Texas Cooperative Extension
Ed Hellman, PhD is a Viticulture Extension Specialist with the Texas Cooperative Extension and holds a joint appointment with Texas Tech University. Hellman is a long-time researcher and a national leader in viticulture. The Texas Cooperative Extension was awarded $20,000.00 for renovations for a state-of-the-science viticulture and enology research facility at the Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Lubbock.
As the Associate Professor of Viticulture, Hellman recognizes the rapid speed at which the Texas wine industry is growing and the need for expanding research facilities to accommodate the new program in enology. “This laboratory will serve as a shared research facility,” Hellman said, “it will encourage and facilitate close collaboration of the viticulture and enology scientists to address critical issues of the Texas wine industry.”
Jane Nickles, Author & Instructor
Jane Nickles is a wine instructor at the Texas Culinary Academy where she has taught for nearly ten years and also teaches wine education classes throughout Austin. Last year her first book, Wine Speak 101 was published - a supplement to her series of wine education seminars under the same name. With the $5,000.00 awarded by The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas, Ms. Nickles will write and publish a book in conjunction with a workshop focused on the art of food and wine pairings. Entitled, When Wine Met Food, the book will educate consumers on the mysteries of food and wine parings and how food and wine interact.
Sustainable Food Center
Created in 1993, the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) strives to create a “food secure” community by improving access to local, healthy, affordable food for children and adults. SFC’s Farms, Foods and Healthy Futures program will increase outlets for local farmers and will promote knowledge and awareness among consumers about the benefits and accessibility of fresh, locally-grown food.
National Grape Diagnosis Website, “Grape M.D.”
Dr. Hellman’s program, a user-friendly, web-based approach will provide growers with a quick and accurate diagnosis of grapevine problems. Through a national database, recognized experts in viticulture, plant pathology, entomology and other related disciplines will review and validate the expert system’s diagnosis.
New inexperienced growers will most benefit from the new system, as it is particularly difficult to identify the cause of grapevine problems without previous knowledge and aptitude in viticulture. The program will also be an instructional aid for students and crop consultants.
Papi’s Kitchen
The Foundation awarded a $30,000 scholarship to local author and restaurateur Fernando Saralegui for the production of Papi’s Kitchen, a bi-lingual children’s television pilot that focuses on cooking and nutrition.
 The purpose of the program is to teach children about food, nutrition and cooking in a bilingual setting. It is targeted towards children ages 4-8 with the goal of encouraging children to learn about their food sources and make healthy nutrition choices. KLRU-TV, Austin’s public television station is enthusiastic about the project and has been working with Saralegui on its development.
Currently, over 35 percent of Texas school children are overweight or obese, which is higher than the national average of 15 percent. According to the American Obesity Association, children who are overweight from age 10-14 with at least one overweight parent face a 79 percent chance of becoming overweight adults, putting them at risk for chronic diseases including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure among others.
Specific elements of the program include the creation of recipes, visits to farms, restaurants and family kitchens. Saralegui will also incorporate demonstrations on the importance of nature and food selection, the history and culture of food, the science of cooking as well as an introduction to math skills. Each segment will wrap up with enjoying that day’s company at the community dinner table
Summer Symposium 2003
A Summer School for Texas Vintners and Grape Growers
With assistance from the Texas Department of Agriculture, The Foundation recently underwrote a unique opportunity for vintners and growers to participate in a short course of study with one of the world’s most respected authorities on viticulture, Dr. Richard Smart, from Australia and Visiting Professor of Viticulture, Cal Poly State University. He and Mark Theis, White Wine Maker with Kendall-Jackson led participants in a two-day educational program held at Fall Creek Vineyards covering the evolution of quality wine, and study of soils and climate conditions relating to the production of grapes in Texas.
A&M Pearce's Disease Grant
The Foundation provided Texas A&M University a research grant for the study of Pierce’s Disease – a potentially devastating disease that attacks grape vines.
Wine Roads of Texas
Documentary sponsored by The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas
 The Foundation is the lead underwriter for the development and production of the KLRU-TV Public Televsion’s film documentary Wine Roads of Texas, based upon Wes Marshall’s definitive guide on the Texas wine industry. Award-winning KLRU director Tom Spencer is director and producer, documenting the industry’s history and geography while highlighting personal stories of heartbreak and triumph from Texas winemakers as they create what is becoming one of the most important wine growing regions in the country.
 The Foundation provided a $21,000 scholarship to Texas A&M University for the development of a national expert system for the diagnosis of grapevine diseases. The program was created by Dr. Ed Hellman, Associate Professor of Viticulture at the Texas A&M University Agriculture Research and Extension Center at Lubbock.
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