The Wente family has been a mainstay of California winemaking for four generations; patriarch C.H. Wente learned the business from Charles Krug, one of the industry’s pioneers, in the late 19th century. There is even a specific kind of chardonnay grape, the Wente clone, named for the family, developed about a century ago.

So why don’t you hear more about Wente wines? For one thing, their winery is in Livermore, hardly as sexy as Napa or Sonoma. For another, their wines can be very traditional in style, which doesn’t appeal to the mass of critics who follow California wine and think old fashioned is a cocktail. But the Wente wines are always well made and always offer value, particularly for those of us how like $10 wine.

The Louis Mel ($10, purchased, available at Kroger) is an excellent example of that quality and value. This is a pleasant midweek wine that worked wonderfully with oven fried chicken and would go well with any grilled chicken or white fish. It’s not overly complex — just some citrus and pear — but that’s not a problem. It’s actually nice to taste a sauvignon blanc that is more restrained than the grapefuit puckerers so often found at this price, even from California. All in all, a more than solid wine for the price.

The key to success for regional wine is not so much about quality or even pricing. It’s about producing wine that reflects the place where it is made. Regional wine will never be successful if it’s nothing more than a knockoff of what’s being done elsewhere — and where it’s being done better, as well.

That’s why the best regional wine has a sense of terroir, whether it’s a New York riesling, a Missouri norton, or a Virginia viognier. The top producers in those states know they have to compete with California, but they have also realized they don’t have to do it on California’s terms. They can do it on their terms.

That’s what we’ve finally figured out in Texas. There has been a revolution in the past five years, with growers and winemakers embracing warm climate grapes in a way I never thought possible. Today, we have quality wines made with tempranillo, roussanne, syrah, sangiovese, blanc du bois, black Spanish, and viognier — grapes better suited for the Texas terroir than the traditional French varietals. Even the state’s biggest producers, who can sell (and need to sell) chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon because they’re in grocery stores, are using these new varietals to produce fascinating wines.

One of the best examples of the revolution is McPherson’s La Herencia ($14, sample, available at Central Market), a tempranillo blend that has the Spanish grape’s varietal characteristics yet retains a Texas quality. It’s richer and more full than a Rioja, the best-known tempranillo from Spain, with more red fruit. But it’s not too fruity or too tannic or too alcoholic, like so many California wines. Serve this with barbecue, almost any main course with rice (like jambalaya), and even some roast or grilled chicken dishes.

One of the other hats I wear is as co-founder of DrinkLocalWine, where we focus on wine made in the 47 states that aren’t California, Oregon, and Washington. We’re holding our fourth annual regional wine week this week, and there are articles and links to regional wine throughout the country, including Texas. Regional wine is part of significant changes going on in the wine business that much of the wine business is missing, and Texas wine has played a key role in those changes.

You know what’s good if you fry it? Duh! Like, everything. Yes, everything — marshmallows, butter, shoelaces, cigarette butts…

Anyone who’s traded their precious tickets for something or another fried in deep fat at the State Fair of Texas knows.

Even for those not headed to Fair Park, there are plenty of spots to indulge junk-food cravings in Oak Cliff. Check out our “Fair Fare” feature in the October Advocate for some suggestions.

And here’s one more: El Ranchito.

The Tex-Mex place on Jefferson at Llewellyn is frying it this month.

During the month of October, El Ranchito is offering fried avocado with salsa, fried rice pudding with powdered sugar and fried corn on the cob.

If we’re talking fried corn items, however, my personal favorite is the corn fritters at Williams Fried Chicken.

The first time time I tasted the Tormaresca chardonnay, I knew two things. First, that Italian chardonnay was not something most people wanted to write about. The Italians had plenty of other white wine grapes; what were they doing messing around with chardonnay? The other thing I knew was that Tormaresca made really good cheap wine.

So I really wasn’t surprised at the quality. Tormaresca, as a producer, is that good. Somehow, on their property in Puglia in the Italian boot heel, they do things that other wineries can only dream about.

The current vintage of the chardonnay ($12, sample) is better than ever — bright, clean and crisp (almost too much crisp, actually, though that should not be noticeable as the bottle ages). There is lots of green apple fruit, the wine has enough oak to complement the fruit but not to overwhelm it, and it’s only 12 1/2 percent alcohol. As always, I wonder why the Italians can make such a pleasant chardonnay while so many in California, where chardonnay is an important grape, stumble in the dark trying to do the same thing. Drink this chilled on its own, or pair it with a variety of white wine food — roast chicken, spaghetti carbonara or even Sunday brunch.

One of my favorite things about fall is Cafe Brazil‘s caramel apple cider. When it shows up on the menu, I know that autumn is imminent.

The Dallas restaurant‘s holiday menu debuts tomorrow, Oct. 4, and the caramel apple cider and cinnamon pumpkin pancakes are back. Cafe Brazil is also debuting two new French toast creations for the holidays — bananas foster, which tastes as good as it sounds, and eggnog, which is covered with cinnamon apples, cranberries, powdered sugar and eggnog sauce, and won’t be available until Nov. 1 (sorry, you’ll have to wait).

