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Purple Possum Winery specializes in mead wine
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| Monty Galloway is proud of the mead wine he makes at Purple Possum Winery, utilizing honey produced in Texas. He and wife, Linda, operate the “smallest winery in Texas” near Navasota with plans to move closer to Plantersville in the spring. |
By Ron Saikowski
Houston Wine Walk
This week in our “travels” to wineries around the greater Houston area, we will visit Purple Possum Winery near Navasota.
Monty Galloway is proud of the mead wine he makes at Purple Possum Winery, utilizing honey produced in Texas.
Previously, Monty was the soap maker at the Texas Renaissance Festival. During his involvement at the Texas Renaissance Festival, he was introduced to mead wine, loved it, and learned to make it. He learned how to mix honey with water under controlled temperatures, ferment it under different temperatures, and flavor the mead to produce a variety of true meads.
While Monty and his wife, Linda, enjoyed their mead wines; apparently their friends enjoyed it even more and eventually coaxed the Galloway’s to start producing mead wines for sale. The Galloway’s got their commercial license to sell wine in 2005 and began selling out of a 20-foot by 18-foot modular building. Because of the size of their wine tasting room, they have called themselves the “smallest winery in Texas.” Their first year saw several hundred cases of mead sold. As they have upped their production, their sales have increased with this year around 2,000 cases of mead being sold. Next year, Monty proudly predicts their production will soar to around 8,000 cases of mead. At this rate, they will be the “fastest growing winery in Texas.”
Monty has quit his “day job” and is focusing on producing mead. He has plans to move east from Navasota to a new site near Plantersville on Texas 105 near its intersection with FM 362. The new winery facilities should be opening in Spring 2009. Concerts on Thursday evenings are planned at the new winery starting this summer.
Monty has also made wines for his personal use from grapes, but those are not available commercially. One evening, a possum got into a pail of purple grape juice and changed the color of his coat. It was months before the possum was no longer purple. This episode established the name of the winery.
The Purple Possum Winery produces a variety of mead wines such as Vanilla Mead, Apple Cyser, Cranberry Mead, Skunk Mead, Cinnamon Mead, Mint Mead, Spiced Mead, and Hot & Spicy Mead which has characteristics of Habeneros. Monty will be expanding his line of meads with Ambrosia, Blueberry Mead, and a truly HOT Habenero Mead.
One of the most common resolutions made for the New Years centers around health. A lot of people resolve to live a healthier life. A lot of people want to lose weight for the reason of being healthy. A lot of people join a health club thinking they will be healthier. A lot of people want to reduce their stress levels in order to be healthier. Furthermore, a lot of people strive to be happier, thinking they will be healthy.
I have a very simple approach to achieving all of these approaches to be healthy! Simply put, adopt a big dog from the Montgomery County Animal Shelter so you and your best friend (i.e. spouse, “significant other”, neighbor, etc.) can walk your new adoptee and then enjoy a glass of red wine together. Walking your new four-legged friend with your best friend for a half hour will provide you with the best form of exercise. Lastly, drinking that glass of red wine with your best friend after that half hour walk will reduce your stress levels and provide you with a happier frame of mind. You will also have the peace of mind that you have rescued one of man’s “best friends” from possible doom.
There are other reasons to drink that glass of red wine besides reducing stress and increasing camaraderie with your “best human friend.” Researchers at UCLA and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York have found that the polyphenols such as resveratrol in the red wines control proteins that can cause plaque in your brain. These polyphenols are found in the red grapes skins which stay in the wine-making vats for around two weeks with the red grape juice while it is being converted to wine. These polyphenols leach out from the red grape skins into the wines providing great benefits to the wine consumers.
Simply put, one glass of red wine consumed on a daily basis has been found to reduce dementia by 56 percent. Furthermore, the October 2008 issue of American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Live Physiology found that resveratrol reduces the amount of fat compounds found in the liver. Furthermore, researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison found that resveratrol keeps heart tissues young and delays aging of the heart tissues.
The Harvard Medical School found that elevated levels of resveratrol can combat obesity and the onslaught of Type II Diabetes. These elevated levels are required to match the laboratory conditions utilized in the testing of mice and could be obtained by drinking a glass of red wine per night for several years. Furthermore, researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario have found that resveratrol reduces breast cancer through the elimination of cancer toxins.
Other scientists also believe that the resveratrol found in the daily consumption of a glass of red wine for several years assists in keeping weight down and health up based on looking at certain geographic areas. Years of analyzing populations in Tuscany and Bordeaux where nearly everyone consumes their daily share of red wine shows a healthy mass of people with suitable weight levels.
A glass, perhaps two glasses of red wine per day is usually very healthy for you. However, more than two glass of wine on a regular basis does have overturning reasons not to drink in excess. Wine, particularly red wine, in moderation is good for your health. Excessive drinking is not good for you and can damage your liver. Likewise drinking followed by driving is also not good for you. For a healthier, happier you, adopt a large dog and walk it with your best friend for at least a half hour every day following by a glass of red wine and great conversation.
There will be a vineyard seminar on grape growing at the BERNHARDT WINERY on Jan. 31, Feb. 7 and Feb. 28. This seminar provides hands-on experiences in the BERNHARDT VINEYARDS near Plantersville under the watchful eye of JERRY BERNHARDT. This seminar is a MUST if you are interested in starting your own vineyard or growing grapes in your backyard. The seminar fee of $30 per person includes a light luncheon paired with Bernhardt wines. For more information, call (936) 894-9829.
