Wine Matters: It's harvest time in Texas wine country

 August marks the grape harvest in the Texas Hill Country. Don't miss the 2009 Harvest Wine Trail Friday through Sunday and Aug. 21-23. Some 24 wineries will participate, and some will have tastings of new releases.

Tickets are $35 and are good Friday through Sunday each weekend. Each winery will select three bottles of wine to be offered at a 15 percent discount for Wine Trail ticket holders. Participants will also receive a Texas Hill Country Wineries book to collect labels and take notes in. When you purchase tickets, you designate the winery at which you want to pick up your label book. Tasting fees are not included. For tickets and information go to www.texaswinetrail.com.

Highlights on the Harvest Wine Trail include a stop at Becker Vineyards in Stonewall to see its new, larger tasting room. Three newly bottled wines — a barbera, a Provenéal and a gewérztraminer — will be available at the discounted price. The vineyard will also host a Rambling Rosé blind tasting at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday for the New World Wine & Food Festival, which is held in San Antonio in November. Tickets for the tasting are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For information go to www.beckervineyards.com.

Grape Creek Vineyards in Fredericksburg also has a new tasting room in the style of an Italian villa. Three award-winning wines have been selected for discount — the 2007 Cabernet Trois, the 2008 Cabernet Blanc and the 2008 Viognier, which won the 2009 Grand Star Award for white table wine in the Lone Star International Wine Competition.

Flat Creek Estate will mark the expansion of its new 10,000-case winery in Marble Falls with First Crush. Vineyard manager and winemaker Charlie Kidd will host a harvest/winemaking class, followed by a three-course dinner at 4:30 p.m. Friday and Aug. 22. Cost is $50 per person; call 512-267-6310 for reservations.

Stop in Sisterdale at Sister Creek Vineyards for a discount on their muscat canelli, chardonnay and double medal winner Cabernet 3-Blend.

Fall Creek Vineyards in Tow hosts its 20th Annual Grape Stomp and Harvest Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 22 and 29. Reservations can be made for a two-course cooking demonstration and lunch pairing at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on each Saturday for $23 per person. There are also classes and a dinner. For information go to www.fcv.com.

Stomp your way through the Hill Country with free grape stomp events at Texas Hills Vineyard in Johnson City on Saturday and Sunday, and Aug. 22 and 23 or at Lost Creek in Sunrise Beach on Saturday and Aug. 22. At Texas Hills, you can put your grape-stained footprint on a T-shirt for $15.

Happy trails.