The Corrections
In the “off with my head department,” it appears that I completely misunderstood many aspects of my tableside conversation with Rocco’s Grill owner Rocco “Rockey– Piazza on the night that a friend and I dined there. Unfortunately, I included some of that information in a recent review of Rocco’s and need to set the record straight. Mr. Piazza’s real-estate enterprise is now located in Austin, rather than Houston, and he is currently developing Round Mountain Estates not far from Rocco’s Grill. While he sold the property on South RR 620 that includes the large new Randalls, he is not involved in the development of that property. Rocco’s Grill is not Mr. Piazza’s first restaurant, and his relatives in the restaurant business in Houston are the Petronella Brothers (of Petronella Brothers and Paulie’s in Houston and Galveston), rather than the Carrabbas, the Mandolas, the D’Amicos, and the Vallones, who are instead his lifelong friends. The errors are regrettable.
Chiles and Grapes
The weather this year has played hell with the harvest schedules of two agricultural commodities near and dear to the hearts of Austinites. Due to serious drought conditions in southeastern New Mexico, the harvest of the green chile crop in and around Hatch, N.M., started in July and is now in full swing. Austin businesses such as Chuy’s, Central Market, and Austin’s Historic Farmer’s Market that have regular chile roasting events in late August and early September will be roasting chiles a little earlier this year. New Mexico chile maven Sandy Szwarc will tell us more about the Hatch chile situation next week. Closer to home, heavy rains in June and July caused such Central Texas wineries as Spicewood Vineyards, Becker Vineyards, Comfort Cellars, Texas Hills Vineyards, and Driftwood Vineyards to lose portions of this year’s grape crop, though it’s still too soon to asses damages. However, grape harvests have begun, and the Harvest Wine Trail (www.texaswinetrails.com) will be celebrated with various festivities at all area wineries this weekend, Aug. 17-18. If you’d like to pick grapes at Spicewood Vineyards (www.spicewoodvineyards.com, 830/693-5378) call ahead to check picking times. Home wine or jelly makers can pick in the morning and go home with 10 gallons of juice or must at the end of the day. Up at Fall Creek Vineyards (www.fcv.com, 915/379-5361), guests can stomp grapes, take tours of the winery, and enjoy complimentary wine tastings as well as free live music. There will also be cooking demonstrations/luncheons on both days featuring chef Joseph Gutierriz of Voltaire Restaurant in Dallas on Saturday and chef David Garrido of Jeffrey’s in Austin and Washington, D.C., on Sunday. The luncheons cost $19.95 and require reservations. Over near Bryan, what looks to be the best harvest season ever is winding up at Messina Hof Winery & Estate (www.messinahof.com, 979/778-9463), although there is still plenty of picking, stomping, wine tasting, and eating to be enjoyed there this weekend. The Grand Finale Vintner Dinner ($89.95) is Saturday evening, Aug. 17, at 6:30pm, and reservations are required.
This article appears in August 16 • 2002.