One of Houston’s most prestigious sommelier competitions is coming back for 2024. On Thursday, November 7 from 6 to 10 p.m., top wine professionals from around the city will compete in Iron Sommelier. Proceeds from the competition, and other activities such as a silent auction and wine pull, go to support The Periwinkle Foundation, an organization that makes life a little easier for kids going through serious illness and their families with activities such as special camps, art programs and retreats for survivors.  

As has been the case the past few years, The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston at 1600 West Loop South is hosting the event. By far, the ritziest seats are for the underwriters. Those who contribute $15,000, $10,000 or $2,500 for their seats enjoy the Masters Tasting Room. Entitled “A Night With the Champions”, it includes a four-course dinner with rare wines selected by former Iron Sommelier champions and Court of Masters certified master-level sommeliers. Those who donate $5,000 or $1,000 per seat instead are treated to the Underwriter Tasting Room where this year’s sommeliers will participate in one part of the competition by showing their knowledge of one impressive wine in a presentation. Those in the Underwriter Tasting Room will also enjoy a tasting menu. (If you’d like to sponsor a food writer to go sit in the Underwriter Tasting Room, I volunteer as tribute.) 

If you, like me, are just a mere mortal — fear not. Regular tickets are a much more approachable $250 per person. For that, you’ll get access to tastes of three different wines from each of the competing sommeliers. (There are 15 competitors, so that’s 45 wines. Trust me, you’ll never make it through it all. I’ve tried.) It’s also fascinating to hear each sommelier describe their wine theme and what they think is special about each of their wines. The sommeliers’ themes for 2024 have not been announced yet, but Chris Haven of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse won last year for his wines and the theme, “Chenin in the Rain”. Rachel Van Til of The Clubs at Houston Oaks took the People’s Choice award for her theme, “The Other Cabernet”. Neither seem to be returning to defend their respective titles this year, so the field is wide open. 

Here are the competing sommeliers this year: 

• Jason Barnett, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
• Lucas Bowes, MARCH
• Sarah Brenner, Vinology Bottle Shop + Tasting Bar
• Brennan Harmeier, The Library Wine Bar
• Jake Ho, Bludorn
• Harold Houpt, 13 celsius Wine Bar
• John Mason, The Coronado Club
• Matthew McLaughlin, Guard and Grace
• Alvin Pham, Andiron
• Kelly Rau, AOC Selections and The Texas Wine School
• Kate Severson, Houston Oaks Country Club & Retreat
• Dennis Vawter, River Oaks Country Club
• Travis Walker, Padres Wine
• Davis Wood, Mastros

After a tasting event like this it is, of course, foolish to drive (or, let’s be real here, walk). Should you have the means, you can spend the night in a luxury king room at the Post Oak Hotel for $419. Should you have means, but perhaps not as many, you should strongly consider taking a Lyft or an Uber. 

Whether or not you can attend, you also have the option of purchasing a case or half-case of wines selected by last year’s Iron Sommelier winner, Chris Havens of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse. A case of “Wine As Chris Sees It” costs $390 for 12 bottles — two bottles each of Havens’ selections below, and a half-case is $200 and has one bottle each of the selections, which are: 

• Château de Rouanne Brut Nature Millésime, 2021 
• Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi 
• Maison Chanzy Les Fortunées Bourgogne Blanc,  2021
• Château de Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel, Côtes du Rhône, 2021
• Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva, 2020
• Penfolds Max’s Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021

If you decide to order a wine case, you can do so online and pick it up at The Periwinkle Foundation office after November 21 — just in time to show off your good taste (or wisdom in knowing when to buy good taste) to your Thanksgiving guests. 

For complete details on the Iron Sommelier event, visit the website. 

Phaedra Cook

Phaedra Cook has written about Houston’s restaurant and bar scene since 2010. She was a regular contributor to My Table magazine (now closed) and was the lead restaurant critic for the Houston Press for two years, eventually being promoted to food editor. Cook founded Houston Food Finder in November 2016 and has been its editor and publisher ever since.