Texas has a long history of wine production. The sunny and dry climate of the major wine making regions in the state has been compared to Portugual. Some of the earliest recorded Texas wines were produced by Spanish missionaries in the 1650's near El Paso. The state is home to over 36 members of the Vitis grape vine family with fifteen being native to the state, more than any other region on earth. As of 2006, the state had over 3,200 acres (1,300 ha) planted with Vitis vinifera. The Texan wine industry is continuing its steady pace of expansion and has gained a reputation as an established wine growing region in the United States.