With the planting of a grape vineyard and lavender field this spring, Rafael and Cheryl Hernandez, owners of Texas Vineyard and Smokehaus in Palestine, are sowing seeds to expand their business.

The couple opened the GoTexan venture early last year. The business offers a variety of Texas products including wines, jams, salsas, spreads and sausages.

Over the holidays, sweet potato butter and honey mustard jalapeno spreads were a couple of the specialty items which were in high demand at the Texas Vineyard and Smokehaus.

Mrs. Henandez plans to add sauces to the product selection including raspberry chipotle.

At the vineyard's tasting room, visitors can enjoy, free of charge, a sampling of Texas wines including dry red, white, shiraz and rose.

"And, of course, we have a muscadine wine which is always very popular," says Mrs. Hernandez.

The building constructed by Hernandez, a former Green Beret and retired member of the Houston Police department, features a large front porch which seats 32 people.

During Palestine's annual Dogwood Festival, the Texas Vineyard and Smokehaus will hold its grand opening with live music, food, and wine.

The menu for the event will feature paninis, fruit and cheese platters, ginger peach tea and a wine sprtizer.

This spring the couple will begin planting their own vineyard on 10 acres of land.

With soil testing already completed, the Hernandezes have selected a black Spanish grape and will also be planting two varieties of lavender including gorsso and provence.

In the future, Hernandez would like to fuse the two crops and produce a Texas lavender wine.

Texas Vineyard and Smokehaus is located at 2442 CR 2133 in Palestine.

Hours are Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m.

For more information or directions, call (903) 538- 2950.