Guest comment: Texas victory needs asterisk

By Fred LeBrun
Albany Times Union

ALBANY, NY -- Texas beat New York badly in the first Grape Gridiron Classic, held a couple of weeks ago in Dallas, but at least there should be an asterisk in the record book.

Just a month or so ago, the Texas Department of Agriculture came up with the idea for a friendly competition between these two wine-producing states, and it's a good one. Using a hurry-up offense, a Dallas-based wine educator and blogger, Jeff Siegel, and Texas wine blogger Russ Kane came up with 11 wines chosen from the 200 wineries in the Lone Star State. Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, picked New York's team.

The wine-to-wine blind taste-off in various red and white categories, with 40 Texas winemakers, sellers and members of the trade participating, took place at El Centro College the same evening the New York Giants were beating up the Dallas Cowboys.

Virginia wine consultant and blogger Richard Leahy and I were the non-Texas voters in the room, and I certainly agree that Texas beat us that night fair and square, wine against wine. We hang our heads.

However, here's why there's an asterisk.

[Go here for the rest of his commentary.]

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