Enjoying the Messina Hof Estate Winery’s Gala plus Information on Its Ports

Texas Wine Lover was invited for this coverage. All opinions, experiences, and photographs are entirely our own.

I enjoyed being a Messina Hof VIP starting in 2011. Over the years, I have attended many VIP receptions and tried to attend their dinner events where new wines were always presented. It has been harder to attend any of their dinners since I moved to San Antonio, so I was pleased when I was invited as media to the 2024 Messina Hof Grand Finale Gala which follows their multi-week Harvest Festival.

I arrived at Messina Hof Estate Winery in Bryan and because of the distance, I was given a night in their Villa Bed and Breakfast located on the estate grounds. I last stayed there 13 years ago on a weekend when I first realized what a fun and exciting winery Messina Hof was. That’s when I became a VIP member too.

Upon checking in, I learned I was assigned the Napoleon and Josephine room. The description of the room states: “The splendor of France furnishes this bay room with a gilded queen-sized bed and sideboard. The luxurious bath includes a whirlpool tub with separate shower, antique beveled-glass heart windows, cherry and brass table, and hand-tinted French prints.”

It was a beautiful room with all the amenities and even came with coupons that could be used for a charcuterie tray in the wine bar plus a tour with wine tasting. I had toured the winery many times and because it was getting close to the start of the Gala, I opted to go to the wine bar for a glass of wine and the charcuterie. That was a good idea as the wine was wonderful and the food was just enough to tide me over for dinner. Other Messina Hof VIPs started arriving that I knew already in their Gala clothes, so I let them finish the tray while I went to get dressed up for the Gala.

Wine dinner events are held on the top floor of the onsite Vintage House Restaurant. Tables and seats are always preassigned, and I was pleased to learn I would be seated at the table with founders Paul V. and Merrill Bonarrigo. Also at the table was Texas Wine Lover’s Restaurant Ambassador John Harvey and his wife Kathleen. This year’s theme for the Gala was “The Grape of it All” featuring different shades of purple, and there was purple on everyone from dresses and shirts to ties and jackets.

This was the menu for the evening:

• Beef and rice stuffed grape leaves topped with preserved lemon Vitality dill yogurt. Paired with 2023 Messina Hof Private Reserve Trebbiano.
• Kale, roasted Brussels sprouts and farro with house-smoked Gorgonzola, pecans, shaved red onion, and Papa Paulo Port mustard vinaigrette. Paired with 2022 Private Reserve Tempranillo.
• Parmesan custard in a puff pastry shell topped with crispy coppa, Petit Verdot Estate-grown fig jam, arugula, and lemon vinaigrette. Paired with 2022 Private Reserve Syrah.
• Sangiovese brined seared pork tomahawk topped with fennel-apple agrodolce and served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Paired with 2022 Paulo Sagrantino.

• Texas Sparkling Brut sea-salt caramel cheesecake mousse topped with flaky sea salt. Paired with Tawny Port, new bottling.

During the dinner, owners Paul M. Bonarrigo described the wines we were tasting while Karen Bonarrigo described the food pairings.

Every year Messina Hof has a Texas Artist Wine Label Competition to find a painting that will be used on an upcoming wine label. This year’s painting was voted on by attendees of the Wine & Roses Festival earlier in April. The artist was present at the Gala, and she had a chance to speak to us too. It was a fabulous and fun evening at Messina Hof.

The Ports at Messina Hof are made with Lenoir grapes from the estate vineyard in Bryan or their Messina Hof Hill Country Winery vineyard. Every Port at Messina Hof is made without being fortified except for the one made in the Hill Country. This was also true for the estate Tawny Port we had during dessert. I have always loved the Ports without the added brandy fortification because you do not receive the burn down the throat as some Ports deliver. When I tell people about the non-fortification, they are always amazed that a Port can be made without being fortified, and I explain in a high summary how that is done. Earlier this year founder Paul V. Bonarrigo produced a video explaining the process, and with his permission, I gladly present it here so the information will be available to all.