The more chilled the white wine is, the better right? While we all love a nice chilled refreshing sip of wine, colder does not always mean better.

In all reality over chilling your wine can hide its best qualities.

Temperature plays a bigger role than we think in how we experience wine. When a white wine is served too cold, the aromas and flavors can be hidden away, making it harder to experience the wine fully. A wine’s aroma tells you just as much, if not more about the wine. The different notes of fruit, flowers, herbs, and spices become easier to notice and love!

While what you prefer always matters, many white wines are best enjoyed slightly warmer than refrigerator temperature.

We recommend serving your whites around 55 degrees. Which equates to about 2 hours in the fridge. A standard refrigerator is usually around 35–40°F, meaning your wine may need a few minutes to warm up before it reaches its ideal serving temperature.

Cold wine is refreshing—but colder isn’t always better.

Instead of grabbing a bottle straight from the fridge and pouring immediately, give it a few minutes to warm up and see how the flavors change. You may be surprised by what you discover.

The next time you open a bottle of Missouri wine, don’t just ask, “Is it cold enough?”

Ask, “Is it the right temperature to enjoy everything this wine has to offer?”

When one thinks about visiting a Missouri winery, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a relaxing day sipping wine. While wine is the star of the show, many wineries have become destinations offering shopping, experiences and plenty of reasons to visit them again! 

Most Missouri wineries have a gift shop allowing people to take home a souvenir that reminds them of their trip. Popular items include winery branded t-shirts, hats, wine glasses, insulated tumblers, corkscrews, bottle stoppers, tote bags, and unique cutting boards. Some wineries even sell candles using their recycled wine bottles, and handmade products created by local artisans, making it easy to support multiple small businesses with one purchase. If you have a wine loving friend – I am sure you will be able to find them a fun wine trinket in one of our Missouri Wineries. All these items make for thoughtful gifts for birthdays, holidays, or anniversaries. 

Missouri Wineries are stepping up their games crafting experiences that keep visitors coming back throughout the year. Many are hosting unique events, game nights, and special dinners. Check their event calendars to purchase tickets! 

The next time you visit a Missouri winery, take a little extra time to explore their gifts, enjoy the events, and discover all the local charm they have to offer. These will be the things that flood you with memories and strike up a conversation in your own home! 

Are you unable to join us at the Missouri State Fair? No worries! Join us for a Wine 101 Class right here and plan your own.

To start you will need 4-5 wines of your choosing. We like to have red, white and a fruit, and a sweet and dry of the red and whites. But you can choose any wines!

Provide your guests with tasting cards to jot down notes about the wines and pairings. Explain the aroma diagram you've set up on each table, which will help them identify different scents in the wine. Remind them not to eat the tasting items just yet.

Let's kick things off with a warm welcome! As the host, introduce yourself and set the stage for the experience. Ask your guests a few icebreaker questions to gauge their familiarity with wine and their enthusiasm for trying new wines. 

Inject some fun with trivia questions. You can offer small prizes for correct answers. Here are a few sample questions:

1. How many wineries are currently in the state? 113
2. Which varietal do we celebrate in August? Vignoles
3. How many wine trails are currently in the state? 7
4. Which wine won the 2026 Governor’s cup for best wine in the state? 2025 Dry Vignoles from Adam Puchta Winery
5. What’s the official Missouri state grape? Norton

Emphasize these key principles to your guests:

1. Drink the wine you like. Your personal preference is what matters most.
2. Try new things. You never know what you might love until you give it a try.

As you begin pouring the first wine, explain the 5S’s of wine tasting: See, Swirl, Smell, Sip, and Savor. This method will enhance their appreciation and understanding of the wines.

Allow your guests to choose their own wines from a variety you’ve prepared. Encourage them to explore different types and find what they enjoy.

Here is an example of a wine and what you can share.