Editor's Note: Following the publication of this article in Greater Houston Weekly, Purple Possum Winery owner Monty Galloway passed away earlier this week. Our condolences to the family. The winery remains open. Visit www.purplepossum.com for more on the establishment.
Monty Galloway is proud of the mead wine he makes at Purple Possum Winery, utilizing honey produced in Texas.
Previously, Monty was the soap maker at the Texas Renaissance Festival. During his involvement at the Texas Renaissance Festival, he was introduced to mead wine, loved it, and learned to make it. He learned how to mix honey with water under controlled temperatures, ferment it under different temperatures, and flavor the mead to produce a variety of true meads.
While Monty and his wife, Linda, enjoyed their mead wines; apparently their friends enjoyed it even more and eventually coaxed the Galloway’s to start producing mead wines for sale. The Galloway’s got their commercial license to sell wine in 2005 and began selling out of a 20-foot by 18-foot modular building. Because of the size of their wine tasting room, they have called themselves the “smallest winery in Texas.” Their first year saw several hundred cases of mead sold. As they have upped their production, their sales have increased with this year around 2,000 cases of mead being sold. Next year, Monty proudly predicts their production will soar to around 8,000 cases of mead. At this rate, they will be the “fastest growing winery in Texas.”
Monty has quit his “day job” and is focusing on producing mead. He has plans to move east from Navasota to a new site near Plantersville on Texas 105 near its intersection with FM 362. The new winery facilities should be opening in Spring 2009. Concerts on Thursday evenings are planned at the new winery starting this summer.
Monty has also made wines for his personal use from grapes, but those are not available commercially. One evening, a possum got into a pail of purple grape juice and changed the color of his coat. It was months before the possum was no longer purple. This episode established the name of the winery.
The Purple Possum Winery produces a variety of mead wines such as Vanilla Mead, Apple Cyser, Cranberry Mead, Skunk Mead, Cinnamon Mead, Mint Mead, Spiced Mead, and Hot & Spicy Mead which has characteristics of Habeneros. Monty will be expanding his line of meads with Ambrosia, Blueberry Mead, and a truly HOT Habenero Mead.
One of the most common resolutions made for the New Years centers around health. A lot of people resolve to live a healthier life. A lot of people want to lose weight for the reason of being healthy. A lot of people join a health club thinking they will be healthier. A lot of people want to reduce their stress levels in order to be healthier. Furthermore, a lot of people strive to be happier, thinking they will be healthy.
I have a very simple approach to achieving all of these approaches to be healthy! Simply put, adopt a big dog from the Montgomery County Animal Shelter so you and your best friend (i.e. spouse, “significant other”, neighbor, etc.) can walk your new adoptee and then enjoy a glass of red wine together. Walking your new four-legged friend with your best friend for a half hour will provide you with the best form of exercise. Lastly, drinking that glass of red wine with your best friend after that half hour walk will reduce your stress levels and provide you with a happier frame of mind. You will also have the peace of mind that you have rescued one of man’s “best friends” from possible doom.
There are other reasons to drink that glass of red wine besides reducing stress and increasing camaraderie with your “best human friend.” Researchers at UCLA and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York have found that the polyphenols such as resveratrol in the red wines control proteins that can cause plaque in your brain. These polyphenols are found in the red grapes skins which stay in the wine-making vats for around two weeks with the red grape juice while it is being converted to wine. These polyphenols leach out from the red grape skins into the wines providing great benefits to the wine consumers.
Simply put, one glass of red wine consumed on a daily basis has been found to reduce dementia by 56 percent. Furthermore, the October 2008 issue of American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Live Physiology found that resveratrol reduces the amount of fat compounds found in the liver. Furthermore, researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison found that resveratrol keeps heart tissues young and delays aging of the heart tissues.
The Harvard Medical School found that elevated levels of resveratrol can combat obesity and the onslaught of Type II Diabetes. These elevated levels are required to match the laboratory conditions utilized in the testing of mice and could be obtained by drinking a glass of red wine per night for several years. Furthermore, researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario have found that resveratrol reduces breast cancer through the elimination of cancer toxins.
Other scientists also believe that the resveratrol found in the daily consumption of a glass of red wine for several years assists in keeping weight down and health up based on looking at certain geographic areas. Years of analyzing populations in Tuscany and Bordeaux where nearly everyone consumes their daily share of red wine shows a healthy mass of people with suitable weight levels.
A glass, perhaps two glasses of red wine per day is usually very healthy for you. However, more than two glass of wine on a regular basis does have overturning reasons not to drink in excess. Wine, particularly red wine, in moderation is good for your health. Excessive drinking is not good for you and can damage your liver. Likewise drinking followed by driving is also not good for you. For a healthier, happier you, adopt a large dog and walk it with your best friend for at least a half hour every day following by a glass of red wine and great conversation.
There will be a vineyard seminar on grape growing at the BERNHARDT WINERY on Jan. 31, Feb. 7 and Feb. 28. This seminar provides hands-on experiences in the BERNHARDT VINEYARDS near Plantersville under the watchful eye of JERRY BERNHARDT. This seminar is a MUST if you are interested in starting your own vineyard or growing grapes in your backyard. The seminar fee of $30 per person includes a light luncheon paired with Bernhardt wines. For more information, call (936) 894-9829.
Editor's Note: Following the publication of this article in Greater Houston Weekly, Purple Possum Winery owner Monty Galloway passed away earlier this week. Our condolences to the family. The winery remains open. Visit www.purplepossum.com for more on the establishment.
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