sabrina Houser
An eloquent and complex emulsion of firm fineness, topped with an infectious spirit, Sabrina Houser Chairs the 2009 Austin Wine Festival. She earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Physiology from Texas Women’s University and went on to a successful corporate career before returning as an owner to Dry Comal Creek Vineyards and Winery in New Braunfels. Sabrina is a philanthropic force behind her passion for community mental health and women’s issues and still finds time to serve as the current Vice President of Texas Hill Country Wineries.  When asked why she took on the Austin Wine Festival in its third year she simply stated, “I believe in it.”

The Event: 2009 Austin Wine Festival
May 23rd through 25th, Saturday through Monday, Memorial Day Weekend
Uniquely Austin, the three-day Texas wine celebration takes place RAIN OR SHINE! Wineries from Lampasas to New Braunfels and from Fredericksburg to Dripping Springs have flourished from a pioneering few into an internationally awarded and recognized wine region. Designated as the #2 Fastest Growing Wine Destination in the Nation, second only to Napa, according to the Orbitz Insider Index, and the #1 of the best “Places to Go This Summer” by The New York Times, the Austin Wine Festival is the place to be and be seen. This winery-owned festival is unprecedented in its ability to provide direct to consumer wine sales on site. For the first time in Texas wine enthusiasts can purchase wine by the glass, bottle and case on the spot!
While you taste the splendor of the fruits of our wineries’ labors, your kids will enjoy our expanded children’s area that will include outdoor laser tag and mobile video game theater.
Created with the intent to saturate The Live Music Capital of the World one glass at a time, the Austin Wine Festival is designed to be extraordinary, unforgettable and different. Attendees will not find themselves crammed into one large circus big top, but will discover a well-organized trail of individual and spacious winery tents with plenty of room to converse and sample. Wine enthusiasts attendees not only enjoy tasting Texas Hill Country wines, in many cases will have the opportunity to meet the actual wine makers and learn about the process, grape and location of its particular birth. Wine is about the experience and this festival presents enthusiasts with a rare opportunity to purchase wine by the glass, bottle or case directly from the winery itself, practically in their own backyard. 
 
Bang For the Buck: The Organization and it’s Mission
Creating local wine awareness, as well as improving wine esteem, is one of the main goals of the Austin Wine Festival. Wine lovers will delight in the unbelievably diverse and seemingly countless wines that are only improving with quality over time. Many wine lovers are unaware that the Texas Hill Country, which is lovingly shaped by many rivers and rolling knolls, sits just on the western edge of a gorgeous humid subtropical climate that provides gentle winters and long, warm summers making it a mecca for wineries. As for awareness, reaching out to the connoisseurs is just as important as reaching out to different, less predictable crowds. Texas Hill Country Wineries want to create a relationship between all people and Texas wine, which is no longer just your run-of-the-mill elegant dinner decoration but should be a heart-healthy part of your daily life. 
Interested in local and healthy business, The Austin Wine Festival has once again chosen the Austin Farmer Market and Sustainable Food Center as the 2009 beneficiary. This natural partnership gives a nod to the mutual passion between these two organizations about drinking local wines, eating local foods and keeping Texas investment dollars within the local economy.  

For more information visit: www.AustinWineFestival.com

Tags: Activities, Events, Social