Mozie's March Madness

For most, a trip down to Bourbon Street and some Hurricane’s at Pat O’s on a Monday night just isn’t in the cards. While you may not be able to be in Nola to celebrate the big dance, there is a pretty promising alternative right here in Gruene. On Monday, April 2^nd, stop by Mozie's for an ice-cold beer and some off menu additions like the Texas T-bone while you watch the much-anticipated National Championship game.

So who is your pick? Is your bracket still in the game?

Here’s a little info on each of the remaining matchups, just in case you haven’t don’t your research…

University of Kansas vs. University of Louisville – For as long as most can remember, there has been an extreme rivalry between these two Kentucky schools. The University of Kentucky Wildcats will advance to the Final Four for the second consecutive season, and the 15^th in the school’s history. Thus far, they’ve outscored each of their four playoff components by at least ten points, most recently beating Baylor with an 82-70 win. While UK has an outstanding basketball record, their record against the University of Louisville Cardinals is not as impressive. Louisville and UK played each other in the NCAA’s in 1959, and U of L won. After that, UK denied scheduling a game with Louisville for the next 24 years. Since 1971, the University of Louisville Cardinals has won two National Championships and been in eight final fours. The Cardinals beat their most recent opponent, Florida, in a 72-68 win Saturday night. When the two rivals played last, Kentucky was able to outscore Louisville with a score of 69-62 – can they do it again? Join us Saturday night to watch these two Kentucky rivalries shoot it out!

Ohio State vs. Kansas – With Kansas’ first Final Four appearance since winning the 2008 National Championship, they have a lot on the line this year. Although the two teams seldom see each other on the court, it is the second time this season after a Kansas Jayhawks 78-67 victory on December 10^th in Kansas. In the past match up, however, they were missing key player Jared Sullinger. At that point, Kansas was No. 13 and Ohio State was No.2. After Ohio’s most recent victory over Syracuse on Saturday, they are gearing up for the matchup with a strong and full team. This is definitely set to be one of the most exciting games this year. We’ll see you at 8:45 Saturday to see who will prevail!

Let the games begin!!

For further reading, please see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/25/kentucky-louisville-final-four_n_1378714.html?ref=sports and http://isportsweb.com/2012/03/26/ohio-state-basketball-buckeyes-squeeze-orange-draw-rematch-with-kansas/.

Spring Fever

While March 20 was technically the first day of spring, today feels a little bit more like our favorite season than the gloomy overcast we experienced yesterday. With a forecast of nothing but sunshine for the next week here in Gruene, we thought we would point out one of Gruene’s lesser known treasures in honor of the start of springtime in Texas!

All of the rain showers we’ve experienced lately may have given you a bit of cabin fever, but the weather has done wonders for the landscaping in Gruene. Most people who come visit aim to have a cold beer at Gruene Hall, grab a scrumptious bite to eat, or do a little shopping – but many times one of our favorite aspects of the town goes unnoticed – the landscaping.

On a beautiful day like today, the scenery is hard to beat...


So next time you’re in town for a visit, don't forget to take a minute stop and smell the roses…Happy Spring y'all!! 

Bending Branch Winery - Come & Taste It!

Each third Thursday of the year except in January, The Grapevine in Gruene will feature a Come & Taste It event – monthly tastings that allow guests to meet and learn from Texas winemakers in person. Come & Taste It events offer an incredible opportunity to meet some of Texas’ best winemakers without travelling all over the state.

The featured winery for March, Bending Branch Winery, will be joining us on Thursday, March 15^th from 5-8 p.m. Recently featured on Texas Monthly Blog, Eat My Words, Bending Branch Winery has gotten the attention of quite a few wine connoisseurs despite its small production and distribution.

After many tasting trips to Napa Valley, Sonoma, France and Tuscany to name a few, Owner and Head Winemaker, Robert W. Young MD, completed a Viticulture and Winemaking course through The Atlanta Wine School. Eventually, Young went on to pursue his Winemaker Certificate from UC Davis, one of the prominent winemaking universities in the country. Eventually, Young left his medical practice and suburban home in Atlanta to pursue this passion for winemaking with his family on the small 14 acre vineyard in Comfort, TX.

Another integral piece to Bending Branch Winery is John Rivenburgh, Vice President of Operations. A graduate of Texas Tech’s highly respected professional Viticulture management program, Rivenburgh assists Young in the day-to-day operations of growing and winemaking.

One of the many impressive tidbits about Bending Branch Winery is their bold decision to bring two French grapes to Texas, the Tannat and the Picpoul. The Tannat is a red wine grape usually found in the Basque-influenced regions of France and is noted for its high tannin levels and raspberry fruit. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Picpoul is a dry French grape known for its citrusy taste. Neither of these grapes has ever been grown in Texas before.

This small winery is certainly a unique one, so be sure not to miss out on your chance to meet the winemakers next Thursday. The event will include live music, wine pairings and multiple giveaways including a tour for six at Bending Branch Winery.

For more information, please visit www.grapevineingruene.com or www.bendingbranchwinery.com.

To read the entire Texas Monthly article, visit http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/eatmywords/?p=5658.