Spring has sprung, the days are longer and temperatures are getting warmer. It’s a great time to enjoy sipping on Missouri wine outdoors!

When planning your next outing to Missouri wine country, consider visiting one of the many wineries that offers outdoor seating. From bistro tables to picnic tables, you can relax outside with your significant other or laugh the day away with your whole crew.

Want to pack a picnic? These wineries allow guests to munch on their own food while lounging anywhere from a beautiful lawn, under an arbor, on the deck or even inside a cave! Did you know there are more than 70 Missouri wineries where your furry friend is welcome to tag along? Grab a leash and take them to the vineyard – your pup might even love it more than the dog park.

Wine country has 11 unique wine trails that offer pre-planned wine adventures for those who want to explore a variety of stops. Check out our online calendar or take a look at the wine trail’s individual Facebook pages for upcoming events.

While you’re out and about in wine country this spring, be sure to snap plenty of pictures. We’d love to see them, just tag us or use #MOWines when posting them on social media!

Familiar with World Ag Day? This special day has been designated to celebrate the contributions that the agriculture industry makes to the globe. Agriculture is an essential part of our economy and our lifestyles, from the food we eat and the wine we enjoy, to the clothes we wear and the fuel that powers our world.

In the United States, the agriculture industry provides an affordable and safe food supply for consumers both domestically and internationally. According to recent studies, a single farm in the United States can feed 166 people. From commodities like corn and soybeans, to natural resources and specialty crops, agricultural products are raised across 2 million farms and marketed around the globe. (American Farm Bureau Federation)

The Show-Me State has deep roots in agriculture and continues to be a major player in national agricultural production. In Missouri, 95,000 farms stretch across nearly 28 million acres of land – that’s two-thirds of our state’s total acreage! The agriculture industry in our state contributes $88 billion to the economy annually, and Missouri ranks in the top 10 for production of many commodities and livestock. (Missouri Department of Agriculture)

Some might be surprised to realize the role that viticulture plays as part of the agriculture industry. Viticulture is the growing of grapevines, which can be used for a variety of purposes including grape products, grape juices and delectable wines. Vineyard managers work to produce bountiful acres of grapes while being stewards of the land and agricultural resources.

Across the United States, viticulture plays a major role in enhancing the economy delivering an annual impact of $220 billion. In Missouri alone, the wine and grape industry has a significant impact on the state economy – more than $3 billion annually, to be exact. Across 126 wineries and 1,700 acres of vineyards, the wine and grape industry supports more than 28,000 jobs. (WineAmerica)

Let’s raise a toast (with Missouri wine of course) to the agriculturists who produce the resources that keep our world fed, clothed and running smoothly. Take a moment to appreciate the hardworking vineyard managers and winemakers who grow and make the award-winning wine that we all love.

“What is on the table brings us together. Enjoy the best of what Missouri has to offer.”

Join us at the 2021 Farmers’ Table event and taste your way through seven palate pleasing wine and food pairings along the highly esteemed Hermann Wine Trail. You will have the opportunity to view videos from the local farmers behind the delicious food you are served.

Curious how this trail event works? Here is the run down:

• All participants must be 21 years of age.
• Get started your way by picking from any of the seven participating wineries to begin your trail excursion.
• Grab your souvenir wine glass at the first winery you visit.
• Head to the other wineries in any order you want.
• Keep hold of your event ticket and wine glass throughout the day – you will need these at each stop.
• Upon leaving your last winery, drop off your ticket to enter the drawing for a special Missouri gift basket and one night’s stay in Hermann.
• Lastly, enjoy yourself and please sip responsibly.

Ready to secure your spot? Tickets are $30 per person and include the souvenir wine glass.

But guess what? We’re giving two lucky winners a pair of tickets to this event! Visit our Facebook, Instagram or both and comment on the Farmers’ Table Wine Trail post on March 27 for a chance to win two tickets. The winners will be randomly selected on March 29 and contacted via private message. Good luck!

Rain or shine, we will see you on April 10th!

This event is made possible by Missouri Commonground and the Hermann Wine Trail.

*BONUS*
There will be a survey attendees can take to be entered into an additional drawing for a swag bag!  

College basketball fans are gearing up for the most exciting weeks of the season – March Madness. Watching our favorite teams move from Selection Sunday to the Final Four, and hopefully on to the NCAA championship game, is a cause for celebration in itself.

While you watch players dribble, drive and dunk their way to the championship, make sure you’re enjoying award-winning Missouri wine. Your favorite varietal pairs perfectly with game day grub – from pizza to sandwiches, cookies to sweet treats, Missouri wine and your favorite dish go together like none other.

