The Twenty-Third Annual Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival was held this weekend. I volunteered at the Stars Across Texas wine & food grand tasting event at the Hilton on Friday night and also at the Zen Nation after party at Action Figure Studies on Saturday night.

It was the first year for the Saturday night after party, and though people had fun thanks to the free-flowing booze, the event was rather incongruous – “Modern Asian” hors d’oeuvre were passed, Latino-rock music was blared, Japanese anime was projected, inventive cocktails were mixed, Lexus vehicles were parked, suburbanites were mingled. And all of this took place in übercool East Austin film studios, from which no one could get a cab to go home. The place and the party had lots of potential – maybe they’ll get the kinks worked out for next year. Number one recommended change: a DJ to set the hipster vibe they were trying for rather than a loud band that overpowered all conversation.

The Stars Across Texas grand tasting was, by contrast, fabulous. I poured for Jordan Winery, a venerable winemaker since 1976 in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley in California. They are known for their classically styled Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays. Many people made the Jordan table one of their first stops at the event, reminiscing about visits to the vineyard. One couple had even given their daughter the middle name “Jordan” to commemorate her conception at the vineyard!

WINE NOTES: I poured Jordan’s 2004 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blend and 2005 Russian River Valley Chardonnay. I found both the Cab and the Chard to be solid, quality wines. They have no obvious faults, all the characteristics of the varieties one would expect. These wines satisfy. But they also do not surprise, both a pro and a con, depending on one’s preferences in wine. In short, the Jordan wines made me think of a pair of high-quality, hand-made, fine leather, classic dress shoes – always comfortable, never out of style, but also not especially stylish. Reliably completes and even improves a wow outfit, but doesn’t itself wow. Still, I would highly recommend both of these wines for their loyalty to taste, tradition, and quality.