As the cold winter weather travels across Missouri, grape growers throughout the state begin the process of pruning their vineyards. To produce the highest quality grapes, vines need to be pruned and trained as the grapevine re-invents itself each year. It’s a critical process to ensure proper vine growth and tasty, well-formed grape clusters at harvest. Using hand tools and much care, pruning takes skill and experience. Each grapevine is different and is pruned as an individual when the plant is fully dormant.

Dormant grapevine pruning takes place prior to bud-break, usually after the coldest winter temperatures have passed. During this time, it’s easier to see the structure of the grapevine without all of the leaves in the way. Diseased wood can be easily identified and removed. Pruning allows for increased air-flow and sunlight penetration within the grapevine canopy during the growing season, which helps reduce grapevine infections from disease.

Dormant pruning is the first step in the season to regulate the amount of grapes a grapevine will produce. According to Viticulture Specialist, Dean Volenberg, of the University of Missouri Grape and Wine Institute, approximately 90 percent or more of the previous season’s growth is removed during dormant pruning. The vine growth that is removed is mainly one-year old wood. The only one-year old wood retained on the vines are short sections of canes that are called spurs. From the buds on these spurs, shoots will emerge that will produce flowers and eventually grapes. Each coming years harvest is dependent on the vineyard management that was done the previous season and how well these buds came through the cold winter months.

If a grapevine is left unpruned, a large amount of older wood will develop over time that does not produce fruit. If too much one-year old wood is left on the vine after pruning, the grapevine will not develop enough shoots and leaves to ripen the grapes. On the other hand, if too much one-year old wood is removed, the grapevine will produce a jungle of vine growth that can be difficult to manage with little fruit.

Pruning is a talent that takes years to develop, and for many, is an art form. The secret of grapevine pruning is to balance fruit-load with vine growth.  Let’s cheers to those who work in Missouri vineyards and continue to produce high quality wines!

Winter is soup season and it’s hard to find a more warming and comforting soup than tomato. This recipe for tomato soup has gotten a Missouri wine upgrade with the local wine hero, Norton. Wines made from Norton (aka Cynthiana) grapes pair particularly well with tomatoes. The addition of the dry red wine to this dish creates a truly delicious bowl of soup.

Norton Tomato Soup Recipe

Time: Prep- 10 min.   |   Cook- 50 min

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp   Olive oil
• 1 large   Yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves   Garlic, minced
• 2 cans (28oz)   Crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups  Vegetable stock
• 1 cup   Missouri Norton wine (bold, dry red wine)
• 1 tbsp  Brown sugar, packed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sautée the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, wine, and brown sugar.

Bring the mixture to a light simmer over medium-low heat.

Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 40-45 minutes.

Serve with toasted bread or grilled cheese sandwiches (we recommend using a sharp cheddar).

If you’re a basil fan, add some freshly diced basil before serving.

This recipe is simple and will leave you plenty of Norton to enjoy along side a warm bowl on a chilly winter day. Enjoy!

Let’s make 2017 a fantastic and delicious year full of award-winning local wine! Everyday can be a celebration, but here are the wine themed festivities coming up the next 12 months. The MO wine lovers’ calendar is your guide to a great year ahead. Cheers!

Big, bold, and resilient… these are all appropriate descriptions of Norton, the official state grape of Missouri. They could also be used to describe a hero and in a many ways, that’s exactly what Norton is. From saving the French wine industry, to putting the Missouri wine industry on the map, Norton has certainly shown heroic tendencies. For that and several other reasons, we invite you to join us in celebrating January as Norton Month.

Norton (aka Cynthiana) is a Native American grape varietal, and is thought to be one of the oldest grape varieties still being grown commercially in the United States. So, it’s unsurprising that Norton has a bit of a legacy. In the late 1800s a louse was devastating French vineyards. Two gentlemen in Missouri discovered a way to help… this is where Norton comes in. C.V. Riley (an entomologist) and George Hussman (a scientist and vintner) realized that grafting disease-resistant Native American rootstock to the European vines would save them from the dreaded vineyard pest.

This isn’t the only time Norton made headlines. Norton wines from Missouri won gold medals at eight Worlds’ Fairs in the late 1800s, prior to prohibition. This helped word spread about the local wine industry, which was second in the nation in production at that time. Prohibition came along and decimated the industry, but it has recovered and is going strong, boasting a $1.76 billion impact annually. Norton is bringing home awards year after year, and we’re quite proud of the Norton wines we make here in the Show Me State; so much so that we named it our official state grape in 2003.

