My last blog from Fredburg!  It’s pack out time as we hit the road on September 29 for Sedona.  As always the last days before departure are crazy, and this is no exception.

We hit the last wineries on our list – Pillar Bluff and Texas Legato – which are in the Lampasas area, north of Austin, and right next door to each other. Turns out they are owned by twin brothers, but they make very different wines.  We also found out these 2 wineries are on a dolomite dome, unlike the majority of the Hill Country vineyards which are on limestone.  As you can imagine different wines and far more minerally than normal.  We thought Pillar Bluff the best – producing Bordeaux style wines that were well above the average Texan wines.  The Texas Legato wines were good, but not as good as the brother’s wines next door! While chatting to the vineyard manager during our tasting we were asked if we had been to Pilot Knob Winery? This was an unknown to us and not in any of wine guides/books, so we got directions and headed out across country.  It turns out Pilot Knob is miles from anywhere, and after travelling some very minor country roads we picked up the Pilot Knob signs. What a find!  A young couple with kids running a vineyard and making wines.  Craig Pinkley is his own winemaker, but as he was born on small vineyard in the south of France, as the 4th generation of grape growers, it’s probably in his blood.  Small, 5 acres of vines producing about 1200 cases a year but their long-term plan is for 90 acres of vines.  Presently producing Cab Sauv, Tempranillo, and Viognier and making some seriously good wines.  Their Viognier Reserve is aged in acacia barrels – new for us – but according to Craig often used in France with Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.  As we were well into our tasting Craig went into the cellar and came out with a bottle of his 2012 Cabinet Sauvignon which he opened for us.  A very good wine, aged on medium toast American oak, and produced with good fruit and medium tannins, so drinking well. I wanted to buy a couple of bottles to run past Jim and Jerrie, but it was no go as he didn’t have enough for his wine club. Finally he came out with a bottle of port made from Tempranillo, 5 years old from small batch traditional production, which would hold its own in a tawny blind tasting!  Definitely the best port we have had in the Hill Country, but at $60 a bottle it needs to be good.  Rounded off our day having a very late lunch at the Flat Creek Enoteca in Marble Falls.  A great stopping spot with good food and wine en route to home.

The next evening, Saturday, it was off to the Doss Volunteer Fire Department’s annual fish fry.  Doss is a hamlet of about 340 people 25 miles from Fredburg, but its fish fry draws a crowd and is known for serving cold beer while you stand in line for your fish.  As you all know I’m not a queuing person, and have been known to walk out of a restaurant when told there was a 15 minute wait, but figured free beer would dull the pain.  There was a group of us going – TJ our neighbour, Chuck & Kathy and Farmer Kevin, so we all met at Chuck & Kathys’ RV for drinks before heading out.  Kevin being the local, his family came to Fredericksburg in the 1850s, said this year it was being held in the new fire station which was on the outskirts of Doss.  A beautiful drive through farm country to suddenly find cars parked on the side of the road about a mile outside of town!  Kevin led us to the Church parking lot in the “centre” of Doss and we then followed the crowds down the road towards the new fire station.  As soon as we joined the queue, which was along the side of the road about 500 yards from a big tent, volunteers arrived with large plastic cups and jugs of beer!  During the hour we waited in line to get our food we never wanted for cold beer – brilliant!  No price for your food you just donate as you see fit, but as you have been drinking free beer for an hour+, and we all love our fire fighters, contributions appeared to be on the generous side!  They raise enough at this event to run the fire department for the year!  Potato salad, coleslaw, beans, tomatoes, pickles, bread, and a huge helping of fried catfish all go onto your plate, and after a few pints of beer it really hit the spot.  Huge crowd in and around the station eating, “visiting” and listening to a country & western band, that occasionally broke into polkas!  We found out later that week they had an attendance of 3,700 people – not bad for a village fish fry!

Sunday it was off to Alexander Vineyards for their wine club members’ lunch and to pick up our wine allocation.  After Claude gave us glasses of his pink bubbly we found a table under the oaks, and ordered plates of paella from the chef working a huge paella pan under another oak tree. Pink champagne, a well made paella, and an excellent flamenco guitarist, made for a rather pleasant lunch.

