St. James VIP Wine and Food Paring

For our final Missouri Wines Passport Program reward we were hosted at St. James Winery's Cottage. Level 3 included a private Food and Wine Pairing. We met with Calli Collier, St. James Winery's Event Coordinator at the tasting room in St. James, MO. Our group followed her into the countryside to the cottage in the middle of their vineyards. The cottage was quite quaint and inviting.  It featured a long bar, patio and swimming pool. We were greeted by our bartender, Tony and a full spread of cheeses, fruit and chocolates. The presentation was flawless.

Our tasting included: St. James Winery's Pioneer Red, Cynthiana, Pioneer White, Riesling, Blackberry, and Mango wines. Our most notable pairings where the Espresso BellaVitano cheese with the Pioneer White and the Mango wine with the fresh peaches. Calli did a nice job of walking us through the taste and giving us lots of background information on the winery. We took a walk out to look at the vines and enjoy a glass of wine. It was a perfect day to be among the vines enjoying great wines and fun conversation. 

 

Calli offered to give us a tour of the cellars back at the tasting room which we eagerly accepted. We have been to the tasting room many times but have never had time to take a tour. We were able to see lots of barrels and fermenting tanks which was impressive. This is by far the largest winery that we've ever toured, and the amount of wine they produce is breathtaking. 

We had a fabulous time at our food and wine pairing and our tour of the winery. St. James offered us some top-notch hospitality. Later that evening, we attended St. James Movie in the Vineyard event. It was a bit chilly but the food from CrepEscape was fabulous, the movie was a classic (Casablanca), and the wine was flowing (we were enjoying the Pioneer Red)! Overall, our day at St. James was very unforgettable. We are sad that all of our Missouri Wine Passport Rewards have been used up, but we are hopeful that a new program will be introduced soon. Until then, we'll continue to explore Missouri Wine Country on our own! 

See all of the photos from our day at St. James Winery here. 

Chandler Hill VIP Tasting and Tour

We took advantage of our first Missouri Wines passport program reward this month with some friends at Chandler Hill Vineyards.  The Level 2 prize for visiting 30 wineries last year included a VIP wine taste and tour for up to eight people.  We chose Chandler Hill Vineyards because they have a large variety of wines to sample and was within a close vicinity to where we reside.

We didn't know what we would experience, but all of our expectations were blown out of the water when we were greeted with a private seating section and a glass of sparkling wine.  The next thing that surprised us was the amount of food that they served with the taste.  From gourmet cheeses to bbq pulled pork sandwiches as well as an assortment of cheesecake, it truly was a feast fit for kings.  

Our hostess customized our wine tasting based on the overall palette of the group, which was dry to sweet Missouri whites.  The favorite of the group was most definitely the dry Vignoles that was poured first, though the Cold Spring Rosé came in at a close second.  We were served five generous tastings, in addition to our sparkling wine starter, which paired splendidly with the canapé.  

Following our exquisite wine tasting, we were hosted to a winery tour by the CEO, Chuck Gillentine.  It wasn't a far journey, just downstairs to the cellar under their tasting bar.  Chuck explained what wines they produced on-site and the process they utilize.  For our last taste we opted for a barrel sampling during the tour.  The wine of choice was our favorite Missouri red, the Chambourcin.  It was delightfully smooth yet still had potential given more time in the cellar.  The taste and tour were an enlightening glimpse at the inner workings of this winery.

Overall, we could not have been more pleased with our choice of Chandler Hill for our VIP Taste and Tour. The service was impeccable, the food was well paired, and the wine was superb.  Visiting 30 wineries wasn't easy, and this award felt well deserved.  We look forward to our Level 3 reward of a Food and Wine pairing which we chose St. James to host coming up in May, stay tuned.

Wine Review - St. James Winery: Pioneer Red

St. James Winery's - 2012 Pioneer Red

St. James Winery's  Pioneer Red is a blend of Norton, Chambourcin and Rougeon with 12% alcohol and .03% residual sugar.

The color could be best described as a deep crimson plum. The aroma is full of berries, plum and a hint of yeast. When tasting the wine, you start with a tart burst that makes your lips pucker, quickly followed  by a smooth, peppery finish.

Neither of us are huge Norton fans, so this wine provided a mellower option that was very easy to drink. I would love to pair it with salami or lasagna, but it would also be a nice wine to drink by a fireplace on a romantic night. Overall, we are big fans of the Pioneer Red and will need to stock up to ensure we always have some to serve guests.

Side Note: This wine was created to honor Missouri wine pioneers, St. James Winery founders Jim and Pat Hofherr.   CHEERS TO THEM BOTH!

Missouri Wine Festival

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, look no further than the Missouri Wine Festival happening in Excelsior Springs, MO on June 21-22.

This annual festival is held in Excelsior Springs during the summer time and celebrates over 50 Missouri wines, live music, over 30 art and craft vendors, hosts wine and cheese classes, and cooking demonstrations.    The cost is $5 for the festival or $20 in advance for 10 wine samples ($25 at the gate).  You can buy your tickets online

Here is a list of the wineries that will be participating:

Baltimore Bend Vineyard
Cooper's Oak 
Fence Stile Vineyard and Winery
Jowler Creek 
Ladoga Ridge Winery
Les Bourgeois Vineyard
St James Winery 
Serenity Valley Winery
Stone Hill Winery
Wenwood Farm Winery
Westphalia Vineyard
Windy Wine Co.

For accommodations  check out the map of local hotels.  Note that you are not far from Kansas City, but staying local would be the best route for safety reasons (wouldn't want that wine getting the best of you).

For more information and for registration, check out the event home page: Missouri Wine Festival