Passion for fine wine becomes his career

How does a nice Jewish boy from Missouri City go to college on a rodeo scholarship and wind up making wine for a living?

Ryan Levy might suggest relaxing with a glass of Malbec as he tells his tale. It takes him through law school in Austin, chef training in France and excursions to other continents.

Levy, 36, grew up in Quail Valley, graduating from Dulles High School in 1993.

"I always had a passion for food," he said. "I was self-taught for many years because my mom's idea of cooking was defrosting something. I used to watch cooking shows on television and take fruit and carve it up into all types of flowers and birds."

His father's mother introduced him to fine dining by taking him to famed Houston restaurants such as Tony's, Vargo's and Churrascos.

"The original Churrascos," said Levy. "My grandmother smothered me in haute cusine."

Levy won a $10,000 academic scholarship from the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and majored in political science at Rice University with plans to become an attorney.

In 1996, he met Ian Eastveld, who shared his interest in fine wine and dining. Eastveld taught cuisine at Central Market in Austin, but his dream was to become a sommelier, or wine steward.

Levy graduated from the University of Texas Law School in 2000, then traveled to Paris with Eastveld for a yearlong cooking curriculum that was packed into one summer class at Le Cordon Bleu.

"It was an intensive course, six days a week, roughly 11 hours a day. It was harder than law school," Levy said.

Returning to the United States, Levy moved to Dallas and began practicing law at Zelle Hoffmann, a commercial litigation firm.

However, he said, "I didn't have a passion for it. I tell people the practice of law will drive you to drink; fortunately for me, what I like to drink is nice wine."

After Eastveld studied winemaking in California, Levy followed his lead, and both became certified sommeliers and began crafting their own boutique wines.

"What's beautiful about wine is that you can make that grape into so many different flavors," said Levy. "Just as you take a chicken breast and grill it, bake it or stuff it, you can age a grape in barrels or stainless steel or blend it with another grape."

In the fall of 2009, Levy and Eastveld opened a store called The Nice Winery, 15120 Northwest Freeway, Suite 210, in Houston. In January 2010, they started a wine club whose members are sent two bottles each month of different types of wines.

"It started with a handful of friends and we now have 300 members," said Levy.

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