No one in the 1950s ever dreamed the Texas Hill Country would become the "New Tuscany". In those hardscrabble days, land was deemed so worthless that large tracts of property could be had for as little as fifty cents an acre — and no, that is not a typographical error.

As wine in America has became more popular, inspiring growers like the ones that first cultivated California's coveted Napa Valley, it became apparent that the Texas Hill Country shared frequently ideal conditions that mirrored those found in some of the most prolific vintner locales in Italy.

"Texas, including the Hill Country, is increasingly producing some of the finest wine in the world," said Debbie Reynolds of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association (TWGGA). "We have seen dramatic growth in the industry during the last 20 years — and especially during the last decade."

While region's first vineyard was established in by Franciscan priests circa 1662, the Texas Hill Country has only

Today, the TWGGA says the Texas Hill Country is the second largest American Viticulture (Grape Growing) Area in the U.S., covering more than 9 million acres. And there are a host of exquisite wineries located in this scenic area.

Spicewood Vineyards is just such a place. For decades, the winery has been producing a Sauvignon Blanc that has been consistently rated to be among the best in continental America. Now, under the watchful eye of owner of Ron Yates, its expertise is now gaining international acclaim.

Yates knows a thing or two about wine. He's been around the business since he was knee-high to a grasshopper, as Texas colloquialisms would have it.

"My cousin, Ed Auler, owns Fall Creek, the very first vineyard in the Texas Hill Country," Yates, who has deep roots in the region and comes from generations of farmers. "I grew up down the road in Kingsland, so we went to visit them when I was young. I swore I would never have anything to do with that because it was so much work. That is especially true when you are young and working in a vineyard and cannot 'enjoy' the fruit of your labor."

But life is what happens while you're making other plans. Yates found that to be the case while he struggled with a Spanish class while attending the University of Texas during his sophomore campaign.

"I was lucky enough to go to Spain to satisfy my last Spanish requirement at UT," Yates recalled. "I just fell in love. The family I lived with was so incredibly supportive."

Soon, he found himself immersed in the language — and the culture. And that included the European's love for all things fermented.

"It didn't hurt that I was 20 years old and ripe for learning new things," he grinned. "After all, wine was more accessible over there than it is here — especially before you turn 21."

His host family had four children and every Sunday, the entire brood would gather for a feast. And in Europe, there's no such thing as a "feast" without wine.

"We would have these lunches — and even little kids were getting glasses of wine... It is such a different culture. Growing up in the Texas Hill Country in the 1980s, you might be lucky enough to get a Lone Star Longneck while you had your shotgun in hand during dove season. But what I saw in Spain was really cool. Everybody took part in the feast and all enjoyed the wine," he reminisced.

Experience planted the seeds of expertise. Suddenly, Yates found himself learning that there was more to a glass of wine than meets the eye. Before he realized what was happening, he found himself studying the regional differences that prompted different varietals in Spain. Suddenly, those long hot summers toiling in the Texas heat on a grape vine gave way to understanding.

The next thing he realized was the similarities between the climates of certain regions of Spain in comparison to his native Hill Country. He saw granite. He saw hills. He saw vineyards planted in areas that seemed so familiar, yet so distant.

When he came back, Ron Yates was a changed man. More accurately, he had matured into adulthood.

"I found myself making wine in the garage," he chuckled. "The next thing I knew, I was taking associated classes and reading books on the subject of wine. All that stuff."

Then he deadpanned, "I took a little three year detour through law school."

The discussion between reporter and subject suddenly broke into laughter.

Is he an attorney too?

"No, I am a law school graduate," he mused.

In 2007, the previous owners of Spicewood Vineyards decided it was the proverbial time to "go to the house."

"My parents and family decided that we would 'go for it,'" he said, adding that the rest of his immediate kin likes to remind him they have "real jobs."

It quickly became apparent that the years spent in Spain were not just the musings of a young man — Yates learned the lessons he was exposed to during his time across the Atlantic.

"The vineyard here was originally planted in 1992," he noted. "Ed and Madeleine Manigold were the founders and originally planted around 17 acres."

More plantings came later. They found success with their Sauvignon Blanc. When Yates arrived, he kept the vineyard pointed in a similar direction, but with a few new twists thanks to his time across the pond.

