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!

#FallingForFall

Fall officially starts Sunday, September 22nd! Leaves are falling, pumpkin lattes are steaming, and the air is brisk. Last year, we gathered a group of friends to celebrate the autumn start in the best way we know how... WINERY HOP! To make this trip more festive we paired our favorite wine trail with apple picking and fall beer tasting. We started our day off at Augusta Brewery Company. I always enjoy their beer sampler, and they also offer 18 local wines if you want to keep it consistent all day. This year we highly suggest checking out the Augusta Bottoms Beer Fest  on October 5th. We have never been, but we have heard great reviews from our friends in our home-brew club, The Brewminati. Over 20 microbreweries will be sampling including Crown Valley Brewing. Tickets are on sale now, and you're sure to find a plethora of Oktoberfest and Pumpkin beers to quench your fall thirsts!

 

The next stop on our #FallingForFall day was Mount Pleasant Winery to get some Missouri wine is us! As Wine Club members we were able to get free tastings for ourselves and our friends which is always a great perk of the club. After tasting, we found a sunny spot on the hillside to enjoy a couple bottles and take in the view of the beautiful Augusta landscape. 

 

If you have never been apple picking, I highly suggest you make a trip this fall to my personal favorite, Centennial Farms. I have been visiting this farm since I was a child, and it never disappoints. We rode the tractor back to  the orchard where we had our pick 24 varieties of apple to pick from. The pure pleasure of picking an apple straight off the tree and taking a bit, easily makes Fall my favorite season. Aside from purchasing apples you pick, they also sell honey, apple butter, relishes and other homegrown options. 

 

We had to end on a 'wine note', so we heading to Montelle Winery to finish our epic Autumn Adventure. We sipped on Vidal Icewine and grooved to the music of the live band. Our Fall Winery Hop was complete, and we are already planning another one for this Fall. Follow our itinerary or make your own plan to get out there and enjoy the Fall season. If you would like us to create a custom trip just for you, we would love to help and can provide insight into most winery regions in Missouri. Contact us here. 

  

Mount Pleasant Wine Club Pick Up & Tasting

This Saturday we made the trip out to Augusta, MO to pick up our Mount Pleasant Winery Vintner's Circle wines. We joined this club last summer and have been very pleased with the selection of wines we have received as well as the perks that come with  the wine club membership. If you plan to frequent Mount Pleasant often and are a fan of their wines, we highly suggest you join. It's free to join. They offer 3 options of wines to be shipped (or picked up) quarterly.



HARVEST SELECTION:

Enjoy four shipments per year, two bottles per shipment of our semi-sweet and sweet wines. Wines may include but are not limited to Rhineland, Highland, Ten Bucks, Pink Spumante, Harvest White, Pink Catawba, and Concord. Price is $30-50* per shipment depending on wine selected.

ESTATES SELECTION:

Enjoy four shipments per year, two bottles per shipment of our Estate dry reds and dry to off-dry whites. Wines may include but are not limited to Villagio, Vignoles, Chardonnay, Chardonel, Claret, Merlot, Cabernet, Norton, and Brut Imperial. Price is $40-80* per shipment depending on wine selected.

HOLIDAY SELECTION:

Enjoy one shipment per year, two bottles per shipment of our award-winning Ports and Dessert Wines. Price is $70-90* per shipment depending on wine selected.



We enjoy the Harvest Selection since we are big fans of Missouri semi-sweet/sweet wines. We choose to pick up or wines every quarter since it gives us an excuse to travel The "Ultimate" Weinstrasse Trail. We have been pleased with all of the wines. Our most recent pick up included Concord and Villagio.

It's the additional perks that really make this wine club a great value. Members enjoy complimentary wine tastings for themselves and up to 3 guests. You receive 20% off wine, food, and merchandise. Mount Pleasant also notifies you first about winery events and invites you to Vintner's Circle member only events. If you're looking to join a wine club, Mount Pleasant has a really great club that you can customize and comes with lots of benefits.