Your tournament bracket may be filled out perfectly, but do you need help matching up your wine and food pairings? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at our handy pairing guides for your favorite foods:

(click the infographic to see it in full-screen view)

We’ve got plenty more guides in our infographic gallery to help you!

Need some recipe inspiration for gatherings with fellow college basketball lovers? Our blog has a plethora of ideas, from sweet to savory dishes that will delight and easy sippers for a crowd.

Finding Missouri wine nearby is “nothing but net” with our interactive map, which shows retailers near you that sell your favorite award-winning vino. Use this handy tool when planning your game day spread, along with our other resources on chilling, serving and hosting with Missouri wine.

From tip-off to the final buzzer, make sure your March Madness plans are a slam dunk with Missouri wines!

Make your day even brighter with the cheery and delightfully sweet Springtime Sunrise Sipper. Clean and crisp Seyval Blanc mixes with lemonade, cool mint and fresh berries to remind you of springtime with every sip. With just 6 ingredients and only a few minutes of preparation time, the Springtime Sunrise Sipper can turn your day around! Check out this quick video to see how to recreate this easy, refreshing treat. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geg666WxYmI

Springtime Sunrise Sipper Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup powdered lemonade mix

1 bottle of Seyval Blanc white wine

1 small lemon, sliced

18 fresh strawberries, quartered

1 clamshell of fresh blackberries

Ice (if desired)

Mint Leaves

Directions:

Pour lemonade mix into a medium-sized pitcher or jar. Add Seyval Blanc and stir until lemonade mix is dissolved. Add strawberries and blackberries to mixture, followed by lemon slices (make sure to save 1-2 lemon slices for a garnish!) Gently stir until all fruit and liquids are evenly mixed. Place in refrigerator until slightly chilled. Twirl the mint leaves between the thumb and index finger or muddle in glass to extract oil from the leaves. If desired, add a handful of ice cubes to serving glass. Pour mixture into glass and garnish with a lemon slice. Enjoy!

March is designated as Women’s History Month and we want to take this time to recognize those that are laying the foundations today for those who will follow in their footsteps in the years to come. These women serve in many different capacities, each works diligently to uphold the quality and reputation of Missouri’s wines.

(Please note: This information has been compiled from a survey and is by no means a complete list of all the women who work in Missouri wineries.)

Baltimore Bend Vineyard

Sarah Schmidt is an owner of Baltimore Bend Vineyard, and has been instrumental in all aspects of the vineyard and winery's growth over the years. She moved into the head winemaking role 12 years ago. She holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism from the University of Missouri - Columbia, and a certificate in enology from Washington State.

Dale Hollow Winery

Katy Dale is co-owner of Dale Hollow Winery and is essential to every step of the winemaking process: pruning, harvest timing, yeast and oak selection, blending, finishing and packaging. Her mother-in-law, Beth Dale, draws all of the label pictures and Katy builds out the labels.
 

Edg-Clif Vineyards and Winery

From left to right: Girard Keesee, Cyndy Keesee, Rachael Fry, Steffie Littlefield, Stephen Littlefield 

Three dynamic women keep things running smoothly at Edg-Clif Vineyards and Winery. Cyndy Keesee is the winemaker and co-owner of the winery along with her sister, Steffie Littlefield. Steffie has degrees in agriculture, horticulture and economics and utilizes her experience as the vineyard manager. Rachael Fry oversees their craft brewery. The winery is situated on beautiful farmland in the Missouri Ozark hills, a unique property that has been in the family for three generations.

Pictured here is Cyndy Keesee with her daughter, two nieces and two grandnieces who are getting a lesson in winemaking.

Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery

Shriti Plimpton is the founder, owner and winemaker at Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery. Shriti established the winery and vineyards in 2009. Her focus is on distinctive wines that appeal to a wide range of tastebuds using French-American hybrid and Vitis vinifera clones. She is quite innovative in product development, including developing and bottling Missouri's first piquette and skin-contact wines.

Hemman Winery

While Bonnie leaves the winemaking up to her husband, Doug, once the wine is bottled she takes over. From labeling to paperwork, sales and promotions, she keeps things running smoothly. 

Les Bourgeois Vineyards

Rachel Holman (left) is the owner and CEO of Les Bourgeois Vineyards. Prior to acquiring ownership, Rachel served in many capacities at the winery, including Director of Catering and Marketing. She was named the CEO in 2013 and took over strategic planning, financial management, retail operations, production and human resources in addition to wholesale and marketing. Rachel and her husband, Jacob Holman, the head winemaker at the winery, bought the winery with an outside investor in 2019

Noboleis Vineyards 

Did you know that chilling your favorite varietal may enhance your tasting experience? Before you open that bottle of award-winning Missouri wine, give its temperature some consideration.

