Most of us have read his famous quote on his father…“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” And that…
Before GPS and sophisticated navigation devices, you would ask a total stranger for directions on how to get to a particular destination. And generally the directions were clear cut and very precise. “Well you head down this here road for about 4 miles, and then where the old gas station used to be, you hang…
By Tom Geoghegan | TGeoghegan@boernewineco.com For those of us who remember watching that 60 Minutes segment titled the “French Paradox” on November 17th 1991, it was a true epiphany for the typical American lifestyle. We took our first serious look at moderate wine consumption actually being part of a healthy lifestyle, especially when combined with…
For those of us who remember the early days of the modern Texas wine industry, we had a definite problem being taken seriously by the world’s wine community, and especially in the United States. California had a pretty good head start, and with the added momentum of the Judgment of Paris results in 1976, never…
It’s that time of the year for summer vacations, and as we wind down to the end of the summer, all of us desperately try to squeeze those last days left into some productive local road trips. Today these seem pretty painless with dual zone AC, Bluetooth, DVD players, and all the other 21st century…
After the J.Lohr winery piece last month, I received some very nice feedback on that style of content. For me, wine has always been about the people and the stories that surround them… that’s what makes winery history so interesting…the journey to that end point. And in that particular wine bottle, something magical to share…
I guess the story I’d like to share would be perfect if Jerry Lohr had been raised in Kansas, but South Dakota is a wonderful alternative. Born and raised on the family farm in the Dakotas, Jerry grew up with an innate sense of climate, soil, and place. He never really forgot this background as…
The wine industry is a funny business. You’re constantly meeting new people and tasting new wines. The business never gets old as a result, and it certainly keeps you humble, as you learn something new every day. As I’ve said before…what a great way to make a living. Last week Kathy and I had the…
As we move from the refreshing chill of our brief few weeks of winter to the almost perfect weather of our spring season, we have the luxury in the Hill country of being able to enjoy our favorite reds almost year round. With that in mind, I thought it might be fun to share some…
This past December marked the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the 18th amendment, affectionately referred to as Prohibition. No one disputes the problems relating to the addiction aspects of alcohol, but history has shown it’s very difficult to legislate morality for a nation. Some social historians have even suggested the immense profits generated for…
This is the time of the year when we start enjoying a little better weather, and start getting our life back to normal. February is an unusual month, shorter than average with the main things being Superbowl and of course Valentine’s. I’m not going to get in the middle of which is the more significant…
I can’t believe that another year has flown by. It seems just the other day it was trying to mow the grass without incurring heat stroke. Then it was Halloween, which means Wal-Mart already has their Christmas trees out. Then it was really was the Holidays. Now, here we are with 2014 starting to tick…
When you look at all the steps involved in the production of this wine, it’s a wonder that Champagne is ever produced. With all the variables involved, it’s an uphill struggle even in a good year. But the end result is always worth it. It makes any occasion better, adds an element of elegance and…
Anyone that’s a fan of the winery has seen their poster…”Times fun when you’re having flies”. This article starts my second year of contributing articles to Explore (Thank you Ben for this ongoing opportunity). It’s sorta hard to accept the fact that it’s been a whole year later, but here we are with cool weather…
I don’t know where your political persuasions lie, but I personally feel we owe a huge debt of gratitude to former governor (and president) George W. Bush for really putting the Texas wine industry on the map. When he signed the original proclamation designating each October as Texas Wine Month back in 1999, there were…