Wine #1: Chardonel

Share details about the winery, the Chardonel grape, and the wine region. Encourage your guests to try the "sip, bite, sip" technique with small bites of food to see how the wine’s flavor changes. Pairing: Garlic Herb Cheese Curds. Suggested pairings include grilled chicken, fish, mushrooms, almonds, pasta with cream sauce, and even banana bread. 

Fill any remaining time with these fun wine facts:

• Explain parts of a wine label.
• Discuss the shelf life of wines once opened: 3-5 days for whites, 5-7 days for reds.
• Share insights into the wine competition process.
• Discuss the body of the wine, comparing it to milk for understanding light, medium, and full-bodied wines.
• Proper glass handling: Hold by the stem or base to avoid warming the wine.
• Serving temperatures.
• Cork vs. screw cap closures.
• Wine storage tips: Keep bottles out of direct light and at a cool temperature, storing corked bottles on their side.

With this comprehensive guide, you're ready to host an unforgettable Wine 101 class. Enjoy the experience, and cheers to new discoveries in the world of wine!

Every year at the Missouri Wine Competition there is also a label competition. Wineries put so much time and effort into creating the perfect labels that complement the wine exceptionally. This years People’s Choice label is one of those that tug a little harder on those heart strings. 

Defiance Ridge Vineyards brought home the People’s Choice award for their Lauren 2025 Sweet Vignoles. 

Owner of Defiance Ridge Vineyards, Chuck said, “We decided to produce our first Sweet Vignoles in 2025, we knew we wanted this inaugural bottling to tell a story that was deeply personal to our family.”

Vignoles is celebrated for its bright, vibrant flavors and is often described as a wine that brings a ray of sunshine to every glass. Tragically, on January 10, 2025, their family lost their own ray of sunshine when his daughter-in-law, Lauren, passed away unexpectedly.

Lauren was everything a father could hope for in a daughter-in-law. She was devoted to his son, Andrew, loved by everyone who knew her, and had a remarkable way of lighting up every room she entered. Her warmth, kindness, and joyful spirit left a lasting impression on all who met her.

Lauren loved Defiance Ridge Vineyards, and the winery family loved her just as deeply. Her beautiful smile and radiant spirit made her the perfect inspiration for the watercolor portrait featured on the label of their first Sweet Vignoles. We hope this wine serves as a tribute to the joy she brought into everyone’s life and as a reminder that her light continues to shine through the memories they share.

They want to extend thanks to Allison Laupp and Cindy Summers for helping design the label, and to everyone who voted it the 2026 People’s Choice Award winner. They are honored that Lauren’s memory continues to touch so many. 

August is Vignoles month! Vignoles (veen-yole) is one of Missouri’s most versatile white grapes and a popular cultivar grown in the Midwest. This hybrid grape produces wines that have range from dry, to sweet, to late harvest dessert wines. Vignoles is perfect for creating your own adventure!

This medium-bodied, crisp and flavorful wine will give you a taste of tropical fruits like pineapple, peach and apricot, sometimes citrus and floral notes. With the hot Missouri temperatures happening now, Vignoles is the ideal summer sipper!

Vignoles grapes are hardy enough to handle the Show Me State winters and are one of the earlier ripening grape varietals in the state. You may visit a vineyard and witness them being harvested already. Vignoles' crowd-pleasing capabilities and versatility make it an incredibly popular choice among the wine-buying public and winemakers. 

When pairing try out spicy cheeses, spiced curry, Asian or Mexican dishes, buffalo wings, spicy grilled peppers and barbecue, berries and tropical fruits, cheesecake or Crème Brûlée. With this many pairing options, you can enjoy any summer snack with your summer sip!

There are sweet, semi-sweet and dry versions of Vignoles. It is truly one of the most versatile grapes. This year Vignoles won all Best of Class White Wine categories and Adam Puchta Winery’s, 2025 Dry Vignoles won this year’s Governor’s Cup Award!

To celebrate Vignoles month try out some of these recipes and keep a look out for more!

Whether you are celebrating Vignoles month by sipping a glass or trying a new recipe be sure to use #mowine in all of your adventures!