Happenings
Come raise a glass with us! Please join us at an event at the winery or around the state.
Check back regularly to see what we’re up to, as we update this section regularly with tasting events and other happenings.
French Onion Soup
Recipe thanks to Kaleigh McMordie, Lively Table
This easy french onion soup is the perfect cozy, healthy soup recipe to warm you up on cold winter days! Caramelized onions in a savory beef broth using McPherson Cellars “Chansa” Sherry, topped with croutons and melted cheese—is there anything more delicious?
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8–10 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 large onions, peeled and sliced thinly (yellow, white, or sweet)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- ½ cup McPherson Cellars red wine or sherry
- 6 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 thyme sprigs
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 baguette
- Grated gruyere cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven with a lid, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over onions and continue to cook while stirring for about a minute. Pour wine into pot and deglaze the pan by scraping the bits off the bottom with your spoon.
- Add the broth, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and salt and pepper. Stir and cover. Reduce heat to low and let soup simmer for at least 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf and thyme before serving.
- Once you are ready to serve the soup, preheat the oven to 400° F. Slice the baguette into about ½ inch slices and lay them flat on a baking sheet. Toast for 5-10 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Ladle soup into individual oven-proof bowls or ramekins. Top each bowl with a slice of toasted baguette and about 2 tbsp grated cheese (or more if you want!).
- Turn oven up to broil. Place soup bowls on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from oven carefully and serve immediately.
Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a registered dietitian in Abilene, Texas. She lives with her husband, 2 daughters and brittany spaniels. She loves all things coffee, wine and cookware. She hates laundry, small talk, and slow drivers. When she’s not in the kitchen or holding a tiny human, Kaleigh can be found curled up with a good book, practicing yoga, or binge-watching Netflix with her husband. Because balance.
South Texas Shrimp Fajitas
Recipe thanks to Lisa Fain, Homesick Texan
Along the Texas coast, fajitas made from Gulf shrimp fresh from the ocean are a local favorite. After a lively bath in grapefruit juice and lime, the shrimp is quickly cooked on a hot skillet then stuffed into warm tortillas with peppers and onions. Lively and satisfying, these South Texas shrimp fajitas pair well with a crisp glass of white wine, like McPherson Cellars Verde Verde. And no matter where you find yourself, these tacos will remind you of a day at the beach.
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Ruby Red grapefruit juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño, chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch cayenne
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- Lime wedges
- 12 flour tortillas, warmed, for serving
- Guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- To make the marinade, in a blender or food processor, mix together the olive oil, grapefruit juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and salt. Blend until well combined then pour over the shrimp and marinate, refrigerated, for 30 minutes. (Don’t marinade longer than that or the citrus will turn the shrimp mushy.)
- To make the fajitas, drain the shrimp from the marinade, discarding the marinade. In a large, heavy skillet, heat up the canola oil on medium heat. Add the peppers and onion and cook while stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until softened.
- Remove the peppers and onions from the skillet. Add the shrimp to the skillet. While stirring occasionally, cook until pink and firm, about 3-5 minutes. Squeeze a couple of lime wedges over the shrimp. Turn off the heat.
- Return the peppers and onions to the skillet and combine with the shrimp. Serve in the skillet immediately with warm flour tortillas, guacamole, and pico de gallo on the side so people can make their own fajita tacos.
Lisa Fain is the seventh-generation Texan behind the regional food blog Homesick Texan. A James Beard award-winning writer, she is also the author of three books—The Homesick Texan Cookbook, The Homesick Texan’s Family Table, and Queso: Regional Recipes for the World’s Favorite Chile-Cheese Dip. She has been featured in many publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Parade, Southern Living, and Texas Monthly, and she has photos in the permanent collections of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and The Library of Congress. While she was indeed homesick during the two decades she lived in New York City, the call of family, friends, bluebonnets, and Tex-Mex recently brought her back to the Lone Star State and she now calls Dallas home.
