I’ve driven by this tasting room too many times to count, but that won’t happen again without a stop. This is a wonderful place, and the wines are fabulous! After leaving the world of insurance, Billy and Susan Johnson pursued a dream. Together they have created a place that honors Texas. Their wines are all Texas grown, many from their own estate just outside of Fredericksburg.  They set out to create a heritage that can be passed down to their family and have succeeded. Susan looks deep into the climate and soils they are working with and chooses varietals that work well here.  Th ..read more

The Germans who settled Hill Country towns were renowned for a welcoming nature, which frequently involved sharing a beer. Today, more than a few local festivals capture that spirit of “Gemütlichkeit,” or friendliness and good cheer. The 3rd annual Fredericksburg Craft Beer Festival is one of those that encourages camaraderie amid sudsy tastings. The growing event, set for June 8 at Marktplatz (the city’s downtown square), features 20-plus Texas craft brewers, including Fredericksburg’s own Altstadt Brewery, Spoetzle Brewery (Shiner), Texas Cannon Brewing, Pecan Street Brewing and many more, w ..read more

The first time Rock & Vine visited Suds Monkey in 2018, it was purely by accident and there wasn’t much to it. We just happened to spot one of those blue highway signs that point out businesses off the highway and whipped into a small warehouse park near Dripping Springs. Suds Monkey Brewing occupied one of those warehouses, and describing it as a microbrewery would have been generous — it was a nanobrewery, as small as a viable business could be. The two-barrel brewhouse was barely bigger than a homebrew setup and the “tasting room,” such as it was, had only three taps. The beer coming ou ..read more

Singer and songwriter David Allen Coe crooned, “I’ve got this weakness for women and whiskey, it’s something I just can’t control.” This was back in 1978, and Samantha (Sam) Olvera wasn’t yet born. Even though she is a fan of old country music and grew up stealing sips of her grandfather’s Wild Turkey, she never thought making whiskey would be her future. Sam grew up in Corpus Christi in a family of healthcare professionals. Her mom has been a nurse for over 30 years and encouraged Sam to do the same. Life took a different turn after Sam graduated from school to become a respiratory therapist ..read more

Growing up our world was magical. We were surrounded by art, whimsy, and creativity.”  –WillowCityMusic.com  Beecher Proch grew up in the Texas Hill Country, in a family he describes as “uber creative,” and he is no exception. Proch works in the production side of movies, most recently on the film “Unsung Hero.” He and his brother Ezra are the band Willow City, which at one time included siblings, Liza and Asa. He also designs and produces a line of repurposed denim wear. Along with fine leather handbags. “I’m all about story. From a music and film standpoint, I love thinking about ..read more

This is the coolest place ever, and it’s in Fredericksburg! You can have wine and giraffes and everything!”  That’s what a guest told her friend after staying at one of the four villas at Longneck Manor, each given the Swahili name of an animal. Two of the villas have one bedroom, and the others have two. Each building includes a kitchenette, a living room, and a private deck overlooking the animal pasture.  Limiting the accommodations to only four villas guarantees a VIP experience with the giraffes and rhinoceros at the resort.  “We didn’t want it to feel like it was a circus ..read more

The Japanese Garden of Peace at the National Museum of the Pacific War brings an element of serene quiet to the heart of Fredericksburg. Not far away is another peaceful spot — Hill Country Herb Garden Resort and Spa, an oasis offering food not found elsewhere in town. “We wanted the menu to be more health-focused, with vegetarian options and fresh salads, with Asian and Japanese influences, invoking the Nimitz garden. We’re wanting to tie it all in with the spa, with the serenity that encapsulates all of that,” said Travis Tucker, CEO of Elements Hospitality, which manages the Herb Garden, al ..read more

A building can be more than a shelter. A building can develop a character and a spirit all its own. The people of Mason County found out how important a building can be when their courthouse burned in 2021. The fire gutted the interior. The roof collapsed. By morning, only the outside walls and the columns stood upright. Citizens stared in disbelief at the smoldering shell, trying to sort out their emotions. They took some comfort in knowing that the courthouse had been scheduled for renovation and all county records had been moved, but the building that had stood tall since the days of their ..read more

Imagine taking your morning coffee on the private deck of a villa while you watch a herd, or a tower, of giraffe enter the pasture and explore, learn, and play. Then imagine sharing an afternoon toast as they parade back into their night home. About 4 p.m., imagine observing a small bachelor herd of white rhinoceros enter the same pasture, where they will sleep. In between, imagine unprecedented contact with the animals under the guidance of an animal care specialist. That close, personal interaction is what guests can expect at Longneck Manor. In the wild, the giraffe is the watchtower, seein ..read more

Paul Babb chronicles his life by rivers. Born just south of the Red River, Babb recalls touchstone encounters with the Red before his family moved to the Brazos and later to the Sabine in East Texas.  Paul Baab, standing, will soon take over as General Manager for the Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District, for the retiring Paul Tybor. He has called the rivers of the Texas Hill Country home for more than 20 years. “The Hill Country is not Houston or even Bastrop. Things here are more arid, making water more finite and precious,” Babb says. He has now worked with Hill Country ..read more