The Missouri Wine Lover's Bucket List

There are a few things I believe every Missouri wine lover should experience in his or her lifetime. Get out there and experience all Missouri Wine Country has to offer!

1. Go on a Missouri Wine Trail Event
With over 125 wineries in Missouri, you may feel a little overwhelmed when you start to plan your excursion. Luckily, there are 9 very different wine trails that make planning a winery hop fun and easy, including The Hermann Wine Trail, Route du Vin, The Great Northwest Missouri Wine Trail, Missouri River Wine Trail, Kansas City Wine Trail, Missouri Weinstrasse, Ozark Mountain Trail, Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail, and Aux Arcs Wine Road. These trails host fun events throughout the year that usually involve theme wine and food pairing. It’s barhopping, winery style!

2. Visit Wineries Off the Beaten Trail

Trails may make planning a winery outing easy, but don’t limit yourself to only trail wineries. Some of the state’s hidden gems will take some hunting to find, but they are well worth the effort. Visiting these lone wineries will give you a chance to take in the Missouri country side and possibly discover new and exciting sites. Plan a road trip to Frankfurt, MO, and you’ll be delighted to find one of the state’s smallest wineries, Claymalnay Vineyard & Winery. It may be tiny, but the friendly owners and distinctive wines will leave a lasting impact.

3. Step Outside your Tasting Comfort Zone

My favorite part of visiting Missouri wineries is the chance to sample new wines. This isn't something you can do at the grocery store or even most restaurants, so you should take full advantage of tastings opportunities. Don’t be afraid to challenge your palate and indulge in a wine you don’t usually drink. Each winery leaves its own special characteristics on different varietals. Taste outside your comfort zone and discover how your preferences may change over time. Ask questions and engage with the person pouring your samples. They just might be the wine maker, like at Horst Vineyards.

4. Take Part in a Grape Stomp
This is your chance to become part of the winemaking process and all you need is a clean pair of feet! After harvest many wineries throw grape stomp celebrations and invite people to actively participate. You haven’t lived until you've had your feet dyed purple from Missouri grown grapes! Many of these events are free or the proceeds are donated to charity. Les Bourgeois Vineyards and Cave Hollow West Winery are just two of the wineries that throw large crush festivals.

5. Plan a Winery Weekend Getaway
Many wineries in this state have much more to offer than just wine. For example, a weekend at Chaumette Winery can be complete by renting out one of their classy villas, pampering yourself at the spa, sun bathing by the pool, dining at the Grapevine Grill, and of course sampling their wines in the tasting room. Don’t be afraid to book a room at a B&B, and explore what all a winery town has to offer. Your trip may start with wine, but it will end with an adventure!

6. Tour a Wine Cellar or Vineyard
Vineyards offer a spectacular view and perfect backdrop for a romantic picnic date. Take the time to experience where the wine you are drinking started its long journey to your glass. Most wineries that have vineyards are open to giving tours or allowing visitors to wander through their rows of vines. Historic wine cellars also give you an intimate glimpse into the wine making process as it dates back to pre-Prohibition times. Stone Hill Winery, Hermanhoff Vineyards, and Mount Pleasant Estates each have captivating cellars and offer tours. You may even get lucky and receive a barrel sample.

7. Join a Wine Club
If you love Missouri wine, the best way to capitalize on it is by joining a wine club. Wine clubs help you ensure your wine cabinet is always stocked with your favorite Missouri varietals. They come with great discounts, special offers and exclusive events. Many clubs offer the option for home delivery in case you don’t live near your beloved winery and who wouldn't love seeing a package of wine show up at their doorstep on a monthly or quarterly basis?

If you're looking for a club that offers a more hands on experience, I suggest Edg-Clif Farms & Vineyard's "Grape Friends" Wine Club.  Members are given the opportunity to volunteer and work in the vineyard alongside the owners and wine maker. The club also always access to wine making tutorials, opportunitiers to purchase grapes or juice (as available),  complimentary wine tastings, and many other perks.


Feel free to use my Bucket List as a jumping off point or create your own. Cheers!

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! 

