2025 Woodlands Wine & Food Week: 4 Days of Fun and Feasting

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The 21st annual Woodlands Wine & Food Week for 2025 is in the books, and the weather has been nothing short of spectacular launching attendees into wonderful moods for merriment. Food & Vine Time Productions’ Constance McDerby nailed this year’s theme ‘Crushing It!’ and she was on point each night of the festivities. The Marriott Hotel at The Woodlands Waterway and Convention Center made for an incredible venue to enjoy the finer things that life has to offer, and without a doubt marking moments that attendees will cherish for years to come. It’s always a grand occasion in life when wines and cocktail producers, along with a cadre of restaurants and caterers all showcase their talents with incredible sips and savors. Sponsored by H-E-B, The Woodlands Wine & Food Week has thrived for over two decades, with truly talented wine and spirits producers, as well as the creative culinary experts that accompany them, dreaming up the most delectable dishes that chefs formulate to satisfy the palates of discerning guests who form lasting relationships with vendors based a single taste. That’s why The Woodlands Food and Wine Week brings talents from across Our Country, and really The World, to come and sip and taste the new and innovative creations that grace the stage of Wine & Food Week guests each year.

Each night was appropriately themed and dedicated. For instance, Wednesday evening honored ‘Wines Around the World,’ and it invited attendees on a passportless night to worldly locales such as Spain, Bulgaria (via Bernhardt Winery ), Japan (via Arkansas), France, Italy, and California. Thursday night was dedicated to ’Crushing It with Cocktails!’ as eight bartenders, more properly titled, ‘mixologists,’ from Houston, Spring, and The Woodlands, each competed head to head for simply being called The Best. The guests were treated to a great mix of wine and spirit inspired cocktails that raised eyebrows and satisfied palates, each with their unique and wonderful tastes.

Who knew that Sake and Arkansas mixed? But it works, and ‘Origami Sake’ from Hot Springs, Arkansas, is not afraid to share its spoils, and the magical fermented rice product, which is very enjoyable upon gracing the palate, almost lemonade-like with its creamier version. Domo arigato OS for taking the risk in providing an award-winning Arkansas product that even sells in Japan itself. They even make a non-alcoholic product that also is very tasty.

The chefs at H-E-B continue to impress with each event, with stores in the area participating at different events. On Wednesday, they had a wonderful garlic flavored crab salad atop a parmesan chip with a dollop of marinara. Thursday was pizza night done by the H-E-B Woodlands Market crew, and they really knocked it out of the park with their personal pepperoni and cheese and balsamic glaze really impressed. Friday, H-E-B featured Brisket and Sausage, of which the brisket was so epic, being so moist and soft, with tons of flavor, and a smoke ring that would rival the big names in BBQ. And their Mac `n Cheese is nothing to sneeze at either, you’d be amazed. On the final night H-E-B held nothing back, taking the entire center of the ballroom. Of course, the store is an expert on Beer and Wine sales, but the final night's dessert counter was nothing short of spectacular, and you’d be amiss if you didn’t consider them in your confectionery search for dinner parties and such.

Bernhardt Winery near Plantersville came to impress this year with their Antiquity Wine Cabernet Franc, inspired from the Thracian Lowlands of Bulgaria. Bernhardt teams with Europe Shares, which promotes an exclusive selection of food and wine from Europe. Their canapés offered from the BW chefs included a roasted bell pepper hummus on pita, and a Labneh spread mixed with herbs and garlic topped with red pepper sauce and salami. Absolutely delicious and a great offering in the countering of flavors, and both paired well with the Thracian vino. Their final night desert offering of ‘Tawny Reserve’ which, surrounded by wonderful dessert vendors, created personal moments of absolute joy when paired with the nearby rendezvous of sweets.

Riboli Family Wines from California represented with their San Simeon Chard and Cab, along with the Maddalena Rose and Cab. They also featured their Highlands 41, a Cab, that was equally impressive. Mesón Sommelier Food & Wine, located in an Old Town Spring Restaurant and Wine Bar, with a very tasty chickpea salad of garbanzo beans, peppers, fennel, and romesco sauce.

