For the first installment of Robin Barr Sussman’s month-long SideDish series that acquaints us with Houstonians who live and work in California’s wine country, we begin with a well-known name, A.J. Foyt.
About five years ago, A.J. Foyt partnered with son Larry and grandson A.J. IV to debut Foyt Family Wines (www.foytwines.com), a Sonoma-based boutique family operation producing Bordeaux-style wines. “We wanted to share our passion for wine and pay tribute to Dad,” says Larry. A former NASCAR and Indy driver, Larry manages both the Foyt’s race shop on Houston’s North Side and the wine business remotely with the help of his partner in California.
Larry and his father visit the winery several times a year, make special appearances at tasting events and always attend the Sonoma Raceway where their team participates. They share a tasting room with Meadowcroft Winery (www.meadowcroftwines.com) in Sonoma where visitors can taste and purchase Foyt Family Cabernet Sauvignon (made from coveted Napa Mount Veeder grapes), Sonoma County Chardonnay, Meritage and Riesling, each crafted by reputable winemaker Tom Meadowcroft. From the first vintage in 2008, all Foyt wines have featured a number on thethat is significant to the racer’s legacy. Go, No. 77 – the year A.J. won the Indy for the fourth time in a row, a first for anyone.
Where to find the wine in Houston: Houston Wine Merchant and Sorrento Ristorante
Good eats in the wine country: Larry and A.J. love the California cuisine served in the town of Sonoma, particularly at the El Dorado Hotel, Cafe La Haye and Sante. But on the road, which is frequently for A.J.’s racing team, they pine for classic Houston Tex-Mex, favoring Molina’s Mexican food or a juicy grilled steak from one of Houston’s many great steakhouses.
When in the area, also visit: When touring the Sonoma Valley, stop at the new Lasseter Family Winery (www.lasseterfamilywinery.com) in Glen Ellen. Owner John Lasseter, the creative chief behind Walt Disney/Pixar, is undoubtedly brilliant with animation – hello, Toy Story and Cars – but there’s nothing funny about his and wife Nancy’s elegant Old World Rhône and Bordeaux blends by notable Sonoma winemaker Julia Iantosca. From the Enjou, a Provence-style rose blend of estate-grown Mourvedre and Grenache, to the Amoureux, a blend of Malbec and Cabernet, I was enchanted with every sip.
Visitors to the winery can get a comprehensive sit-down tasting of all five Lasseter wines paired with artisan cheeses and a beautiful brochure for tasting notes. Each wine label illustrated by local Dennis Ziemienski is a little work of art with a thoughtful story about travels or family behind it. The sprawling 1800s-era property has a pond for swimming and fishing, a terrace and lake house with an open kitchen and gurgling streams flanking the estate vineyards. No surprise, even the full-service outdoor bathroom is inventive due to Lasseter’s influence: It’s built inside a 20-foot massive steel wine tank. Amazing.