Comforting aromas of dark berries and light spices are followed by rich flavors of dark fruit and spicy oak in Missouri’s flagship wine. Norton wines are known for being big, bold, full-bodied red wines, but the grape is also used in some rosé and decadent, dessert-style wines. It’s pretty clear Norton is a fan favorite with consumers and winemakers alike as it is the most widely planted grape in the state, accounting for more than 20% of all the grapes in Missouri vineyards.

Most of the 130+ wineries you’ll discover in Missouri wine country will have at least one Norton wine for you to try. Every Norton is different, and that’s part of the beauty and adventure of exploring local wineries. Find your favorite Norton this January, and join us in raising a glass to this local wine hero. Cheers to Norton Month! 

Get your pop, fizz, clink on this New Year’s Eve with Missouri sparkling wine! Come midnight on December 31^st, a celebratory sip of some local bubbly is a great way to toast to the coming year. Missouri’s sparkling wines range from dry to sweet, white to rosé, and can have a light to medium body. Whether you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve soiree or planning to go to one, make sure you celebrate with a bottle of Missouri sparkling wine!  

Just to be clear, sparkling wine and Champagne are similar, but not the same. Champagne is a term commonly used to describe any wine with bubbles in it, but you can only call it Champagne if it comes from the Champagne region of France. After an international trade agreement made in 2006, no new sparkling wines are allowed to be called Champagne unless made in a particular style with grapes grown in the Champagne district. So, here in the United States, we simply call it sparkling wine!

Sparkling wines start out being made like all other wines where a primary fermentation process turns the sugar into alcohol. However, a second round of fermentation must take place within a sealed container to trap all the carbon dioxide, which dissolves in the wine and creates bubbles. Where this second fermentation process takes place is the key difference in the methods of sparkling wine production. In the traditional method, or as the French say méthode champenoise, the second fermentation happens in the bottle. In the charmat method, the second fermentation takes place in a pressurized tank. Many wineries will disclose which method was used to make their sparkling wine, so check the label on the next bottle you purchase to find out how the bubbles were made.

Prior to popping that cork, make sure to chill your sparkling wine for at least 30 to 40 minutes in ice or three hours in the refrigerator. The ideal temperature to serve sparkling wine is around 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. 

So let’s toast, and remember, bubbles are key, so you don’t want to lose them. Instead of pouring your sparkling wine straight down into the flute, try pouring it down the side of the flute, similar to the way beer is poured, it will preserve more bubbles!   

Cheers to Missouri sparkling wines and a happy New Year!

Did you know December 22^nd is National Forefathers Day? When we found out, we were inspired to take some time to recognize and thank some of the forefathers of the wine industry in the Show Me State. The winemaking history of Missouri is long and proud. Prior to prohibition, Missouri was ranked second in the nation in wine production and was winning prestigious awards for its quality wines. It is even credited with helping save the French wine industry. So where did this illustrious history begin?

French settlers found a home in what would become southeastern Missouri in the late 1740s, establishing Ste. Genevieve, where they found the climate, soil and landscape favorable for winemaking. While the French may have come early to the game, German settlers weren’t far behind. Thanks in large part to a German author named Gottfried Duden who settled in Missouri in 1824 near present day Dutzow and wrote a book about his findings. His book became a best seller back in his homeland and served as the inspiration for many Germans to make Missouri their new home.

"I do not conceal the fact from you that the entire life of the inhabitants of these regions seemed to me like a dream at first," Duden wrote. "Even now, after I have had three months to examine conditions more closely, it seems to me almost a fantasy when I consider what nature offers man here." He went on to describe "acorns... as big as hen's eggs and wild grapevines... heavy with sweet fruit."

German immigrants settled towns like Hermann, Dutzow, Defiance and Augusta, and the Missouri wine industry began to grow. It wasn’t long before Italian settlers found their way to the state and started making wine in the Rolla, Rosati, and St. James areas. In the mid-1800s the quality of Missouri wine was given a boost when self-taught scientist, George Husmann started researching soil types and crossing wild grapes with cultivated vines to create hybrids that could withstand the demanding weather patterns of Missouri.

