End Summer with a BANG!

It feel like just yesterday, we were eagerly anticipating the long summer days with which to fill winery trips and trail hopping. As the end of summer quickly approaches, we realize we need to make the most of every hot weekend we have left. (Not to say, we don't LOVE fall and all it has to offer, but summer is always hard to say goodbye to!) The coolest thing about late August and early September are all of the grape stomp events held at Missouri wineries. This traditional method of crushing grapes dates all the way back to the Roman Empire and continues to entertain the masses today! Allow me to present some Missouri winery events that I believe will be an excellent way to send summer on its way and welcome the cooler fall days.


2013 WINERY GRAPE STOMP
Red Fox Winery
Urich, MO
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Putting your grape stomping abilities to the test as Red Fox kicks off it's harvest season with their 5th annual Grape Stomp. Pick your partner wisely as a wine basket is the prize up for grabs. You could also compete in their Lucille Ball and Elvis Presley look alike contests. Live music and Argentine style cow roast makes this an event you don't want to miss. Register your grape stomp team here.

4th ANNUAL MEAD FEST
7C's Winery
Walnut Grove, MO
Sunday, August 25, 2013

Are you a fan of the Medieval times? The Society of Creative Anachronism of Oakheart will be performing living history along with performances from Gypsy Sol and Project Vagabond. The SmokeShack BBQ of Warsaw will be serving up BBQ and turkey legs, and you can wash it down with cold bottle of 7C's wine and mead. This is a free event.


WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAPE STOMP (and Lucky Look-Alike Contest)
Twin Oaks Wineyard & Winery
Farmington, MO
Saturday, September 7, 2013

This is the 7th year Twin Oaks has hosted their traditional wine making event, and this year it will benefit Walker Johns Childhood Cancer Foundation. This event boosts big cash prizes for it's top 3 winning teams as well as best costumes and Lucky Look-Alike winners. The event is limited to 35 teams and will go on rain or shine. Register your team here.


GRAPE STOMPING CONTEST
Hemman Winery 
Brazeau, MO
Saturday and Sunday, October 5 & 6

Hemman Winery invites everyone out to join the "Purple Food Club" and stomp some grapes! All you need is a partner and some clean feet. Conact the winery for more information.

VIGNOLES GRAPE HARVEST
Jowler Creek Vineyards & Winery
Saturday September 7 at 8:00 am

Ever wonder what it's like picking grapes? How about a delicious varietal like the Vignoles grape!? Well, Jowler Creek is offering you and your friends a chance to get some fresh air and have a grape picking party! Their grape harvest event begins at 8:00 am where you'll help the winery pick Vignoles grapes. They are providing lunch and the wine of course, but space is limited so contact them today to reserve a spot for you and your friends! RESERVE your spot today by sending an e-mail to info@jowlercreek.com.


HARVESTFEST FOR DELTA
Jacob's Vineyard Winery
August 31, from 3 - 12 am

Jacob's Vineyard Winery hosts a great event every year for a great cause.  They raise money to support DELTA (Developing Essential Learning Through Agriculture).  Their mission is to serve individuals with disabilities by providing agricultural opportunities and training to enhance their everyday living and future livelihood.  

They will have a CELTIC band, food, and of course plenty of grapes to stomp.  They will also have games available for playing.  From what we understand it's a blast!  

If you're interested in becoming a sponsor and/or donating (tax deductible!!) then contact one of the following



LAZY DAYS ALONG THE WINE TRAIL (Customer Appreciation Event)
Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail
Month of August

Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail is saying so-long to summer by thanking its visitors and loyal customer! If you visit each of their 6 wineries (Apple Creek Vineyard & Winery, The Barrens Winery, Hemman Winery, Hunter Valley Winery, Rothbrick Winery, & Tower Rock Winery) in the month of August, you'll receive a FREE ticket to Reuther November wine trail event, Taste of Holidays!

Don't let these last precious summer days slip away from you. Make the most of them at a Missouri Winery! Find more events in our Calendar.

MicroFest 2013

Though we do love our wines, we also love craft beer.  Every year we seek out events that feature some of the best craft brews in the land.  MicroFest is just one of those events that we enjoy attending.  Why?  Because they have over 60 different breweries, each with their own distinct flavor and fun.

This year we volunteered to help out St. Louis Wine and Beer Making, a shop dedicated to helping the amateur and pro make their own brew/wine.  It was a privilege to be standing next to Dave, the President of the shop and getting to know his customers more (including ourselves).

While the rain on Friday May 3, 2013 kept us cold and wet, Saturday's weather proved to be far more enjoyable and dry.  We got the chance to try many, many beers and here are some of our favorites from the day's debacle!

Destihl Brewery was from Iowa and they featured a few of their beers, most notably their Strawberry Blonde. Admittedly, we went back for more than one sample of this delicious beer.  This fruit beer is made by adding generous quantities of strawberries to a blonde ale base beer, providing harmonious fruit qualities, golden-strawberry blonde color, crisp/dry palate, light body, low hop characters & bitterness and light malt & fruit sweetness.  World Beer Championships Award: Bronze Medal 2012. 

We just happened come upon the Samuel Adams table and almost shied away from it, but then the Porch Rocker caught our eye.  Perfect for any summer day, Samuel Adams® Porch Rocker™ is bright and citrusy with a fresh-squeezed lemon effervescence and a refreshing finish.  Crisp & tangy, with its combination of lager & tart lemonade this unique summer quencher is their take on the Bavarian Radler, named for cyclists that originated this drink.  Though there were not many lemony beers at this event, the Porch Rocker is one that we are definitely considering for our kegerator.

It was very nice to see Charleville at this event.  We love visiting their winery/brewery when we hit up the Southeast Missouri region, especially the Route Du Vin trail that we've created on our blog, but it was nice that they came close to us this time!  For some reason we had our tastes set on fruit beers today, perhaps it was because of the terribly, uncooperative weather or the hopes of summer, but Charleville aimed to please with this one.  It was definitely a rival to the previously mentioned Destihl's Strawberry Blonde.

We got a chance to interact with the bar manager of the new brewery in St. Louis, Alpha Brewing Company.  Their beers were very impressive and even more so their trophy!  Head downtown to check out this new brew spot close to the City Museum.  A beer we liked that they were offering was their Rye Indian Pale Ale.

Blue Moon is a pretty mainstream, good beer, but they had these amazing Vintage Ales and they were absolutely incredible.  They used the juices from Savignon Blanc and the Cabernet Savignon grapes to create these complex, very winey beers!  Curious were we can find a bottle of each for a celebration we're having soon.