FOOD & LIFE

Austin 'Winemaker' survives first round of reality show

By Patrick Beach
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Twin Liquors Marketplace probably wouldn't have made a big deal of it, showing the PBS wine-making reality show "The Winemakers" in a side room on a projection TV, if their own wine guru, Ross Outon, had not survived the first cut and guess what? He did indeed make it.

About 35 folks were on hand Saturday afternoon for the show at the store, which had a prominent display of something called "Winner's Wine" on display — and cases and cases of it.

The series, which has been in the making since 2006, tracks the efforts of 12 contestants — eight industry professionals and four wine enthusiasts — as they compete and chase the dream of launching their own wine brand. Outon was one of hundreds of people who showed up for auditions across the country, and he got a shot. Ready for your close-up, Mr. Outon?

In the first episode, we meet the contestants and follow them on what turns out to be a 20-plus hour day workday — beginning at 3 a.m. — of serious toil, picking grapes in California's wine country, starting the fermentation and more. Because it's a reality show, there are already the seeds of conflict, dramatic music and the like. Because it's PBS, nobody had to eat a bowlful of dung beetles or get in a hot tub with Bret Michaels.

Four of the lesser contestants were voted off the island, if Paso Robles, Calif., were an island. And after the live broadcast, Outon talked about the experience. He said viewers might notice "continuity issues" with his formidable facial hair. And of contestant Sara Livermore, who got the ax: "She basically dug a hole with her mouth the whole first round."

More about this mysterious wine: The label says, "The Winemakers. Twelve People. One Passion. Winner's Wine. Remove Label Only After Finale." Outon says there's not a name beneath the paper but a clue. Interesting. It's a California red blend with many of the grapes commonly grown in the region, including petite syrah. It's also good — they were sampling it in the store. Medium-bodied, not too much acidity or what I think of as tongue-pull, quite versatile. It's for sale for $15.99.

The show first airs Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. on PBS through the finale on Halloween, and they'll be having Saturday screenings in the store.

pbeach@statesman.com; 445-3603