Messina Hof
{{Short description|Texas-based winery}}
{{Infobox Winery
| winery_name = Messina Hof
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| image = Messina hof villa.jpg
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| location_city = Bryan, Texas
| location_country = United States
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Messina Hof is a Texas-based winery that was founded by Merrill and Paul Bonarrigo in 1977,{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jacks-journal-texas-wine-harvest/|title=Jack's Journal: Texas Wine Harvest|last=Singer|first=Michelle|date=July 24, 2006|publisher=CBS News|access-date=23 November 2009}} making it the third oldest winery in the state.{{cite news|url=http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/05/12/story13.html|title=Face to Face with...|last=Wooten|first=Casey |date=May 9, 2008|publisher=Houston Business Journal|accessdate=24 November 2009}} The winery's name is derived from Messina, Sicily, and Hof, Germany, from where the families of Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo originate.
Overview
Messina Hof produces {{convert|250000|gal|L}} of wine which is distributed over ten states and four countries from their vineyard which covers more than {{convert|250|acre|ha}} at over {{convert|3700|ft|m}} in elevation. The vineyard grows Black Spanish, Pinot Grigio Sagrantino, and Sangiovese grapes which are all suited to the local climate, which is similar to the European wine making region of Burgundy.
Label Controversy
The label of Messina Hof's Tex-Zin wine was designed by Texan artist Emma Stark, and depicted children in a vineyard. The piece was criticized because of the shape of a "fold in the middle child's clothing". The fold would be covered by vine leaves in later productions of the wine.{{cite book|last=May|first=Peter|title=Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape: Odd Wines from Around the World|pages=202–203|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qfa--dt0UlcC&q=%22messina%20hof%22%20medal&pg=PA202 | isbn=978-1-59474-099-2 | year=2006 | publisher=Quirk Books}} A reproduction of the offending label is on page 203
References
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{{commonscat|Messina Hof}}
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