The Ultimate Food and Wine Pairing Experience

I consider myself a true Missouri wine oenophile, but I also dabble in being a foodie from time to time. That said, there is a place in Excelsior Springs that is ideal for indulging in Missouri’s plethora of wines, while also enjoying perfectly paired cuisine.

Willow Spring Mercantile claims to have the world’s largest selection of Missouri wines, and I don’t doubt them for a second. With more than 300 varieties, from 25 wineries around the state, I found myself in Missouri wine heaven! You can also find Missouri craft beers and spirits along with coffees, teas, gourmet foods and wine gifts all from local and small businesses in the Midwest. Jim and Daphne Bowman have created a cozy, inviting wine shop that serves lunch, leads wine tours, offers wine tasting and other fun things.

Once a month, Willow Spring Mercantile hosts the Four Course Wine Dinner. Each month, a different winery is invited to pair their wines to a unique menu. Wineries that have participated include, among many others: Baltimore Bend Vineyard; Serenity Valley Winery; Cooper’s Oak Winery; and Blumenhof Winery. I attended the Holiday themed dinner which included wines from Les Bourgeois Vineyard in Rocheport. The Vice President/Owner, Drew Lemberger, joined us that evening to explain the wines and guide guests through the dinner pairings.

The wines of the evening all came from Les Bourgeois’ limited reserve selection. The first course was Salmon Cakes with Watermelon Salsa, paired with the Brut Rose. The St. Vincent grape is what gives the Brut Rose its pink hue and light, fruity taste. This course was a perfect balance of sweet and salty.

The second course was a Thai Salad with Feta Cheese and Mandarin Oranges, paired with a Valvin Muscat. The Valvin Muscat grape is fairly new to the Missouri winery scene. Les Bourgeois creates this wine in the traditional French style, resulting in an off-dry, complex wine. The wine tamed the spice in the dressing and enhanced the sweetness of the oranges more with every bite.

The main course was a generous helping of Smoked Prime Rib with Pan Seared Green Beans and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, paired with the Reserve Norton. This wine is truly unique because it is the best of their 2012 Norton. Les Bourgeois used the best four barrels out of ninety to create this complex, robust wine which brought out the smokiness of the prime rib.

The dinner concluded with a Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Cream, paired with a Blackberry Port. The port is composed of 90% Norton and 10% local blackberries. Only two barrels were made, so this was a highly exclusive wine. This velvety wine heightened the coffee flavor in the cake and finished with full blackberry goodness.

The entire evening was delightful and delicious. I would highly suggest attending these wine dinners for an enjoyable night out. The next dinner takes place January 30, featuring the wines of Ladoga Ridge Winery. Reservations are required. If you’re attending from out of town, I recommend staying at the Elm Hotel and Spa – a beautiful and historic hotel located in Excelsior Springs.

Willow Spring Mercantile is at 249 East Broadway, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024; (816) 630-7467. Find more information at www.ShopTheMercantile.com and on Facebook.

Missouri Wines Century Club Dinner

We did it! One-Hundred Missouri wineries visited in 2013. We cannot lie, we are very proud of ourselves. It was by far one of the most enjoyable yet challenging goals we have ever accomplished. The Level 4 prize for the Missouri Wines Passport Program was an exclusive dinner for all of the participants who made it to at least 100 wineries. This Century Club Dinner took place May 31st at the Missouri Theatre in Columbia, MO. The event was superb!

The evening started with a cocktail hour in the lobby of the theatre. We had a large selection of familiar Missouri wines to choose from and delightful appetizers to snack on as we mingled with the other Missouri wine lovers. We ran into some familiar faces including  Kraig and Becky Keesaman, owners/winemakers of Windy Winy Company, and Jacob Holman, head winemaker at Les Bourgeois Vineyards. We made the acquaintance of a couple fellow Missouri Wines Passport conquerers, Brandon and Erin Wisemore. They reside on the West side of the state, so it was interesting discussing their thoughts on our local wine trails and vice versa. It was also great being able to chat about wineries with people who have been to as many as you. The level of passion for Missouri wines was extremely high in the room, and we knew the night was off to a great start.

The dinner was served on the stage of the theatre with Missouri winery owners or makers placed at each table. We had the honor of having Tony and Cindy Kooyumjian, owners/winemakers of Montelle and Augusta Wineries at our table. It's always a pleasure getting to converse with some of our favorite winery owners. We were served a stellar three course meal with each dish paired with a Missouri wine. We started with a salad made of baby greens and lollo rosso laced with a Les Bourgeois Vineyard sparkling wine vinaigrette served next to a fried Goats Beard cheese that gave the salad great texture and added tremendous flavor. The first course was served along side Montelle Winery's 2012 Seyval Blanc. Secondly we were poured a Chambourcin from Stonehaus Farms Winery and served a pan-fried Missouri pork tenderloin with stone ground grits and Adam Puchta Signature Port balsamic reduction. The last course was St. James Winery "Norton 42" braised Missouri beef shorts ribs with mashed yukon potatoes paired with the St. James 2012 Norton 42. This was by far the most "Missouri Wines" of a meal you could ever imagine, and it was delicious!