Husmann’s research, along with that of state appointed entomologist, Charles Valentine Riley, is credited with helping to save the French wine industry in the 1870s. A blight in the form of a louse called phylloxera had made its way to Europe and was decimating French vineyards. Riley and Husmann found that Native American rootstocks were resistant to the pest. Millions of cuttings of rootstock were taken to France and grafted to their vines, saving the industry. Two statues commemorating the event were erected in Monpellier, France, where they still stand today.

By the turn of the century, Missouri was producing nearly three million gallons of wine a year and winning international awards at World Fairs. This all came to an abrupt halt with the passing of the 18^th amendment, also known as Prohibition. The once great industry had been completely dismantled. Vines were pulled from the ground, barrels of wine dumped in the streets, and grand underground cellars reduced to propagating mushrooms.

However, we have the forefathers of the current, thriving Missouri wine industry to thank for restarting and reinvigorating the winemaking traditions of the area. Jim and Betty Held along with their family re-opened and started the rebuilding process of Stone Hill Winery in 1965, and Jim and Pat Hofherr and their family opened St. James Winery in 1970.

Fast-forward several decades and the industry now boasts more than 130 wineries and 1,700 acres of vineyards, producing 1.25 million gallons of wine every year. We are thankful to those who paved the way, those who repaved it, and those who continue to forge the path forward. We are grateful for local wine and the passionate people who craft it!

Photo captions (top to bottom):

Photo via Edward Kemper Collection, Columbia, MO

Photo via Hermann Chamber of Commerce

Photo via Kansas State University 

Photo via Hermann Chamber of Commerce

Photo via Stone Hill Winery

Sources

“Wine History”: Hermann Area Chamber of Commerce, http://visithermann.com/taste-tour/wine-history/

“The History of Missouri Wine”: Missouri Wine Country, http://www.missouriwinecountry.com/articles/history/

“Ste. Genevieve’s Wine Country”: Ste. Genevieve Area Chamber of Commerce, http://www.stegenchamber.org/tourism/wineries.html

Missouri wine makes a fantastic gift, especially when you’re able to share a story or memory along with it. Maybe it’s a favorite wine from a great trip you took on a wine trail. Perhaps it’s a wine you discovered and just had to share with them. Whatever the reason, gifting local wine is a great idea this holiday season. Now, let’s talk gift-wrapping… wine bottles can be a bit of a challenge, but we’ve got three easy and fun ways to package your vino presents. 

Gift Wrapping a Wine Bottle #1: A Dishtowel

Supplies: Dishtowel, ribbon, a bottle of Missouri wine

Instructions:

Lay the dishtowel flat on a table or countertop, design side down. Stand the bottle in the middle of the towel. Gather all four corners of the towel above the top of the bottle. Smooth the towel up the bottle from the bottom to the neck. Tie the ribbon into a bow around the towel at the neck of the bottle. Fluff and tuck as desired and you’re finished. A gift wrapped in a gift… who wouldn’t want to receive that? 

Gift Wrapping a Wine Bottle #2: A Pair of Socks

Supplies: Pair of knee-high socks, bottle of Missouri wine

Instructions:

Starting from the bottom, pull one of the socks over the wine bottle. Fold the excess over the top of the bottle. Use the other sock to tie a bow around the neck of the bottle. You’re all done wrapping. It’s really that quick and easy! *Tip – Thinner socks make tying the bow easier.

Gift Wrapping a Wine Bottle #3: Wrapping Paper Fan

Supplies: Wrapping paper, scissors, double-sided tape, ribbon, bottle of Missouri wine

Instructions:

1. Lay the bottle on a piece of wrapping paper with at least 8 inches overhang on the top and about two inches on the bottom of the bottle. *Tip- Wrapping paper with gridlines makes this easier.
2. Use tape to attach the edge of paper to the side of the bottle, roll bottle in paper until fully covered and tape closed.
3. Tuck the paper at the bottom of the bottle using a triangle pattern as you turn the bottle until it is all tucked in; secure with tape.

4. Stand the bottle up; crease both sides of the paper. For the fan effect, start at the top and fold the paper down in segments, alternating the direction. It works best if your first fold is away from you. Once all of the paper at the top of the bottle is folded into your fan folds, attach it to the top of the bottle with a piece of tape.
5. Tie your ribbon lengthwise around the bottle.