"Now we have 32 acres planted," he said. "Most everything I have planted has been Spanish or Portuguese in its origin."

When asked if that was based on his experiences, Yates quickly noted the decision was far more based in climatological influenced thinking.

"That kind of fruit is just more physiologically suited for this region," he noted.

He kept the Sauvignon Blanc that had established Spicewood Vineyards' reputation, but they began to make a sparkling from those grapes.

"Sauvignon Blanc, by all intensive purposes should not be able to grow here," Yates observed. Then his roots in farming became clear. "Oddly, the land here where those grapes are grown is a little more sandy than what you usually find around here, and that allows the water to drain more easily. We believe those taproots are deep into the limestone shelf. It is fracking the rock to get to water that gives it more punch."

Whatever the lingo, the vineyard's most recent Sauvignon Blanc just won the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

Take that, Napa Valley.

With any wine, much less a Sauvignon Blanc, first responsibility of the vintner is to make certain the wine is being made correctly. Just to achieve that takes enormous amounts of attention to detail.

"It cannot be out of balance with the alcohol," Yates reasoned, "We are looking for something that is crisp, fresh and easy to drink. We are looking for a lot of fruit expressions with our reds. We tend to be more fruit forward. We like fruit and the understanding of oak in the final product."

In some ways, while Americans may not have as vaunted a tradition, even the Europeans want to make wine that ferments in good old oak grown in the U.S. of A.

"American oak barrels are really tightly bound and flow during the aging process," he pointed out, but added that with different varietals, the process may be different, depending on the wine the vintner is seeking to produce.

Perhaps it is safe to say that making world-class wine encompasses a great deal of expertise.

Like so many Hill Country vineyards, the onsite experience is half the fun, to put it mildly. Spicewood Vineyards, located at 1419 County Road 409, Spicewood (78669), is open for business has events and all kinds of interactive relations with lovers of their vintages (spicewoodvineyards.com).

In fact, chasing down great wine in the Texas Hill Country has become something of a cottage industry. Travel experts armed with tour buses abound in a host of businesses that can be easily accessed online.

Keeping things in the family, the Fall Creek Vineyard (www.fcv.com) is producing some amazing varietals. Fall Creek Vineyards was established in 1975 by the Auler family. The vineyards are located eighty miles northwest of Austin in the Texas Hill Country where the sandy loam soil, warm days and cool breezes off Lake Buchanan provide an excellent microclimate for growing premium wine grapes.

In the last decade, a focus on red wines has led to the production of Meritus, a super-premium red wine. The late Andre Tchelistcheff, California's wine authority who helped the Aulers analyze the potential of their Cabernet Sauvignon, gave high marks for their first efforts in Cabernet. "I think we can expect to see some fine reds from Fall Creek in the years to come," said Tchelistcheff. Today, Meritus has been hailed 'the best wine made in the state of Texas' by several noted wine critics.

Another vintner that is sure to amaze folks is the Duchman Family Winery, 13308 F.M. 150 West in Driftwood (beside Trattoria Lisina Restaurant), which is producing some of the smoothest selections found anywhere.

Drs. Lisa and Stan Duchman founded the winery in 2004 in a quest to bring world-class winemaking to Central Texas and the Texas Hill Country, and they have succeeded.

The Tuscan-influenced complex and adjoining vineyard stretches out on a slope above Onion Creek with 20 acres of grapevines soaking up the warm sun and cool evening breezes. The climate echoes the warmer drier climes of Southern Italy and Sicily.

The grapevines include popular varieties such as the rich Montepulciano, sweet Moscato, smoky Barbera, and noble Sangiovese. But lesser-known grapes like the fruity Vermentino, hearty Nero d'Avilo and the aromatic Aglianico are also thriving.

Duchman Family Winery is open on Monday from noon-6 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday from noon-8 p.m., Friday from noon-9 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Visit www.duchmanwinery.com or call (512) 858-1470 for additional information.

Moving on down the road, just one look at Gary Elliott's Driftwood Vineyards, leaves folks struck by the California-cool that permeates the atmosphere. It isn't any wonder. Elliot comes from a family rich in the California grape industry.

