The other day on City of Ate, my colleague, Hanna Raskin, bemoaned the state of the Go Texan Restaurant Week, one of the numerous programs designed by the Texas Department of Agriculture to spur interest and business in our state's food industry. She noted that only seven restaurants in Big D signed on to participate in the promotion, which spotlights Texas grown fare. Perhaps a solution to this dilemma is suggested by the Go Texan's wine counterpart. The Go Texan Wine Passport Program has only been in operation a few years, but winemakers have enthusiastically received it. I've traveled to wineries from Fredericksburg to McKinney, and I've yet to find one that didn't spotlight the program's little burgundy and gold booklet. The program is quite simple, really...
On your next winery visit, merely request a passport with your tasting, and the winemaker will stamp it with his unique code. Visit four wineries, then log on to www.gotexanwine.org/passport/index.html, and enter the four unique codes, along with your name, address, and e-mail. In four to six weeks, you should receive your reward.
Curious, I asked the Landon representative at the State Fair about the rewards, and he shrugged and replied, "I don't know, but I understand they are quite nice."
So, I dutifully logged on and copied the codes for Fall Creek, Woodrose, Fuqua, and Landon wineries, along with my personal information. In four to six weeks, I promise to follow up and report what I receive. Who knows? Perhaps Texas Winery Passports will someday be collected as enthusiastically as say Green Stamps back in the day.
