The Juice

New Hill Country festival jams out with 15 Texas wineries and 3 bands

The Texas Wine Jam is uniting two favorite pastimes for two great causes.

Photo courtesy of Vinovium

Most people are more fun at jams with a glass of wine in hand. Chasing that feeling, the Texas Wine Jam is combining concerts and “off-the-beaten-path” wines September 4, for six hours of grape and foot-stomping fun.

The festival at Vinovium Winery in Johnson City benefits community causes in both wine and music. Each ticket sale contributes $2 each to the Texas Hill Country Wine Industry Scholarship program and the SIMS Foundation, an Austin-based organization supporting mental health and substance abuse resources for music industry professionals. The most recent data on wine scholarships shows that Texas Hill Country Wineries awarded a total of $12,500 to nine students at Texas schools.

On the wine side, this showcase includes 15 Texas wineries including Vinovium, which offers 13 wines on its website, including a Tempranillo blend from three different vineyards called “Social Distance.” It also sells bottled wine cocktails like El Niño, inspired by a Dark and Stormy, with Cardamaro from Italy, lime juice, and ginger beer. The winery has regular events ranging from very casual standup and trivia, to serious wine certifications.

Bringing the tunes, three local bands are visiting Vinovium. Bluegrass band the Lost Pines is well-known in Austin. The soulful Scott Strickland Band played its Blues on the Green debut this July, and is living up to its up-and-coming status with regular engagements with local music organizations. Finally, rock and roll group the Joey Green Band is showing off its singer, who caught national attention on NBC’s The Voice.

Every bottle purchased at the festival automatically enters the guest in a raffle for “one of several” cases of wine, with a mix of bottles from all the wineries involved. Some raffle winners will receive gifts sponsored by community partners including the Wine & Food Foundation, Waterloo Sparkling Water, and Texas Department of Agriculture initiative Go Texan.

The Texas Wine Jam is scheduled for September 4, with a rain check October 9. Tickets ($45 general admission) from 12 pm to 6 pm, are available at vinovium.wine. Vinovium Winery is located at 214 Edmonds Ave. in Johnson City.

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Airline News

San Antonio gets nonstop flights to this Washington, DC airport

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

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American Airlines will soon introduce long-awaited nonstop flights between San Antonio (SAT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). One flight will be scheduled daily, starting in March.

Tickets for the new service will be available on sale starting December 23 through aa.com or American’s mobile app.

The route was tentatively announced in October, but the U.S. Department of Transportation has now formally approved the application by American Airlines.

“This new service will offer convenient nonstop access to our nation’s capital for San Antonians, while helping further connect customers to our comprehensive global network," said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, in a press release. "American thanks the many elected officials and citizens who supported our application, and we look forward to welcoming customers onboard this new service soon.”

Flight 1718, reflecting the year San Antonio was founded, will depart SAT at 6:35 am and arrive in DCA at 10:41 am. Flight 1947, reflecting the year the U.S. Air Force was established, will depart DCA at 7:45 pm and arrive in SAT at 10:43 pm.

“This long-awaited connection to our nation’s capital is a game changer for our community, opening doors to countless opportunities for travel and economic development,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “I’m grateful to those who have championed this effort and for the bipartisan support of our representatives in the Senate and House, whose advocacy was instrumental in making these flights a reality. We look forward to the positive impact this nonstop service will have for years to come."

San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh echoed the sentiments about economic development and pointed out some growth already happening in San Antonio. The release also notes that San Antonio is the largest city in Texas lacking nonstop service to DCA and the largest city in the U.S. with a majority Hispanic population without nonstop service to DCA.

“Serving the fastest-growing city in the country, SAT has achieved record-breaking passenger numbers throughout 2024. This nonstop service to and from DCA addresses a need for our military, business, educational and research communities, among others. It also promotes competition and offers more travel options for passengers flying to and from San Antonio, enhancing connectivity as we continue making progress on the airport Terminal Development Program.”

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