Category: Lake Conroe Area News

Texas has begun its harvest of vitis vinifera grapes. The harvest is happening along most of the northern hemisphere with each region experiencing slightly different results. The vineyards in Texas are harvesting at night when possible. 
Here is what Heath Family Brands based in the Fredericksburg area has to say, “We have 25 acres of vineyards at Grape Creek and 11 different varietals, 35 acres at Invention Vineyards with 7 varietals and 8 acres at Kuhlman Estate with 5 varietals. All in the Texas Hill Country AVA. We have harvested the Albarino, Roussanne, Marsanne, Petite Sirah, Tannat, Malbec and Petit Verdot. This Summer brought a slightly earlier harvest this year. We are doing all night hand harvests at all our vineyards this year. This has the benefit of cool weather for the fruit and the pickers. The grapes go directly from the vine to the bins and to cold storage for an early morning crush. A slightly smaller harvest this year due to 2 hail events, but grapevines are resilient and quick to correct. We thin fruit for a variety reasons with improved quality in mind, we believe this year’s naturally reduced yields will be an exceptional crop.”
Becker Vineyards is down the road from Heath Family Brands in the Texas Hill Country.  Their winemaker Jonathan “Jon” Leahy reported this to me about their harvest, ”Harvest has been fast and furious.  There has been extremely good quality fruit.  We’ve had quicker phenolic development this harvest.  Normally it is slower because of hotter days but this summer we haven’t had as many days in the 100s.  Evenings have been in the low 70s which has also bolstered the development.  Unless a vineyard has experienced high winds or hail, fruit set has been excellent.  It has been weird to have received white grapes from a grower and then two days later receive red grapes from the same grower.  We don’t usually have whites and reds coming in so close together.  The phenolic quality is similar to the 2017 and 2018 harvests.  I’m excited!”  Jon added, “This past week we harvested Reddy Vineyards Viognier and Tempranillo, Canada Family Vineyards’ Chardonnay, Lahey Vineyards’ Viognier, our Estate Grenache, Tallent Vineyards’ Cinsault and Tannat.”
Looking at the various grape varietals coming from the vineyards to the wineries, many of those varietals are unknowns to many wine lovers. Names like Alabarino, Roussanne, Marsanne, Tannat, Viognier, and Cinsault are not normally consumed by many wine lovers. However, after years of experimenting in the vineyards, these grapes varietals are wonderfully suited to be grown in Texas. Texas is establishing a reputation for now growing grapes that establish unique quality Texas wines. These wines will continue to bring Gold and Double Gold Medals to Texas wineries using quality Texas grapes!
Grape harvest is my favorite time to be at a winery. The incoming grapes bring an aroma that is heavenly. You can smell the bouquet of those grapes and taste the flavors that establish flavors in those wines.  These flavors and bouquet are natural in the grapes with no flavors added, with the exception of barrel aging. Head to the Texas Hill County this weekend and enjoy the smells of those incoming grapes. It is perfume in the air!
Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net. 

Blink Twice
Rated R for sexual assault, language throughout, drug use, some sexual references and strong violent contentRotten Tomatoes Score: 79%In Theaters
Making her directorial debut is Zoe Kravitz with this twisted thriller about a poor waitress (Naomi Ackie) who decides to follow a reclusive billionaire (Channing Tatum) to his private island home, where no cell phones are allowed and an eclectic group of men and women are along for the ride.  Upon arriving, it seems like pure paradise with a beautiful locale, great food and wine, and even some seemingly harmless recreational drugs.  But then clues start to surface that all is not right with the situation.  I wasn’t quite sure what to think about this one from the trailer.  It definitely looks like it might have a violent spin and that things might be a little messed up.  
But I would have never guessed the reality of the story, which makes it very interesting and uncomfortable.  I would say fun, but it is so disturbing that that would be a poor description of the events of this film.  From the very beginning, the movie feels like a Jordan Peele adventure, where the movie isn’t actually about what the story is about.  And there are many clues that this is the case.  I can imagine a number of different explanations for the symbolism, and I really hope this is the best explanation.  The cast here is solid, especially amongst the men, with Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Kyle McLachlan and Haley Joel Osment.  The females are less well known, but Ackie is really good as the heroine on the hunt to figure things out and Geena Davis turns in a surprising performance as one of the billionaire’s assistants.  I’m sure the plot twist will get out pretty quickly, and when it does, I wonder who the audience will be.  It really doesn’t make for a good date movie and I don’t see a lot guys going to see it by themselves either, just for fear of looking and feeling creepy.  
Just from its very nature, it might not have much of a box office, but then I can see it getting views once it hits streaming.  But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good film.  It’s just incredibly deranged and will make any viewer feel rather unbearable at moments.  B
Danny Minton may be reached at danny@dannyminton.com. 