You might be surprised to know that different types of wine have unique ideal serving temperatures. For example, red wines are ideally served at “cellar temperature” or approximately 65 degrees.  White and rosé wines are best served at a temperature around 55 degrees, and the optimal temperature for sparkling wine is closer to 45 degrees. How long should you chill your wine to ensure that it reaches the ideal serving temperature?

A good rule of thumb for chilling wine is to follow our 3-2-1 guideline! Check out the easy to follow graphic below for the approximate time and temperature that your favorite Missouri wine should chill.

In a perfect world, we’d all have plenty of time to chill our favorite wine before serving. In reality, we realize that life happens! Not to fear, we have a few tips and tricks for chilling wine quickly in a pinch – watch the video below and discover our hacks for getting your wine chilled in under 30 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMF1zIgLSXU

Pro tip – Avoid using your refrigerator as a long-term storage solution for the unopened wine that you intend to serve. When left too long, corks can dry out and lead to wine oxidation.

Use these guidelines and tips to make sure your next glass of Missouri wine is chilled to the right temperature for optimal enjoyment. Want to know where to find award-winning wine near you? Let our interactive map be your guide to restaurants and retailers in your area!

Röbller Vineyard has a unique, distinct history of staying true to tradition, and in April they are celebrating three decades of success in being unique in Missouri wine country.

Robert and Lois Mueller were hobby winemakers in the 1980s, and moved to New Haven to pursue their passion. This family-owned and operated Missouri winery has been growing grapes for 33 years on their property in a unique geological region of the state, and operating their winery for the last 30 years. From the beginning, Röbller Vineyard has remained dedicated to dry farming with the goal of becoming a 100% estate-produced winery. The result of this commitment comes through in their vintage driven wine portfolio expressing the best of what can be achieved in Missouri.

The winery property, which has its own historic past, is also celebrating a landmark anniversary. In 1821, the same year that Missouri gained statehood, the property was land-granted to the original owner. The homestead’s original log cabin (built in 1821) remains on the property and an active part of the Röbller operation.

With multiple anniversaries that coincide with Missouri’s bicentennial, Röbller Vineyards has some big plans up their sleeve to honor their history of success.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, Röbller is releasing special wines. One of which is Land Grant Red, paying homage to the historical significance of the anniversary and roots of the property. This wine was created as a field blend of five red grapes including Norton and Chambourcin. The Old-World approach of field blending is indicative of Robller Vineyard’s commitment to the European winegrowing philosophy.  The grapes were harvested, processed and fermented together as a single wine from the vineyard’s 30th growing season with the intent of creating a special wine for the coming celebration. Additionally, Röbller plans to release a Reserve Vignoles and several other anniversary wines that will be available for purchase. As a special treat, Röbller is partnering with local business, Cool Cow Cheese, to offer special-edition blocks of cheese made with Land Grant Red.

Röbller Vineyard plans to celebrate their special anniversary with events to be held April 17th and 18th 2021, as the winery’s official anniversary is April 27. To stay up-to-date on the anniversary events, make sure to follow the winery on social media and keep an eye on their website.

Stop by Röbller Vineyard during your next adventure in Missouri wine country, enjoy a glass of estate-produced vino and savor the rich history of this family-owned and family-grown winery.

Who doesn’t love to savor a bite of mouthwatering chocolate, especially when it’s accompanied by an award-winning Missouri wine? These fudgy, deep-dish style brownies are a delicious delight that can brighten up any day. Dark chocolate and rich Missouri Port-style wine makes this mouthwatering chocolate treat even more delectable. Indulge yourself with this easy and satisfying recipe that yields plenty to share (if you choose)!

Deep-Dish Fudgy Port Brownie Recipe

Time: 1 hour | Yield: 12 generous servings

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter                               ¹/₂ tsp. sea salt                      

1 cup dark chocolate chips               ¹/₂ tsp. baking powder

4 eggs                                                   1 cup all-purpose flour

1 ³/₄ cup granulated sugar            ¹/₄ cup unsweet dark cocoa powder

¹/₃ cup Missouri Port-style wine      1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and lightly flour a 10x15” baking dish or pan.

Place butter and dark chocolate chips in a double boiler over hot water. Stir mixture until butter and chocolate are completely melted and smooth. Remove mixture and allow to cool.   

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until well blended. Add port and cooled chocolate mixture.

Blend in flour, sea salt, baking soda and cocoa powder. Mix until batter is smooth and all ingredients are incorporated. Use a spatula to gently fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out nearly clean.

After removing brownies from oven, place pan on a cooling rack. Let rest and ensure that brownies are cooled completely before using a knife to cut into slices.

Enjoy!