6. Bring either side of your fan fold together in the center to create the look of one continuous arc. Secure each side together in the middle with a piece of tape. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENd_zJZahOI

This is not the stereotypical joke-of-the-season fruitcake. This one is packed with delicious dried fruits, lots of nuts and festive seasonings, all enhanced with the flavor of Missouri wine. It may well become a holiday tradition for your family and friends. This cake is good right away, or can be aged for a month or more.

FRUITY FRUITCAKE RECIPE

Recipe by Pat Finkes, who one First Place in the 2016 Missouri State Fair: Cooking with MO Wine- Just Desserts Contest 

Ingredients:

2 cups golden raisins

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped dried pineapple

1/2 cup chopped dried figs

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup chopped dried prunes

1/2 cup chopped dates

1 cup sliced candied red cherries

1/4 cup sliced candied green cherries

1/2 cup chopped candied orange peel

1/2 cup chopped candied lemon peel

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (750-ml) bottle winter spiced wine (such as Wenwood Frohlichwein) or your favorite Missouri red wine, divided

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 1/4 cups butter-flavor shortening

1 1/4 cups honey

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 eggs

For glaze:

1 cup semi-sweet red wine (your favorite Missouri semi-sweet red wine)

1 (10-ounce) jar Simply Fruit apricot

Candied cherries and slivered almonds, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Combine golden raisins, raisins, pineapple, figs, apricots, prunes, dates, candied red and green cherries, orange and lemon peel, almonds, walnuts and pecans in a large bowl.  Pour 1 1/2 cups of the spiced wine over fruits and nuts; stir to mix. Cover and let stand in refrigerator or a cool place overnight, stirring occasionally. Before using, drain off any excess wine.

Line bottom of an angel food cake pan or tube pan with two layers of brown paper and one layer of parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Combine drained fruit and nut mixture with 1 cup of the flour; set aside.

Sift together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.

Whip shortening in a large bowl.  Blend in honey, lemon zest, almond extract and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Add the flour mixture; mix well. Add the fruit and nut mixture; mix well by hand.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake on center rack of preheated 250-degree oven for four hours, or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and let cool on rack. Remove cooled cake from pan.

To age the fruitcake: Wrap cheesecloth around cake; drizzle 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the remaining wine over the cheesecloth. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in airtight tin. Store in a cool, dark place. Drizzle additional wine over cheesecloth once a week for three to four weeks.

Before serving, prepare glaze.  Combine semi-sweet red wine and apricots in saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until mixture reduces to 1 cup. Unwrap fruitcake and place on serving platter. Brush glaze onto top and sides of fruitcake. If desired, decorate top of cake with candied cherries and slivered almonds.

Yield: About 24 servings. 

Tis’ the season for holiday sweet treats! Fudge is always a crowd pleaser, but when you add Missouri wine to it, it takes fudge to a whole new level. Your guests will be even more eager to try a piece once they hear it was made with Missouri wine. For this recipe, we used a Norton, which pairs exceptionally well with dark chocolate.  You can taste a hint of Norton’s big, bold flavors in each bite!

Not only is this recipe delicious, it’s incredibly easy to make! All you need is a microwave to cook the ingredients and stir it into fudge. *Pro tip: Missouri wine makes the stirring process a little more enjoyable. 

Dark Chocolate MO Wine Fudge Recipe

Time: Prep - 5 minutes  |  Cook - 5 minutes

Yields: 30-36 pieces of fudge

Ingredients:

4 tbsp     Missouri red wine (We recommend a Norton)

1 lb     Dark chocolate chips

1 can     Fat free sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)

2 tsp     Pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp     Cinnamon

¼ tsp     Sea Salt

Directions

Line a 9x9 inch pan with wax paper and spray the paper lightly with a nonstick cooking spray. Combine all the ingredients into a microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave on high for one minute, remove carefully as the bowl may be hot, stir well, and then microwave another 30 seconds. Stir thoroughly. All of the chocolate should be melted and the mixture has a thick consistency similar to cake batter. If not, microwave another 30 seconds and stir again. It’s important to note that you should avoid over heating the dark chocolate mixture or it will burn and become hardened. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth it out. Set the pan in the fridge and let it chill for at least an hour. Once the fudge is completely cool and hardened, remove from pan and place fudge on a cutting board. Warm a knife under hot water and cut the fudge into squares.        

We encourage you to give this simple recipe a try this holiday season! Norton pairs best with dark chocolate, but feel free to try other Missouri red wines. Please share your MO wine fudge experience with us on social media by using the hashtag #MOwineFudge.