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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1985)
“ d operate Bonarrigos love is their wine By MARY COX Staff Writer Hundreds of wines line the shelf at the grocery store, each competing to fill the glass of ence is a virtue. T» 1 . - every shopper. The competition among the big producers like Gallo, that produces roughly 300 million gallons a year, is tough. But, Paul Bonarrigo, a local winemaker, refuses to take part in this competition. Paul and his wife, Merrill, own dustry look like the perfect The Bonarrigo’s harvest their career opportunity for a wine- grapes earlier than most loving journalist. But as with vinyards. most everything else, it looks a “Usually we’re the earliest lot easier than it is. And pati- place to harvest in the country,” Merrill said. “That gives us an “The tradition is passed down duced a mere 50 gallons of wine to the first born son of each and won the Best Amateur generation.” Wine Award of that year. But in The name Paul is also passed 1983, they were bonded by the down to the first born son of government, which enabled the each generation, so it’s no sur- couple to sell their wine to the prise that Paul and Merrill’s public. three-year-old son is also Paul said they’ve come a long named Paul. “Paulie,” as his way since then, and they’ve got dad calls him, can even rattle the awards to prove it. Messina off the names of some of the 11 Hof has won 11 medals since i*jLuin. Recently, Paul and Merrill The name Messina Hof is bought the old Villa Maria also a reflection of Paul and Ursuline Academy, a private Merrill. Messina, Italy, is where girl’s school. This 7,000 sq. foot the Bonarrigo family is from, structure was dismantled to Paul said it’s necessary to advantage in the market be- wait between three to five years cause we can have our white to develop a good root system wines on the shelf for Christ- once you plant a grapevine, mas, which is difficult for Cali- Paul has an interesting way of fornia.” taking care of his grapevines. The Bonarrigo’s sell their varieties of wine from the 30 September. The Bonarrigo’s are It’s a century-old French cus- wines to some local restaurants acres of the Messina Hof very modest about these accom- uwn tom called companion plant- and merchants, but Messina vineyards. Their son is a reflec- plishments, but they have the the Messina Hof Winery, two ing. He plants rosebushes at the Hof wine is not limited to this tion of both parents, with big self-assurance of people who miles east of Bryan, and their end of each row of vines to indi- area. People as far away as Eng- brown eyes from Dad and fair are proud of what they do. philosophy emphasizes quality, cate fungus. If the humidity and land will enjoy Paul and Mer- skin and blond hair from Mom. Recently, Paul and Merrill not mass production. air temperature gets too high, a rill’s efforts this year because The name Messina Hof is hmwHr J Tr -”- ” “Our business grew out of a fungus will form on the rose- they expect to export about 50 " 1 “ love of wine,” Paul said. “We bush, and this tells Paul when cases of wine this year, never intended to be corporate to spray his grapevines. Paul and Merrill attend many America or conglomerize.” After the years tick by, and wine shows and competitions, and Hof, Germany, is where move to Messina Hof, and Paul Although the demand for the the roots grow strong, the but most of their reputation has Merrill’s ancestors lived. The hopes this wineiy addition will Bonarrigo’s wines offers a shot grapes can be harvested for been built by word of mouth, blend of these two people with be completed by 1986. at a larger market, they choose wine. Paul and Merrill said the Because Merrill is a former these two backgrounds make “Our next project is to get the to remain small. harvest is an exciting time. Aggie (class of ’75) and Paul up a very classy couple. This winery completed and get it “There’s advantages to being “The harvest begins some- received an honorary degree class spills over into their busi- done the way we want,” Paul time near July 4, depending on from A&=M after completing ness and their home that they sairl Ana ^u-^- j the type of spring we have,” some graduate courses, the old built themselves. Merrill said. “If it’s a late Ag network provided lots of Merrill was a real estate spring, we have a late harvest.” publicity. During football sea- agent in Bryan in the 1970’s -j—^ ccwjci iu After picking the berries, the son, the couple said former stu- when Paul came here to open control,” she said. “This way he stems are separated from them, dents visit the picnic grounds the physical therapy depart- knows whafs going on all the and the berries are squeezed in and the wineiy at Messina Hof. ment at St. Joseph Hospital, time. ” a press to produce a syrup-like Often, former students are so Merrill met Paul when he was And what’s going on at Mes- juice. (All their equipment is taken by the wines, they get in the market for a house, but alone, but we want to parcel sina Hof is good vino. Business from Italy.] Fermentation con- wholesalers in their area to car- she laughed when she said that our wine out in different places has tripled for the Bonarrigo’s verts the sugar in the berries to rv the Bonarrigo’s wines. she didn’t sell Paul a house until ^ °' a,v ' ° —■' J since last year. They expect to alcohol. Different styles of wine The key to Paul and Merrill’s after they were married, produce 25,000 gallons this are determined by how long success can be traced back as They began planting their year, and compared to the 5,800 they are fermented. far as the 1800s. vineyard in 1977, but only made gallons they produced in 1983, “For a sweeter wine, you stop “My family’s had a wineiy in wine for their personal con it makes the winemaking in- the fermenting,” Paul said, , Italy since thp 1800s,” Paul .said, sumption. In 1981, thev pro- -10- \ • 'W *.V7 V r \VAV.\ small,” Merrill said as she sip ped her Messina Hof Vino Di Amore — the wine of love. “Paul does weekly tastings, which means quality is easier to wctj WC W dll l j i'cllll said. And after that’s done, the future holds many more plans. “I think in five to ten years, we’ll have a tourist region here with a hotel near the wineiy,” he said. “There’ll be a center for fine wines and fine cooking. “We could sell out in Houston to gain a statewide reputation. If someone has a compliment or criticism, here we are. That’s why we have our name on the label—we’re not hiding behind the label.” \ Dear Winos, Texas wines aren’t just of the Mad Dog 20/20 variety'. No, they are produced on 14 wineries from Lubbock to Del Rio and are ranked 14th in the nation in overall production. These are prize winning bottles of vino. We became aware of those facts a couple of weeks ago when the Messina Hoff Winery, operated by Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo, sent out an invitation for the press (that’s us) to attend its Spring Gala. The Gala promised wine tasting, a horse show, entertainment and a pie contest. The clincher was the request for one of us to be a pie judge. Who could turn down such an opportunity — free pie, free wine and all before noon! Shawn volunteered for the pie job and the rum cream took the cake. A nice day was had by all, except when we lost Bill for a little while — like all photographers he could not resist the wildflowers do^vn the road. And we learned about the genuine hospitality 7 of the local winemak ers. They invited us into their world and made us feel welcome. But the industry goes much farther than our backyard, although it’s very impressive that it’s even in our backyard. Cathy Riely, armed with research books and some other sources, has uncorked the history of Texas wine. It goes back a long way and everyone knows that the older the bottle, the better the wine. Maty Cox spent an evening back out at Messina Hoff with the Bonarrigos. Refreshed with none other than their specialty, Vino Amore, they talked about the roots of the Bonarrigo family and the roots of their grapevines. It’s an intricate process and patience is the key. We had a tasty time with this issue. So next time you choose wine — not only go domestic, go Texan. Cheers! ( Shawn Behlen & Leigh-Ellen Clark Co-editors