When he first laid eyes on the grounds and owner decided to sell his the cattle and start a new enterprise, a winery seemed like a tasty idea.

Driftwood Vineyard's tasting room blends of the elegant tastes of oenophiles with the rustic spirit of Texas. It sits on the edge of an escarpment overlooking 14 acres of vines that create a canopy of lush greenery when they are in full bloom. The place is reminiscent of the enchanted feel of California's legendary Napa Valley — with a decidedly Texas Hill Country twist.

Gnarled mesquite trees are part of that twist. They somehow manage to simultaneously appear graceful and weathered as they arch together to cast a veil of shade off the popular picnic area overlooking the vineyard.

Driftwood Vineyards produces seven different wines from eight varieties of grapes. Most of the grapes are Mediterranean berries that flourish in hot weather climates.

His flagship red wine is created from the syrah grape which is a fruity and intelligent wine that patrons are sure to enjoy.

The viognier grape is the one Driftwood Vineyard uses to craft its most popular white wine. It is a sophisticated offering and is accepted among winemakers as among the best in the nation, according to Elliott.

And he knows what he is doing, garnering more awards than he can keep track of. Elliott attributes his success to the unique climate of the Wimberley Valley. He said the French call it the terriore.

"It's the climate, the soil, the way the sun hits the grapes, the water in the ground-all those things affect the terriore," Elliott said. "The terriore in this area has been proven to produce award-winning wines."

Driftwood Vineyards is located six miles south of U.S. 290 on Ranch Road 12 between Dripping Springs and Wimberley. Open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Friday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

For directions or information about events and tours, call 512-692-6229 or visit them online at www.driftwoodvineyards.com.

Yet another location, Bella Vista Ranch, offers the hands-on experience of picking your own blackberries. Then you can sip Mediterranean-influenced wines and drizzle olive oil on homemade bread.

Nestled in the hollows and peaks of the Wimberley Valley, the good folks at Bella Vista Ranch grow their own grapes and olives and provide visitors with an intimate view of the wine and olive oil making processes.

Enjoy a guided tour of the ranch and traverse the olive orchard, the vineyard or the "pick-your-own" berry patch during harvest season. Tours wrap up at Bella Vista's Tuscan-inspired tasting room where guests can kick back and enjoy a glass of wine while considering which of the many fine products they would like to take home from Bella Vista Ranch.

Designed to reflect a traditional Italian farm, the ambiance of Bella Vista's tasting room measures up to the highest of standards. Just close your eyes in the bucolic tasting room and you can almost hear the sounds of old world Italy.

This is a working ranch and olives are pressed on the premises. Visitors can even sample the finished product in the tasting room and then take one of their reasonably priced selections.

Bella Vista's wines are created from the hot weather grapes of southern Italy and Spain. The Texas Hill Country climate is similar to those Mediterranean areas and grapes native to that area seem to thrive in this region's soil. The results of their hard work are great country wines that can make you yearn for a life with a slower pace.

Bella Vista Ranch offers something for everyone and visitors will leave with plans of their next trip back.

The ranch is at 3101 Mt. Sharp Road and is open Thursday through Saturday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For additional directions or more information, call (512) 847-6514 or visit Bella Vista Ranch online at www.bvranch.com.

Just off the shores of Canyon Lake is a quaint boutique winery with a vision — to remain a small family-owned business makes fine-quality wine at reasonable prices. You have arrived at Fawncrest Vineyard, where co-owners Wayne and Patricia McNeil welcome wine lovers with open arms.

The McNeil's planted their first vines in April of 1999, and by 2005 had produced an impressive harvest where BRIX readings were a spectacular 23-24. BRIX is a system of measuring plant juice density for grape juices. A low reading, like eight on the BRIX scale, comes from sour tasting grapes produced in bad soil. Higher readings, like Fawncrest's are indicative of sweet full-flavored grapes grown in good soil.

Patricia's brings years of winery experience in the California Bay Area to her Texas Hill Country digs. Fawncrest tends to specialize in Bordeaux-style wines, also known as Meritage here in the New World. Additionally, Fawncrest also produces three other fine wines — Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay.

