Howdy ya’ll, it’s Rodeo Houston season.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ is finally here, and The Black Wine-O had the pleasure of attending the Rodeo Uncorked RoundUp & Best Bites Competition last week to kickoff the 2020 season. I must say I’ve never been to an event of this magnitude where the focus was solely wine, it was overwhelmingly grand in the best way. Of course, Texas does everything BIGGER, and this gourmet pairing event is a perfect example. There was over 100 local participating restaurants paired with over 400 hundred award winning wines. In fact, the Rodeo Uncorked International Wine Competition, held last November, received 3,528 entries from 19 countries around the world. This year’s featured wine region is Mendoza, Argentina mostly known for producing Malbec, Chardonnay and Tempranillo. If you’re planning on attending the Houston Rodeo this year, don’t fret you’ll still have an opportunity to sample some amazing wines from this year’s winner circle. Rodeo visitors head over to the 2020 Champion Wine Garden, located adjacent to NRG in the Carruth Plaza, for an opportunity to relax and sample varietals that won Class and Reserve Class Champion honors. The best part, revenue from the wine garden is used to support the organization’s scholarship program. This garden oasis features over 70 wines and is worth the trek from the Rodeo happenings for a quick wine down. If your tradition of attending the Rodeo includes a group of friends or fam, enhance the experience by reserving a table as low as $50 (Monday-Thursday) and $75 (Saturday-Sunday) to host a wine social. Tables for two can even be reserved HERE if you want to plan the perfect date night before crooning alongside Khalid or tossing your hair to Lizzo. Sip by the glass or grab a bottle, and enjoy the serene setting including live music, Texas sized Western art sculptures, wine education seminars, complimentary tastings and winemakers from all across the globe. Here are our picks for the top 7 wines to sip in the 2020 Champion Wine Garden.

Gruet Sauvage Rose', American NV
Bingham Family Vineyards Dugout Red, Texas High Plains
Josh Cellars Reserve Chardonnay, Sonoma County 2018
Fleur de Mer Rose', Cotes de Provence AOP 2018
Becker Vineyards Iconoclast Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Select, Texas 2017
Piper Heidsieck Brut,Champagne NV * Grand Champion Best of Show
Catena Zapata Malbec, High Mountain Vines Mendoza 2017 ($88 Bottle)