Next on the to-do list was dinner at Otto’s, reputedly one of Fredburgs better restaurants.  Can’t make a reservation!  Give me a break, this is not NY or London, this off season Fredburg!!  Typical AngryAnglo attitude on entering the restaurant, and ready to head for the bar to blow $100 before dinner, but no, they were really nice and seated us immediately!  We had a pro of a waiter who rounded up our cocktails while handing out the menus and wine list, which put me in a good mood – duh!  Started off with Flammkuchen, a super thin flat bread loaded with 3 different cheeses, mushrooms, and caramelised onions – seriously good – and I would say enough for 3-4 people!  Now in a really mellow mood!  Then it was into Texas Quail, and Duck Schnitzel washed down with a rather good bottle of Italian Pinot.  I was not into dessert so our pro waiter rounded up an Irish coffee for me while madam tucked into their Foie Gras Creme Brule with Pomme Frites!  A great meal, a pro waiter, and good wine, so the AngyAnglo was now less angry!

On Sunday it was off to SA to meet Jim & Jerrie for an exhibition at the Briscoe Museum of Western Art.  Checked into Hilton Homes2 Suites, and then Ann walked us round in a circle for half an hour trying to find the museum!  After that It was a well deserved lunch on the River Walk at Zocca with pints of draft Stella before we found our way back to the Briscoe. The Cowboy Returns is a photo exhibition of Bank and John Langmores’ work, and John, Bank’s son, gave a slide show talk after which we toured the exhibition and museum.  Jerrie knew Bank from her previous life in Texas and said his work was outstanding, and it really was!  The museum is in the old library and all the stair treads are lined with buffalo hide – how Texan is that?!  The museum has an excellent collection of spurs, saddles, and weapons, as well a large scale model of the battle of the Alamo.  After that it was back to J&Js’ hotel, the oldest in SA, for cocktails before heading to Zinc for dinner.  A bistro type wine bar, with an excellent wine list but so-so food.  A great trip.

Back to Fredburg for one night to repack and load up with wine and goodies before heading over to J&Js’ new house in New Braunfels to offload and head out to SA airport to pick up Scott and Lisa who flew in for three days of cooking, and eating, and drinking too much!  Crammed the 6 of us, plus luggage, into the Pathfinder and it was off to La Fonda on Main for lunch.  A great old school Mexican restaurant.  Ann, Jerrie, Lisa and Scott got stuck into the Margaritas, which they seemed to enjoy!  I had Hake Ceviche with Guacamole – outstanding!  Back to the house and Lisa produced a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of Charleston, one of their house warming gifts, which was immediately opened and construction continued for the next 3 days!  The next day while the girls were off doing art galleries in SA we prepared an amazing dinner under the directions of Chef Bethel – roasted tomato amuse-bouche, stuffed Texan Quail, Veal Chops with a Mushroom Gratin, all complimented by a double magnum of 2006 Patrica Green Pinot Noir.  Oh yes!  Did lunch the next day at the Antler Cafe so Scott and Lisa could experience their awesome Chicken Fried Steak.  Scott actually had the Hamburger Steak, which I understand is up there with the CFS!  Our evening’s entertainment was a marathon viewing of season 1 & 2 of the Wallender series on Jim’s huge new TV set-up!  Of course the time flew by and before we knew it it was Friday morning and we were all heading home.  It was a memorable gathering, and Chef Bethel’s new kitchen is a dream!

Last night we tried Hilda’s Tortillas, 5 mins drive from the flat.  What a spot – really good food – ice cold dressed Modelos – and a pretty good country & western singer.  The place was hopping and this was a Tuesday night!

As this goes to press we have packed, and half packed, boxes and suitcases around the flat, and it looks as if we have seriously decreased the amount of stuff we arrived with!  This time we should get everything in the Pathfinder and not have to ship boxes to Sedona. See the next blog!