According to Wayne, Chardonnay can be difficult to produce due to the unpredictable Texas weather. Yet Wayne is determined that Fawncrest will meet the challenge.

"It is our quest to make first class Chardonnay," he declared.

While the Chardonnay may be a work in progress, Fawncrest's other selections are up to Wayne and Patricia's exacting standards. The Meritage is a full-bodied wine that has been aged in oak and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet grapes. The Merlot is 25 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and 75 percent Merlot. Aged in French oak, it has retained a nice fruity flavor and is a little lighter than the Meritage. The Cabernet Franc is light, dry, and has retained nice fruit flavors from the aging process as well.

Resting in a residential area of Canyon Lake with a scenic view of the reservoir overlooking the vineyard, Fawncrest is separated into two plots — one north and another to the south. Visitors can enjoy samples of the wines as they sit in a covered breezeway enjoying the vista, which makes for a cool experience eve n in the heat of the summer.

Wayne said they hold no secrets and the whole facility is open to visitors. The winery only produces about a couple of thousand cases per year, but Wayne said that is how they like it because they are literally able to keep their hands (although not their feet) in the process.

According to Wayne, the name for the vineyard came to them as they were clearing the land. He said a fawn came onto to the property and the rest, as they s say, is history.

Fawncrest is located on the north side of Canyon Lake at 1370 Westside Circle and if you are following the Hays-Comal County Wine Trail you are in for a little adventure.

From RR 12 go south to the Junction and turn left onto Ranch Road 12 heading west. After about five miles, take a left on Highway 484. About two miles down on FM 484, it will stop at a "T" at FM 306. There turn left on FM 306 heading west for about 1.5 miles where Cranes Mill Road will be on the left. Taking a left onto Crane's Mill the road will wind down about a mile and on the left just past storage rental facility is Canyon Shores Road. Taking a left onto Canyon Shores Road, follow it about a tenth of a mile (this is the tricky part) where it will loop back at Cattail Drive and turn into Westside Circle. Once on Westside Circle, the winery is down the hill on the left after a couple of curves and has banner sign hanging on its fence.

For additional information, Fawncrest Vineyards can be reached at 830-935-2407 or by visiting their website at www.fawncrest.com.

Found on the southern-most point of the Hays-Comal County Wine Trail is Dry Comal Creek Vineyards. Franklin Houser, a San Antonio lawyer by trade, founded this picturesque locale in 1998. Dry Comal specializes in Texas-style wines.

Winery business manager Gayle Dalton says there are some vineyards that try to mimic European, Mediterranean or Australian wines, and that's great when they are successful.

"But we're in Texas," she said, observing the obvious. That is precisely why Houser has taken the time to cultivate his vineyard, which is called Bonnie's vineyard after his wife, to suit the Texas climate. The fruit of his labor is a native Texas grape called Black Spanish.

Black Spanish came to Texas by way of Spain through Mexico. Missionaries brought cuttings from Spain in the 1500s and grew the grapes to make Communion wine. Two forays in 1581 and 1598 brought the grapes to what is presently known as Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and crossed over into El Paso. Over the years the grape has matured and adapted itself to the area and grows along the Rio Grande River. Dry Comal Creek Vineyards has turned this well-cultured grape into a rich, dark, fruity, mellow, award-winning wine with "a great mouthfeel" that goes down smoothly.

This is another winery that has made the grade. Dry Comal Creek Vineyards boasts a number of award-winning selections. At the 2004 Lone Star International Wine Competition, their Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot all took bronze medals, and their Black Spanish was awarded a silver medal. Aside from the awards, their bone-dry French Colombard was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle.

The vineyard is in the Texas hills just west of New Braunfels at 1741 Herbelin Road off of Texas 46. The winery hosts several events throughout the year, like the Grape Stomp in August and the Red, White and New event in July where they introduce their new wines. All of the events are by reservation only, but the winery is open and offers tastings and tours seven days a week from noon to 5 p.m.

For additional directions or more information about events and tours, call (830) 885-4121 or visit them on-line at www.drycomalcreek.com.

Arguably the biggest and certainly among the best of the Texas Hill Country wineries is Becker Vineyards.

