Rodeo announces winners of the 2025 Rodeo Uncorked!® Roundup & Best Bites Competition

The event combines award-winning wines with delectable dishes from Houston-area culinary institutions

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo hosted the 22nd annual Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition, presented by Nan and Company Properties, and is thrilled to announce the winning foods and restaurants. This annual competition brought together signature dishes from renowned Houston-area culinary establishments, skillfully paired with an impressive selection of nearly 500 award-winning wines from the 2025 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, including the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion. More than 100 of the region’s premier restaurants competed, creating a vibrant and flavorful celebration of culinary excellence.

2025 BEST BITES WINNERS:

People’s Choice Award

• 1^st Place: Cotton Culinary

A Forager’s Feast

• 2^nd Place: Davis Street at Hermann Park

Crispy Thai Shrimp

Outstanding Showmanship Award

• 1^st Place: Brothers Produce
• 2^nd Place: SheShe Treats

Tasty Tradition Award

• 1^st Place: Cultivated F&B – Citrus bliss

Pistachio tart with citrus & elderflower cremeux & strawberry macaron

• 2^nd Place: Raising Cane’s

Chicken fingers, toast and cane sauce

Trailblazer Appetizer Award

• 1^st Place: Robinette & Company Caterers

Sundried tomato spread on cayenne pepper toast topped with candied bacon

• 2^nd Place: State Fare Kitchen & Bar – Bayou Melt Slider

Texas sized bite featuring a smoked brisket patty, melted pepper jack cheese, zesty pico slaw & sweet and spicy jalapeno bacon jam

• 3^rd Place: Jamaica Paradise Kitchen – Paradise Bites

Lone Star Entrée Award

• 1^st Place: North Italia

Braised short rib marsala

• 2^nd Place: Merlion Restaurant

Shrimp Raad Prick – Shrimp in a delicate Thai basil red curry sauce with cilantro & shallots. Served over jasmine rice

• 3^rd Place: Grace Italian Kitchen

Boneless short rib with Pancetta Risotto with molasses bourbon glaze

Two-Steppin’ Dessert Award

• 1^st Place: Guzel Cakes

Love you more (Banana pudding cake)

Perfect love (strawberry cheesecake)

Love on top (vanilla pudding w/ cookie butter)  

• 2^nd Place: Hudson House

Zesty, Key lime pie

• 3^rd Place: Mostly Chocolate

House-made Turkish pistachio and sesame seed paste folded with crispy phyllo shreds cooked in brown butter

 

Rookie Award

• The Cheesecake Queen

Key lime mini cheesecakes

 

The 22nd annual wine competition featured 2,876 entries from 20 countries. In addition, 558 entries came from Texas wineries and 314 entries came from the 2025 featured region, Napa County.

 

The 2025 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition champions included:

• Grand Champion Best of Show – Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne AOC, NV
  • Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show – Markham Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2021
  • Top Texas Wine – Peters Prairie Vineyard Barbera, Texas Hill Country, 2019
  • Top Red Wine – Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, 2018
  • Top White Wine – Krutz Family Cellars Chardonnay, Soberanes Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, 2022
  • Top Sparkling Wine – Champagne Pommery Brut Royal Champagne AOC, NV
  • Top Dessert Wine – Llano Estacado Mad Ira’s, Texas High Plains, NV
  • Top Region Wine – Valley Floor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Single Vineyard, Calistoga, 2015
  • Top Value Wine – Bogle Cabernet Sauvignon, California, 2021
  • Top Wine Company – E & J Gallo Winery
  • Top Region Wine Company – Middle Oak Wines
  • Top All-Around Winery – Nice Winery
  • Top Texas Winery – Kiepersol

 

Award-winning wines from the annual competition will be auctioned at the Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction & Dinner on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

A selection of the champion wines will be available for purchase, by the glass and bottle, in the Champion Wine Garden, presented by Frost. The Champion Wine Garden, located in Carruth Plaza, is open throughout the Rodeo, March 4 – March 23. Daily hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 4 to 11 p.m.; Fridays, 2 p.m. to midnight; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to midnight; and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Enjoy live music daily beginning at 1 p.m. on weekdays, 1 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. on Sundays.

For more information about the Champion Wine Garden, click here.

About the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage, and provides year-round educational support within the community. Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $630 million to the youth of Texas and education. The 2025 Rodeo is scheduled for March 4 – 23. The 2025 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, presented by Cotton Holdings, is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 1. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com or the RODEOHOUSTON app and follow @RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and YouTube for all the latest news.