Wines from Becker Vineyards have been served at The White House.

Land of Wine and Wildflowers
"The Hill Country really sparkles this time of year," Richard Becker muses as he surveys the fields at Becker Vineyards near Stonewall. Even on this sleepy Monday, a steady stream of visitors drops by the tasting room to sample the dozen wines made here. It's a testament to the popularity of the Hill Country Wine Trail that features area wineries.

Visitors can pick up a brochure or visit www.texaswinetrail.com for a map and directions to the wineries. On April 21-23 and 28-30, the wineries will host a special Wine & Wildflower Trail celebration.

Because the Hill Country is one of the fastest growing wine-producing regions in the country, some believe the area is on track to become the next Napa Valley.

"That remains to be seen," cautions Richard. "It all depends on the quality of the wines we're able to produce. Right now, our wines taste really good, but only time will tell if we can consistently produce excellent wines."

“Our kids call this Château Shoestring because we have to do everything ourselves," says Richard Becker, a San Antonio physician who built Becker Vineyards with his wife, Bunny.