Iron Sommelier Crowns New Champ at Wine-Fueled Rendezvous

Iron Sommelier Crowns New Champ at Wine-Fueled Rendezvous

Clayton and Kaylin Williams and Erika and Jonathan Hines

THE PERIWINKLE FOUNDATION hosted its annual Iron Sommelier event at The Post Oak Hotel, chaired by prominent vinophiles Sean Beck and Lara Lack.


The evening was attended by nearly 500 guests, who together raised more than $380,000 for the local organization, which hosts camps, arts and survivor programs for children who suffer from life-threatening illnesses like cancer, and their family members. Leukemia survivor Sara Agrawal spoke to the crowd about how the Periwinkle Foundation improved her quality of life; she looks forward to attending college next year.

About that wine: Thirteen sommeliers from restaurants and clubs all over Houston, including Georgia James, Le Jardinier, March and MAD, participated in the competition. Each selected three wines from a particular region, and a panel of three judges ranked their selections based on presentation, creativity and knowledge. Pappas Bros. Steakhouse somm Chris Havens was crowned the champion, and Rachel Van Til of The Clubs at Houston Oaks took home the People's Choice award.

The night also included an auction with unique items such as a private dinner hosted by Chris Shepherd, a 40-bottle lot of wine selected by Sean Beck, and various rare bourbons and whiskeys. Sip sip hooray!

Todd and Tammy Robertson and Julie and Doug Osburn

Amy and Tyson Kennedy

Suzanne and Bryan Monk

Becky Thomson, Paige Morgan, Guy Stout, Jim Veal

Andres Blanco of Le Jardinier

Steph Pierce and Jake Goodman

Sean Beck, Chris Havens, Lara Lack, Justin Goodman

Brandon and Patti Kerne, Natalie Leskiw

Britt and Megan Mitchell

Brandon and Suzette McDaniel

Carly Thibodeaux, and Mark and Amy Thibodeaux

Sarah Kaplan, Danielle Bodunrin, Louise Stephens

Madeline Clark and Sujith Murali

Rachel Van Til

Dax and Chelsea Booker

Darin and Gretchen Carroll

Rhonda and Paul Gerson

Zach Newman with Joy and Mike Rayburn

Corks for voting

Parties

HOUSTON IS BUZZING with Rodeo fever, and the theme has taken everything over, from apparel to cocktails. If you’d rather dodge the traffic, crowds and parking of the HLSR at NRG Stadium, mosey on over to The Post Oak Hotel.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Jess Bailey, Founder & Managing Attorney of Bailey Law Firm PLLC

WHAT LEADERSHIP QUALITIES are essential for thriving? Decisiveness, emotional intelligence, and the ability to inspire. Decisiveness is about making informed choices swiftly and standing by them; it’s a hallmark of leadership that instills confidence in a team. Emotional intelligence enables understanding and management of one’s own emotions, as well as relate to and influence the emotions of others. It’s crucial for building strong relationships and navigating complex interpersonal dynamics. The ability to inspire and motivate is what transforms a group of individuals into a cohesive, driven team. Leadership is a practice, not a position.

Keep Reading Show less