After dinner, the 19 Century Club members were honored with awards, and we heard speeches from influential people in the Missouri Wines industry including Dr. Peter Hofherr and Glenn Bardgett. The dessert course was served on the roof of the theatre and included lavender creme bruleé, Belgium chocolate Chambord tortes, raspberry macaroons, and opera cakes. There was a plethora of Missouri Wines such as the Adam Puchta's Signature Port, OakGlenn Winery's White Port, Montelle Winery's 2012 Vidal Icewine, Stone Hill Winery's Cream Sherry,  and Windy Wine Company's White Chocolate Strawberry and Raspberry wines. The entire evening was perfect and more than we ever expected. It was an amazing journey, and we are somewhat sad that it's over. 

We would like to thank and give a few shout outs to people and wineries who helped make this event possible. Biggest thank you to Danene Beedle and Christa Holtzclaw from Missouri Wines for all their help with the Passport Program and for throwing the Century Club Dinner as well as everyone on the Missouri Wine and Grape Board. Thank you to the wineries who sponsored the event and served their delicious wines: Stone Hill Winery, Augusta Winery, Les Bourgeois Vineyards, Stonehaus Farms Vineyard and Winery, Montelle Winery, St. James Winery, Adam Puchta Winery, Chaumette Vineyard and Winery, Wenwood Winery, Baltimore Bend Vineyard, Noboleis Vineyards, Edg-Clif Farms and Vineyard, Meramec Vineyards, OakGlen Vineyards and Winery, Windy Wine Company, and Bommarito Almond Tree Winery. And of course EVERY winery we visited last year! We couldn't have done it without you, and we hope to visit again soon!

The sweet swag bag we got at the end of the night! 

Valentine with Wine

Not sure what to do this Valentine's Day? Well, I've come up with the perfect V-Day for the wine lover in your life. All you need is some Missouri wines, a little prep time, and someone to share it with.

Step One: The Gift

Sure, you can't go wrong with flowers, but how about kicking it up a notch this year. Corks are all the rave. People are using them in furniture, decor, and much more. This V-Day give your special someone something unique from Etsy. I suggest some cork jewelry. You can purchase this Wine Cork Necklace (Bluebirds-up-cycled silver by Uncorked) and customize the charm with a bee, butterfly, or flower. This gift is precious, personalized, and helping to support small business owners. What's not to love? Or go with the Cork Cufflinks which are my favorite! They are truly unique and super  trendy!

 

Step 2: Cocktails

I know what you're thinking? Aren't we drinking wine? Of course, silly, but we are spicing things up this Valentine's Day. Style Me Pretty's Leah Bergman has come up with the perfect drink to show you love someone...Cherubs Cup Cocktail. And don't worry, it has wine in it!

Ingredients

• 1 part St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• 2 parts vodka or Gin
• 3/4 part fresh lemon juice
• 1 part muddled strawberry
• Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine

For your Brut Sparkling Wine, I suggest using Les Bourgeois's Brut. It's not a rosé, but it's my favorite. You could also considering using one of Crown Valley's sparkling wines. If you're looking to make the cocktail even sweeter, I would use their Pink Sparkling Muscato, or change up the flavor all together with the Chardonel Brut. Find the instructions here and ENJOY!

 

Step 3: Dinner

It's time to really impress your date! Challenge your cooking skills and step out of the comfort zone. I have two options, both include wine. 

Tune au Poivre with Red Wine Sauce. 

This recipe calls for red wine. I would suggest Robller Vineyard & Winery's oak-aged, dry 2009 Chambourcin or Ladoga Ridge Winery's Galen's Red (Chambourcin). Don't forget to garnish your plates and break out the fancy China. 

Mustard and White Wine Braised Chicken.

You'll need a dry white wine for this recipe. My suggestions are Stone Hill's 2012 Vidal Blanc or Bushwhacker Bend Winery's Chardonel. This French dish will surly impress your date!

Step 4: Dessert

As the evening winds down, you have one more chance to pull out all the stops. I really like this dessert because it's fun and kind of sexy (if you want it to be). You'll need to prepare these Wine Gummies at least 2-3 hours before you plan on eating them, and you can use any kind of wine you want. Of course, if you want them red like hearts, you'll need a red wine. I can't think of a more perfect wine for this treat than St. James Winery's Red Velvet!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Celebrate Spring

The rain will eventually stop (we hope!), and then you'll have the whole weekend ahead of you. Need something to do? We highly recommend heading out to Mid-Missouri for Celebrate Spring. This event is put on by the 7 wineries part of the Missouri River Wine Trail (Coopers Oak Winery, Les Bourgeois Vineyards, Westphalia Vineyards, Serenity Valley Winery, Bushwhacker Bend Winery, Coopers Oak Winery-Booneville, & Canterbury Hill Winery & Restaurant). We have gone to a couple of the Missouri River Wine Trail's events and always enjoy ourselves. You can start Celebrate Spring at any of the 7 wineries. There you'll receive your glass and start your epic day of tasting. My favorite part of Missouri River Wine Trail events is that each winery pairs one of their wines with a food dish. It's really eye opening when you taste a wine with food that really enhances the wine. I think that's what really makes this worth it! Pack your picnic basket and head central this Saturday or Sunday from Noon to 5pm  Each winery is no more than 30 minutes away from the next one. Twenty dollars includes you sampling glass and a wine and food pairing at each of the 7 wineries.

Buy your tickets HERE!



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