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! 

Route du Vin's Wine Diva Weekend

The Route du Vin wine trail throws so many great events throughout the year. 

On the weekend of November 16th & 17th, Route du Vin will be helping to bring out the WINE DIVA in everyone! Grab your winery hopping buddies and head to Ste. Genevieve for two days full of fabulous wine pairings. All 6 wineries will be participating and have delicious wine and food pairing planned that highlight their Missouri wines. The event runs for 11am  -5pm each day and costs $25 per person. 

Buy your tickets here!

WINERY MENUS

CAVE VINEYARDS
Semi Sweet White Chambourcin paired with Chocolate Wine Cake

CHARLEVIELLE WINERY
Corn and green Chili pudding paired with Off Dry Chardonel

CHAUMETTE WINERY
Crispy County Line Farm sweet potato Samosas with cranberry chutney paired with Mosaic wine

SAND CREEK WINERY
Sand Creek Sweet Chardonel served with Flaky Apple Turnovers topped with caramel glaze

SAINTE GENEVIEVE WINERY
Cranberry wine paired with Cranberry Turkey Pinwheels

TWIN OAKS VINEYARD
Decadently sweet Wolf Creek wine with rich Brownie, Chocolate Mousse and whipped cream cups