Spring’s Mary Thorn and her Thistle Draftshop really impressed with Chef Trenis Shields’ ‘Black Garlic Herb Biscuit w/Bree Crema, topped with red pepper and orange marmalade.’ The biscuit alone made the sample with its unique flavor, and will soon be on the menu. Mary respects her crew and welcomes their creativity. Bodegas Papiamento Rum - Aruba Style was on-site with their rum that even Captain Jack Sparrow would be proud to promote. Aged in Sherry Cask barrels from 3 to 15 years, you really want to sip this rum, as a tribute to its age and fine flavor, which is pleasant on the palate with a smooth and sweet aftertaste.

The winner of the ’Crushing It with Cocktails!’ competition was Afzal Kaba, from Musaafer, in Houston, who won best in glass with his cocktail, Harvey Milk Punch, a mixture of vodka, sauv blanc, melon and lime juice, clarified using milk, and saffron. Kaba also won the People’s Choice award. Thomas Marsella, from 13 Celsius, also in Houston, won best use of wine in cocktails. Kirby’s Steakhouse bartender Allison Gathman, served a worthy Mexican inspired ‘Jalisco Summer,’ with El Acabo Raicilla (agave spirit), elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, muddled jalapeno, basil, cucumber, topped with a Stella Rosa Moscato, and grilled pineapple.

Friday Night’s ‘Sips, Suds & Savor’ theme was really enticing with tons of food with several dozen chefs, and a preview of next fall’s Texas Renaissance Festival cast complete with King, Queen, and Court Jester. The impressive roster of restaurants on both Friday, and Saturday, for the ‘Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase,’ yielded delightful entries that boggled any foodie's mind. Rise Soufflé’s ‘Raspberry Soufflé with Chocolate Sauce’ surely enlightened sophisticated palates, while Crawfish Cafe’s ‘Crawfish Beignets,’ was a juicy hot pocket of Vietnamese and Cajun inspired ingredients. Even catering and ready made food companies such as Lighthouse Catering and Della Casa Pasta, brought dining options outside of traditional eateries.

Friday and Saturday nights at the W&FW were exceptional, and rightly so, where food and wine lovers were virtually overwhelmed with decadence beyond imagination. Central America tamales, Italian gelatos, cakes, pies, beef, octopus, ostrich, scallops, pasta filled cones, wines from Argentina, the flavors of Aruba, almost anything you wanted was available. Terrace 54 had an inspirational ‘Pan-Roasted Sea Scallop,’ which was topped with green onion, chervil relish, bacon vinaigrette, on a bed of charred cream corn; all served on a scallop shell. A new wine by WX Brands, ‘Here By Chance’ made an excellent debut, and Sales Manager Robert Daughtery really impressed guests with the Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon.

The highlight of the week, wrapping the 21st Annual celebration, was this year’s ‘Chef of Chefs’ competition, in which Chef Edgar Morales from Del Frisco took home the $5,000 First Prize. Chef Morales’ ‘Sweet Tamale Cake’ with a creamed tomatillo sauce was absolutely delicious, as very pleasing to the judges. Over three dozen chefs contributed to guest satisfaction Saturday, with

Chef Richard Huber from Swift & Company taking the $750 Second prize for his ‘Grilled Baby Octopus with Corn Velouté.’ The Third place $500 prize went to Chef Ever De Pena, with Ever Restaurant Aruba; his ‘Asado negro with Cashew puree with shaved truffles’ also impressed. In the dessert category, the People's Choice prize for favorite dessert went to Alchemy Bake Lab.

The Woodlands Wine & Food Week really CRUSHED IT! Again, thanks go out to H-E-B for their brand association with Wine & Food Week 2025, not only sponsoring the event, but actively participating with wonderful entrees, and incredible desserts.

Not doubt everyone is already looking forward to W&FW’s 22nd year. And no one knows what Constance McDerby and Food & Vine Time Productions have up their sleeves for next year. The 21st annual H-E-B Woodlands Wine & Food Week still has a few tickets available for ‘Ladies of the Vine’ on June 6th at The Club at Carlton Woods. For info and tickets: wineandfoodweek.com

Alcohol Disclaimer: This column is intended for entertainment purposes only. Please drink responsibly, not just for yourself, but for others around you.

Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net

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