Kim McPherson: Pioneer and Standard-Bearer of Texas Wine
“There are few people better known in the Texas wine industry than Kim McPherson. Winemaker at his eponymous winery, McPherson Cellars, consultant, collaborator with Dave Phinney on the widely distributed ‘TX’ member of the ‘Locations’ series of wines (later bought by E&J Gallo), James Beard award double semi-finalist, mentor and muse to at least two generations of Texas winemakers. Now in his late 60s, it seemed like a good time to do a career appraisal.” Click here to read more in Wine Industry Advisor by Andrew Chalk.
February 2019 Wine Dinners
• • • McPherson on the Road • • •
This month, we’ll be on the road visiting San Antonio and Fredericksburg. If you’re a Hill Country local, we hope you’ll join us for one of our upcoming wine dinners! See below for details.
Tuesday, February 26 | Sustenio at Eilan Hotel
Wednesday, February 27 | Periphery San Antonio
Join Winemaker Kim McPherson and Chef Mark Weaver at Periphery! Chef mark did not grow up in the kitchen—he didn’t discover his love of food until his time at Texas Tech. He needed a job, and, he needed date money. So he took to cooking and worked his way up the ranks at local spots in Lubbock. After graduation, he went on to refine his skills in Austin and San Antonio. He opened Periphery to cook neighborhood food and serve drinks for neighborhood folks.
Thursday, February 28 | Hoffman Haus
We’ll be in the Hill Country for a 5-course meal from the folks behind Otto’s and Hoffman Haus! Save the date and make plans to join us—tickets available on the Otto’s website.
NEW Fall 2017 and Winter 2018 hours
Football season is here, the days are becoming shorter, and the cooler temperatures are rolling in! Our tasting room hours are back to the standard Fall/Winter time as of October 1, 2017.
Please note the tasting room closes at 6pm and our last tasting is at 5:45pm. Happy hour remains 3-5pm, Monday-Friday.
Texas Wine Dinner @ Provisions Bistro, Wharton, TX – 10.13.17
TEXAS WINE DINNER – Friday, October 13th
Prix fixe menu: $95 for dinner only or $125 with wine pairings.
Vines & Wines is here! May 12th & 13th
Please join us for our 6th Annual Vines & Wines (yes, there was a name change this year) next weekend. Visit our Facebook page (click here) to stay updated on participating wineries and vendors, and the schedule of events!
Friday, May 12th 6-10pm and Saturday, May 13th 12-8pm
This is a unique event focused on giving back to the community by bringing several of the best wines from all over Texas to Lubbock and donating all entrance fee proceeds to Lubbock’s Meals on Wheels. Come enjoy outstanding Texas wines with live music, local food trucks, local beer, The Hub City Master Chef competition, and vendors featuring Texas speciality products.
Garth Brooks Live
Garth Brooks is coming to town and you should be there! As a thank you for supporting our local business we’re offering a chance to win tickets to one of Garth’s five sold out concerts in Lubbock on March 30 – April 2.
The attorneys at Hamilton, Hull & Byrd are pleased to partner with and support local businesses in Lubbock and Midland. As a thank you for supporting your local businesses we are happy to offer several chances to win a pair of tickets to one of Garth’s five sold out concerts in Lubbock on March 30-April 2.
Click here to win.
Vines & Wines 2017
Please join us for our 6th Annual Vines & Wines (yes, there was a name change this year) this May. Visit our Facebook page to stay updated on participating wineries and vendors, and the schedule of events!
Friday, May 12th 6-10pm and Saturday, May 13th 12-8pm
This is a unique event focused on giving back to the community by bringing several of the best wines from all over Texas to Lubbock and donating all entrance fee proceeds to Lubbock’s Meals on Wheels. Come enjoy outstanding Texas wines with live music, local food trucks, local beer, The Hub City Master Chef competition, and vendors featuring Texas speciality products.
West Texas Locals
January is usually our month to recoup as we organize and get back to business after the bustling holiday season and subsequent break. Please note the winery will NOT be part of Lubbock’s monthly First Friday Art Trail for January. We’ll be back up and running for FFAT in February. Stay tuned for Valentine’s Day and weekend specials next month! In the meantime, we wish you a great start to the new year—but if you need a glass to unwind, we’ll be here for happy hour.