On their own, these items are sweet and decadent enough to act as dessert, but pumpkin cheesecake with brownie crust is also a Cafe Brazil customer favorite, as is its Holiday Blend coffee, available by both the bottomless cup and the bag. Stop by the Bishop Arts location to inaugurate the season.

Set those digital recorders. I’ll be on Channel 11, sometime after 5:30 a.m. on Friday, to talk about the Texas wine garden and wine stage at the State Fair of Texas. I’m told I’ll even get a chance to display my corkscrew skills. And, no, that’s not too early to drink wine.

We’re doing a reduced a schedule of interviews at the Fair this year, thanks to our friends at the Texas Legislature. Though, to be fair, since they are likely funding the schools in an unconstitutional manner, I shouldn’t be too upset about the wine stage being cut. It’s all in the perspective.

Details for the stage are here. Stop by and say hello if you’re at the Fair.

Inexpensive cabernet sauvignon tends to be obviously flawed in one way or another — too much oak (or poorly done oak), too much fruit (or way too much fruit), uneven tannins, or green, unripe fruit. That’s because cabernet is not always easy to make and it’s almost always more expensive to make than other wines. So, when a winemaker is trying to hit a price below $15, something has to give.

Which was not the case with the Mandolin ($12, sample), which showed up quite unexpectedly and was almost overlooked when it did. Wines that I’ve had before or that I know don’t fit a review go into the giveaway box. For some reason that I don’t remember, this was going in the giveaway box but never got there.

That’s my good fortune. The Mandolin is well-made, quality $12 wine from California’s Central Coast. As such, it’s much better than so many others of its kind and on a par with solid sub-$15 cabernets like Avalon and 337. Look for some cherry fruit, but not too much, and appreciate the balance between the acid, tannins and oak in a wine at this price. Drink this with any red meat, including meat loaf and burgers.

Sylvan | Thirty is hosting a fish supper Thursday, Sept. 29, at the site of its development, at Fort Worth and Sylvan.

It starts around 5:30 p.m., and Fish Fry Bingo performs at 7 p.m.

Main Stream Fish Camp, a food truck that launched in August, will serve a menu including fish tacos, fried shrimp, shrimp cocktail and crab quesadillas. Tickets to the dinner are $10, which can be paid in cash or purchased online in advance. Credit cards won’t be accepted onsite.

The event is BYOB, and kids and pets are welcome. There are a few picnic tables out there, but it might be a good idea to tote a camp chair.

There are a few variations of the legends surrounding the origin of coffee, but the highlights remain the same: Some Ethiopian goats graze on red berries. The goats get a tad bouncy. Kaldi, the goatherd, notices the bouncy goats. Coffee’s effects are discovered.

A few centuries later, more than 50 percent of American adults drink an average of 3.1 cups a day, according to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health on the caffeinated beverage. A few of the larger coffee chains across this buzzing nation are using National Coffee Day on Sept. 29 to say “thank you” for such impressive consumer dedication.

Head to the nearest 7-Eleven to say, “You’re welcome.”

The company is offering free medium coffees (and lattes and cappuccinos) on Sept. 29 from 7-11 a.m. “Like” its Facebook page on Wednesday, Sept. 28, and have the added bonus of playing “Dip-a-Drip” for a chance to win a $25 gift card to the convenience store.

Happy bouncing!

That's just half a sandwich from La Hechizera peeking out of the bag. Enchanting, yes?

Holy cow and pig, La Hechizera!

When we featured Jefferson Boulevard restaurants in the September Advocate, I had not yet tried this place, on Jefferson between Zang and Beckley. Otherwise, we would’ve included it.

A reader suggested Tortas La Hechizera after I reviewed the tortas at Flash a couple of weeks ago. I tried La Hechizera last week, and now I want to eat there all the time. We *think* hechizera means “enchantress”, and even if it doesn’t, that’s still what it is. I’m obsessed with her.

La Hechizera offers a menu of tortas, those  Mexico-style sandwiches, along with enchiladas, quesadillas and huaraches. But I’m there for the tortas, which come not just with lunchmeat or maybe some chicken or pork, but with many crazy combinations of things.

The first time, I ordered one that came with ham, chorizo and cheese, along with refried beans, avocado, lettuce, tomato and onion, with a dark red chile salsa on the side. It’s a huge sandwich, but it’s not messy, and each bite is mouthful of melty, cheesy, chorizo-y YES.

The second time, I ordered the D.F., which has all of the above, plus milanesa, which is like wiener schnitzel. I could live without the wiener schnitzel.

On the menu at La Hechizera, there are two what must be very, very grande sandwiches that cost $13.39. I didn’t see one, but the “Milenio” comes with ham, pork, turkey, beef fajita, hot dogs and two kinds of cheese. You know, plus the beans and avocado, etc.

The tortas at La Hechizera are big enough for two people, and at around $7 apiece, they make a delicious lunch for two.

La Hechizera doesn’t have a parking lot, so you have to find a meter on Jefferson. Inside, you’ll likely find a too-loud jukebox playing Spanish pop tunes and a few families eating. The cashiers speak English, which makes it less intimidating for a gringa like me.