Chicken Purses and Hearses Too


On the 21st of June, we hosted Wine Enthusiast writer Lisa Rogak and State of Texas Wine Marketing Director, Bobbie Champion as they toured the Way Out Wineries in our neck of the woods. I suffer a little fear and trepidation when meeting the unknown. I was the kid who worried about flunking out of kindergarten before the first day. I wondered, "will we meet their expectations? Will we be good enough?" We are self conscious knowing we are new at this wine gig. Our wine storage room is unfinished with boxes on the floor and my grandchildrens' toys strewn about. So my staff and I waited anxiously, ready or not, for their arrival.

We laid out a spread from our Enoteca menu on the bar including all of our pizzas, Al Diavalo, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese, Quattro Fromaggi, Mellanzanna, Prosciutto and Rocket, Margarita and held our breath as they tasted each one, chose their wines and declared their favorites. As they explored our food, I tried to explore our guests. Lisa is effervescent, overflowing with ideas and bizarre interests like funerary museums. She is someone who loads her hearse with musical instruments - the accordion and double bass. Michelle, my head waitress, coveted Lisa's rubber chicken purse. This lead to the discovery that Lisa is a fan of the hilarious Wallace and Gromit cartoons, owning a Shaun the Sheep purse as well. We gave Bobbie and Lisa the Grand Tour of the property, I wished we had more time and lived next door.


Announcing The Turtle's Wine Exploration Dinners



On June 18th, 2009 at 7:00pm The Turtle Restaurant will have the first in it's series of Wine Exploration Dinners featuring W.O.W. (Way Out Wineries), a group of wineries located here in central Texas. We invite you to have dinner with Barking Rocks' vintner, Tiberia. He is going to release his 2005 cabernet sauvignon made with grapes from the high plains. With this wine in mind our Chef, Thomas Vezina, has created a special menu for the evening consisting of
  • Amuse Bouche - Beef Tenderloin, mushroom deuxelle in cabernet sauce
  • Terrine of Lamb
  • Windy Hill Organics Greens, apples, walnuts, gorgonzola, raspberry vinaigrette
  • Veal Osso Bucco
  • Gateau Noix walnut tart from St Paul de Vence

The cost is $65.00 per person and includes two glasses of "to be released" Barking Rocks Cabernet. Reservations may be had by calling The Turtle Restaurant 325-646-8200 or on line at the website http://www.theturtlerestaurant.com/ choose the date June 18, 2009. Tiberia will be on hand to discuss his wines and take orders.

The Turtle Enoteca serves other Barking Rocks wines by the taste, glass and bottle including 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - Quail Ridge high plains grapes - A plum nose and wonderful berry toasted oak flavors with a great tannin structure.

2004 Sangiovese - Newsom grapes Bright and rich with notes of raspberry and spice. 2007 Lone Star International Wine Competition medal.

Little Red Wine in Hood 90% Syrah, 10% Blanc du Bois. Friendly, light bodied wine with subtle hints of white pepper and cherry.

2005 Viognier - Comanche, TX grapes Complex and full bodied white wine with notes of oak, anise and tangerine.

We hope you will join us for dinner or in our wine bar.