A Montgomery Eagle Scout candidate is inviting Montgomery County area veterans to sign and leave inspirational messages inside a wheelchair-accessible mobile hunting blind he constructed. 
The deer blind built by Cohen Rogers, 15, will be in the parking lot of military and veteran-themed restaurant Honor Cafe in downtown Conroe this week before it is donated to the organization Patriot Outfitters Aug. 26. It is scheduled to be there through Thursday to Friday. 
Honor Cafe is at 103 N. Thompson Street. 
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The project was coordinated by Montgomery High student Rogers and constructed by a team of roughly 15 fellow Boy Scouts, friends and family members. The completion of the project will put him one step closer to obtaining his Eagle Scout distinction.
The Eagle Scout Award is the highest honor available to youth members of the Boy Scouts of America, which will change its name to Scouting America in February. It recognizes a Scout’s many years of effort and successful completion of a long process that begins when they join the organization. 
Rogers, a member of Troop 491, has been in Scouts since elementary school. 
He enjoys hunting and the outdoors and wanted to bring the same experiences to disabled veterans across the state. His grandfather is a U.S. Air Force veteran. 
“One day I was with my dad and we were in a hunting blind and I was really enjoying it. Out of nowhere my dad was talking about it would be a great opportunity if veterans could come out here and do this,” he said. “I was thinking about that and it seemed like a great idea to build a hunting blind that could go everywhere and not be on one tract.” 
His dad, Tony, agreed, and his plan began to take shape. 
The trailer portion was donated through Montgomery Trailers. On two work days July 20-21 the group constructed the blind from wood. Then another day was set aside for painting. A veteran in a wheelchair will be able to wheel into the hunting blind from a ramp.
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Rogers family friend and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Bobby Skinner connected with U.S. Marine Corps veteran Chris Sadler at Honor Cafe and the Sadler family agreed to host the trailer in the parking lot of their restaurant. 
“I’ve never met someone who achieved their Eagle Scout that wasn’t a great person,” Sadler said. “The best thing about his project as a whole is seeing veterans come out of there with tears in their eyes after they were able to leave a message for a disabled veteran. Every one of them will ask me to thank him (Cohen) personally. His heart for veterans is so, so valuable to us.” 
The trailer arrived last Tuesday. Passages include words of encouragement, scripture verses, service years and more. U.S. Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Conroe, signed it. Luttrell studied neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas after experiencing his own traumatic brain injury from a helicopter crash during a training operation.
Conroe mayor and U.S. Navy veteran Duke Coon also signed inside the blind. 
“Veterans fought for our country and they should have something given to them because they’ve done something for us,” Rogers said. “They need to have something to let them enjoy life.” 
The hunting blind will be presented to Patriot Outfitters representative Jay Fondren at Troop 491’s Aug. 26 meeting. Fondren served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and lost both his legs and had injuries to his right arm. 
He also is an avid outdoorsman. 
“They have only had stationary blinds so this will be their first mobile blind,” said Rogers’ mom, Wendy. “This will give them the opportunity to go to different tracts across the state. They are excited and we are too.”