Allergies and Wine

Yesterday was the first official day of Spring even though it didn't feel that way. I'm still hopeful that warm weather is just on the horizon. Any day now, flowers will be blossoming, birds chirping, and of course wine flowing. I'm eager to pack my picnic basket and take in all the sites and sounds of wineries awakening from a cold winter. However, I want to take a moment to let you all know about a sad situation, that you may find yourself in as well. If you're like me, you suffer from seasonal allergies. Yes, sneezing, running nose, itchy eyes, stuffy head, I have all the symptoms. I take medicine, but they never work as well as I would hope. Going to wineries in the spring is a love/hate situation. I love getting out of the house after being cooped up all winter and rolling on the hills of a winery after a few bottle of Vignoles or Tramminetter, but I hate feeling like crap and having a pocket full of tissues and poofy, watery eyes.



And here's an extra dose of knowledge that some of you may not know about when you're out at the wineries, the pollen isn't the only thing triggering your allergies. The wine itself could be adding to your misery. Yes, the wine is an enemy for people with allergies. It's hard to accept, but it's been proven. The histamines in wine (and alcohol in general) worsens allergies. Histamines are produced in wine and beer during the fermentation process. And if that isn't enough, the sulfites in beer and wine also provoke asthma and other allergy-like symptoms. One more fun fact, women are affected by this 3 times more than men. On the brighter side, if you don't suffer from seasonal allergies, the sulfates and histamines in wine should have no effect on you!

Of course there is some controversy about the idea that wine increases allergies symptoms  I live it, so I feel comfortable agreeing with the studies. I did find one study that encourages drinking more RED wine during seasonal allergies. Red wine is high in quercetin, an antioxidant that reduces the amount of histamine the body releases. Since I'm not going to let allergies stop my wine drinking this spring, I will be sticking to red wine and popping allergies pill regularly. I don't want to discourage anyone from heading to the wineries this spring. I just want you to be aware of what you're getting yourself into and advise you to bring extra tissue! Happy wine trailing!

The Ozark Trail

We had the pleasant opportunity to sample some wine from the wineries that lake goers tend to enjoy the most.  "The Ozark Trail" is a new trail that we put together to experience what the Lake of the Ozarks has to offer the Missouri oenophile.

Our first stop was Shawnee Bluff Winery, which boasts the best view out of all the wineries, atop one of the highest ridges overlooking the lake.  Our tasting experience was very nice.  We were the only ones in the winery and per usual the tasting room was warm with the smells of fresh baked pizza dough and firewood.  (Plus, as an added bonus, the tastings were free!) Jennifer did our tasting. She was a pleasure to chat with and was full of wine knowledge.

Their Pinot Grigio was particularly satisfying with its light, crisp flavors and snappy green apple notes.  We also enjoyed the Muscato Canelli, a semi-sweet California wine was pleasant to the aroma and the pallet.  With essence of fruit which would pair well with fish or pasta.  Our favorite wine of the winery, and possibly the entire trail, was "Call Your Bluff".  Fashioned as a light, sweet, champagne styled wine; the bubbles danced on our tongues.  We even found it at the local micro-brewery Horseshoe Bend Brewery.  Overall we were not fans of their selection of red wines, however, the "Bluff Blush" was noteworthy.  Made from Catawba grapes with light fruit flavor and a sweet finish.

Seven Springs Winery is the place to go to see acres of grape vines and enjoy the seclusion of the quiet countryside.  However, on this particular day the winery was playing host to a chef cook-off/challenge and was far from quiet.  The event was very tempting, boasting meal sampled from top chefs in the area competing to be named the best, but we had an agenda to stick to.  The winery offers 3 tastings for free, or you can pay $8 to sample all of their wine (13 total) and keep you souvenir glass. Even though we have enough winery glasses, we opted for the full taste to get the full range of flavors of their wines. As a side note, this winery also serves beer, many on tap, and has a full bar for cocktails.

Seven Springs Winery get the award for sticking to its roots for being the only winery on the trail to grow all its grape in Missouri. All of the others use California grapes in their wines. The Chardonel had a pleasant, clean aroma with an oaky, peppery finish. The Vignoles had a sweet floral smell with hints of melon and lime. The Spring Fling was our favorite bottle. It was very similar to a Sauvignon Blanc with strong flowery notes and a sweet finish. We ended up enjoying a bottle of this in their tented outdoor patio with some warm french bread with oils and seasonings. Seven Springs' Syrah had the highest alcohol content on the list but gave a pleasant jammy flavor. The Dry Rougeon was an especially light-bodied red which was not oaked. It would make a great table wine with almost any meal. They also use this wine to make their Sangria Rojo!

