Harvest Green - Tap into Messina Hof Wines at Chef Fest Feb. 25

When local chefs strut their culinary stuff at Chef Fest, the public will have an opportunity to mix and match a variety of delectable small plates featuring Harvest Green produce. They also will have an opportunity to pair those dishes with Messina Hof’s exhilarating wines — on tap.

Serving wine out of a keg instead of a bottle is a bit non-traditional — especially for an award-winning winery like Messina Hof whose family of winemakers goes back seven generations — but it is all in the service of introducing new customers to the world of fine wines. Plus, it’s extremely good for the environment.

The process starts, as all winemaking does, with crushed grapes being allowed to ferment in a stainless-steel tank or an oak barrel. When the wine is ready, it is transferred directly into a five-gallon stainless steel keg, which is then served to guests through a nitrogen-driven tap system. This system keeps the wine fresh and gives a similar experience to a tank or barrel tasting.

Messina offers more than 90 wines made from 28 varieties of grapes, most of which are offered on tap at Messina’s three winery locations in Bryan, Fredericksburg and Grapevine. A typical keg holds the equivalent of 26 bottles of wine. The steel kegs are not only incredibly clean, they are easy to distribute, allowing Messina to reach a wider wine-drinking crowd in restaurants and at events such as weddings, tailgate parties and Chef Fest.

It’s also better for the environment as kegs are reusable and wine bottles, corks and packaging are not. One Messina Hof winery can produce more than 6,500 bottles a year, most of which would end up in a landfill if not for Messina’s ability to serve their distinctive wines on tap. 

Samples of Messina Hof’s on-tap wines will be available at Chef Fest, noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25. SpindleTap Brewery also will be on site with craft beer.

In addition to great wine and great food, Chef Fest will feature a farmers market, “Kids Can Cook” tent, yard games, live music and farm tours.

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