Deep in the heart of Texas is wine country and more

By Patti Nickell Tribune News Utility FREDERICKSBURG Texas On my first night in Fredericksburg I m headed to one of my favorite dining spots Hill Vine Restaurant While I am salivating at the thought of its southern staples stamped with the flavors of the Texas Hill Country think black-eyed pea hummus chili-citrus brined pork chops and sweet cornbread it s the prospect of their wine list that has me really excited Hill Vine s owners are passionate about Texas wines and on my first visit a insufficient years ago I became enthralled with a bold rich Tempranillo marrying the flavors of red fruit with the smokiness of tobacco On this occasion two glasses of this Texas Tempranillo established my belief that it is as good as any I have had in Spain s Rioja Region Hill Vine Restaurant offers the best of Texas food and wine Handout Hill Vine TNS Fredericksburg a small locality halfway between Austin and San Antonio is on Highway better known in these parts as the Wine Road It has become the epicenter of Texas s burgeoning wine industry with of the more than wineries along the passage located in the town and its surrounding countryside Famous vineyards such as Signor Grape Creek and the Texas Wine Collective attract selected one million visitors annually However if you are looking for one of the region s newest additions head for Prochnow Vineyard at Crabapple Creek Enjoy a tasting on the expansive back porch where you can sample their Sangiovese Rose or Cabernet Sauvignon If you re lucky owners Ross and Valerie Prochnow will join you and talk about how they are continuing the legacy began by Ross s father World War II flying ace Colonel Marvin Prochnow As important as the wine industry is it is but one factor in the enduring charm of Fredericksburg which was settled by a group of German immigrants in Their leader Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach was profitable in his negotiations with the Penataka branch of the Comanche Indians a group not usually known for negotiating with anyone One of the original Sunday Houses built by the Germans in the th century Trish Rawls Trish Rawls TNS Von Meusebach persuaded the tribe with his offer to share the land peacefully His monetary gift of doubtless didn t hurt either The treaty between the German immigrants and the Comanches was one of the minimal in American history that was never broken A bronze sculpture Lasting Friendship showing von Meusebach and Comanche chief Santanna sharing a peace pipe is located in the town s Marktplatz It s not surprising that the rich farmland proved so desirable to the German settlers who uncovered they could grow almost anything in the fertile soil watered by the nearby Pedernales and Guadalupe Rivers Currently s visitors get a sense of this abundance at places such as Wildseed Farms and Fischer Wieser s Das Peach House Wildseed is the nation s largest working wildflower farm of unit it is it s Texas y all with more than acres devoted to Texas wildflowers Wildseeds Farm is the largest wildflower farm in the United States Handout Wildseed Farms TNS In peak season spring through autumn the farm looks like a multicolored carpet spread across the landscape To better appreciate the beauty of Texas favorites such as bluebonnets Indian Paintbrush poppies black-eyed Susans and coneflowers take a stroll on the half-mile walking trail through the gardens butterfly garden and vineyards Yes they do make wine and you can enjoy a tasting here or opt for a cold beer in their Brewbonnet Biergarten Das Peach Haus is a rustic farmhouse overlooking a serene pond and surrounded by a grove of pine trees that suits the casual vibe of the Texas Hill Country Das Peach Haus a Hill Country staple for nearly a century Hnadout Das Peach Haus TNS However the modest structure belies the eclectic nature of the business it houses Fischer Wieser Specialty Foods Inc a Hill Country staple since Yes there is a peach orchard the fruits of which you can taste in their award-winning jams and jellies but also light bites and bakery items cooking classes and wine tastings dinner under the pines and on occasion live music Their the bulk up-to-date addition is the Dietz Distillery from which comes their Five Judges Gin a London-style gin whose Lone Star spin honors the quintet of judges who have called the property home over the past century Plan to spend a day just wandering the compact downtown either on foot or on the trolley tour to see the surprising number of specialty shops and boutiques museums architectural gems restaurants and bars for a town its size If you are a history or World War II buff you won t want to miss the Smithsonian-affiliated National Museum of the Pacific War located here to honor a local boy Chester W Nimitz who became Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces in the Pacific theater If you are interested in architecture you ll love the famous Sunday Houses built by German settlers as weekend residences when they came to town for supplies and church services and unique to the Hill Country Certain of the original houses are available for overnight stays while others such as The Gathering where I stayed are reproductions of the originals although those originals didn t boast the private courtyard hot tub and fire pit that my accommodation did Foodies won t be disappointed either as Fredericksburg has a surprisingly robust dining scene If it s authentic German you crave Otto s is the place to go for both schnitzel and sauerkraut and German and Austrian wines Related Articles The Polish magicians of glass who create Christmas baubles for clients worldwide In Lubbock Texas musician Buddy Holly s influence is everywhere New holiday movie features the off-season charms of Door County Wisconsin The best U S airports for drinking alcohol ranked The best food cities in America for If you just can t leave Texas without brisket and all the trimmings there s the smokehouse at the Albert Hotel and for the health-conscious who still love a good meal book a table at the Hill Country Herb Garden Order a glass of Texas wine or a craft cocktail and while your meal is being prepared take a stroll through the property s beautiful botanical garden For country music lovers while you re in the area make like Waylon Willie and the Boys and take the short drive to Luckenbach Texas Founded in the mid- th century it had a revival a century later when local legend Hondo Crouch purchased the blink and you ll miss it town to preserve it as a shrine to country music In addition to Waylon and Willie with their iconic song Jerry Jeff Walker recorded his album Viva Terlingua here The present day Luckenbach s population may be in single digits three at latest count but visitors from around the globe flock here to have a picture taken in front of the post office that doubles as a general store and bar don t forget to show your appreciation by dropping a bill in the armadillo tip jar and to see the dance hall and listen to country music performers pick and sing during daily jams With all of its attractions Fredericksburg s greatest charm may lie in the potent combination of German spirit and Texas heart Tribune Content Agency LLC