We had intentions of visiting Casa De Loco, we had driven out to it before we found out it was closed due to the snow and ice.  We heard great things about this winery from the owner himself, with whom we met at Horseshoe Bend Brewery the night before.  We are eager to come back in the Spring to sample their wines and enjoy their views and upbeat atmosphere.

The last winery on our trip was Golden Rock Winery in Camdenton. This winery is more of a restaurant than a traditional winery, but they do have a large wine selection. You are given 3 tastings for free, or you can do a wine flight. Any 3 - 3oz pours for $8 or Any 3 - 6oz. pours for $16. This winery imports all of their grapes and has no actual Missouri wines on their wine list. 

Their Pinot Grigio was extremely light with slight hints of spices. The tartness of the Gerwurtztraminer gave hints of apricots and a sweet rose smell. They featured an Australian wine, Aussie Blanc,  with a strong grapefruit flavor. It was easy to drink and left no after taste. The best-seller was they Cab Syrah Zin, a blend of the 3 grapes. It had a great smooth finish and hints of chocolate. Golden Rock Winery has an impressive variety of fruit wines including Black Merlot, Black Cherry Pinot Noir, Peach Chardonnay, and 7 other fun combinations. Tasting the fruit wines was the highlight of the tasting. It's amazing how fruit can enhance or change the flavor of a traditional wine. 

Overall, The Ozark Trail is an easy one-day wine trail that offers lots of different wine and food options. We are eager to come back in the Spring or Fall to see how the views at the wineries change. We met many delightful people, sip on even more delightful wine, and had a fabulous weekend at the lake! Take a look at the rest of the photos from our trip HERE.

The Midwest Grape & Wine Conference

We made a last minute decision to attend the Midwest Grape & Wine Conference - Tour du Vin on Thursday February 2, 2013.  It was a reception to kick off the conference and to give all the wine industry attendees a chance to mingle.   While there we sampled many Midwestern wines and met a wide variety of grape growers, wine makers, and suppliers. 


We ran into Dale Rowlings, the owner of Yellow Farmhouse Winery; which happens to be apart of one of our most frequented wine trails (the Ultimate Weinstrasse).  This winery has always specialized in making dry wines.  Dale gave us the insight on a dry Rosé that the winery would be releasing in April, becoming one of the staples on their wine list.  It will be called "Sweet Talking Blonde."  In April the winery will be holding barrel tastings for a chance to try out the newest addition to Yellow Farmhouse as well as the classics.  We also met the owners of Röbller Vineyard & Winery and Chandler Hill Vineyards.

In addition to wine makers from Missouri, we also met a variety of wine makers from outside the state.  One of which was Jason Jenkins who is associated with Fox Valley Winery in Oswego, IL.  We compared tasting strategies and notes with him and discussed the joys of home brewing. 
A familiar face was at the conference as well, Dale Deaton of the St. Louis Wine and Beermaking.  Always a pleasure to talk beer with and discuss wine as well.  We were informed later that he and his wife got to meet John Blichmann, President and Founder of Blichmann Engineering.  Needless to say, we were a bit jealous and very excited about the prospects for next year's conference. 

Wines samples from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and of course Missouri left us wanting more.  We cannot wait to return next year to mingle and to experience what the Midwest Grape & Wine Conference has to offer.



Our "Best New Wine" of the night goes to Sleepy Creek Winery for their "Sour Puss".  An aromatic citrusy semi-sweet white wine made from Vignoles, Traminette, and Cayuga grapes.  A true show stopper and one that kept us sampling over and over again.

Norton

by: Davina Horton

Norton, deep and red

Missouri's finest grape

Perfect with cheese and french bread

Blueberries, cherries, black currents



January is the month we honor you

The Norton grape

Your subtle notes of dirt give us a clue

Of all the flavors you have to offer

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From vine to wine

You delight our senses

With complex hints that outshine

Most other wines can only dream…..

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Of being regal as the Norton grape.

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Nortons that we have fallen in love with thus far this year include:


Bommarito Estate - Almond Tree Winery : Norton

 

This limited Reserve is a full bodies wine.  Barrel aged in the finest French oak.  Described as "jammy".  Dry at first with a jam finish.  Our first Norton that we actually enjoy drinking.