The Beckers were originally just looking for an old log cabin to renovate as a getaway from their home in San Antonio. While they found their cabin, they also found that their 46 acres of raw land, fallow fields of deep sand, and Precambrian granitic soils 1,500 feet above sea level, were rich with native Mustang grapes, a time honored and essential component of the local German Heritage. Soon, the Beckers dreamed of a commercial vineyard and "maybe;" however, a 1,500-case winery began to take shape. In 1992 the first plantings were sent into Mother Earth with the help of their family and friends. The first harvest in 1995, laid the foundation for what is now just over a 100,000-case per year winery. Becker Vineyards' wine has been served in the stateliest of settings, including the White House and the renowned James Beard House.

Not far from Becker Vineyards on U.S. 290, the ultimate wine tour road of Texas, Hilmy Cellars (hilmywine.com) is another amazing wine-producing Hill Country spot. Don't be surprised if one of their two Great Pyrenees, Bella and Simon, greet you as you enter the site's amazing swirling door. In fact, don't be shocked at any Hill Country wine locale when the house "dog or cat" comes to welcome you when entering an establishment. Folks like their pets in this neck of the woods.

Hilmy offers an array of wines based on varietals of grapes grown onsite. As with most other wineries in the Hill Country, there are weekly events that frequently involve live entertainment to be found on its calendar.

Bell Springs Winery, located at 3700 Bell Springs Road, offers a unique and relaxing wine experience. Their philosophy is that wine is a personal preference and encourages debate amongst family and friends when visiting this unique winery.

Bell Springs offers a variety of wines from different regions all over the world. It is their hope that each time a connoisseur visits, they will be sampling something new from the winery's ever expanding list of offers and will experiment with small batches of unique tastes every month. Some wines will eventually make it to the tasting room, while others may be tossed in the never-ending quest to create great wines.

Tasting room hours are Thursday, noon-5 p.m.; Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Monday, noon-5 p.m. Visit www.bellspringswinery.com for more information or call 830-483-9463.

The critics love Westcave Cellars, located at 25711 Hamilton Pool Road [which is technically in Round Mountain, 78663]

Westcave Cellars prides itself on crafting traditional-styled wines using 100 percent Texas fruit. Winemaker Allan Fetty produces well-balanced wines with fruit-forward flavors and full-bodied structures. The white wines are typically unoaked, while the reds enjoy ample time in French oak barrels to develop heightened flavors and rich tannins. Westcave Cellars produces both estate and private vineyard wines. Estate varietals include Vermentino, Muscat Blanc, Viognier, Petite Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Tannat. Malvasia Bianca, Blanc du Bois, Syrah, and Merlot are some of the varietals harvested from other vineyards. Whether white, red, or sweet, there is a wine to please every palate.

Tasting rooms are open Monday, and Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday noon- 6 p.m.; and Tuesdays-Thursdays by appointment only.

You can make that appointment by calling 512-431-1403. Visit www.westcavecellars.com for additional information.

Solaro Estate, 13111 Silver Creek Road, expands above Barton Creek in harmony with the beauty of vineyards, racing Thoroughbreds and the spectacular vistas unique to the Texas Hill Country.

Oak barrel aging at Solaro Estate takes place inside specially designed barrel storage units where the temperature is maintained within 1.5 degrees. Constant temperature control from harvest to bottling is one of many critical factors.

Solaro's commitment to scientific and artistic detail has brought Central Texas to the stage of world-class wines, which contribute to Solaro's superior wines.

In the Italian tradition, the Tasting Pavillion is integrated with the vineyard, encouraging the natural connection from the vine and grape to glass.

Regular tours are conducted Sunday, Monday, Thursday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Friday, and Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. All other times are by appointment only.

Visit www.solaroestate.com or call 832-660-8642 for more information.

Helping the Texas Hill Country establish itself as a world-class wine region is the four-year drought in California.

While harsh reality, TWGGA's Reynolds acknowledges the reality of the situation.

"More winemakers are looking to Texas as an alternative site for growing their grapes," she said. "In fact, there are a lot of California-based vintners who already own large cultivated grape fields, but continue to live out of state."

By all accounts, the Texas Hill Country is primed to be the next Napa Valley, complete with the cool tours, great entertainment and groovy events that fill buses and intrigue the intrepid wine connoisseur.