Each one of Baltimore Bend Vineyard’s wines tells a story of care and creativity. Owner, manager and winemaker Sarah Schmidt’s prior career in communications was centered on telling great stories. In 1997, she decided she wanted to expand her career in new ways. Sarah convinced her parents, Richard and Kathleen Livingston, to plant just over an acre of vines on the family’s property Waverly, Missouri. This career change led to the creation of Baltimore Bend Vineyard.

Sarah graduated from the University of Missouri with her degree in agricultural journalism. She spent two decades in the communications industry, working for advertising agencies and public relations firms in Chicago and Kansas City. Through her business travels, Sarah visited Michigan’s wine country and vineyards in the Finger Lakes region of New York. She fell in love with the idea of non-California varietals and wines, and she already embraced Midwest wineries.

When she returned to the Kansas City area, Sarah realized her family’s acreage is perfectly suited for a vineyard. The land’s deep topsoil consisted almost entirely of windblown loess along the feathered edge of the glacial retreat bordering the Missouri River, which made it the perfect haven for grape vines — currently including, Norton, Chambourcin, Chardonel, Vignoles, Catawba and Valvin Muscat. Initially, Baltimore Bend Vineyard served as a grape supplier for other Missouri wineries rather than creating their own wines, but in 2003, the family officially opened their tasting room.

At that time, Sarah’s father, Richard — weatherman turned winemaker — created the Baltimore Bend wines. He learned the trade by visiting with other winemakers and attending technical trainings and workshops. Sarah shadowed him until she took over the role in 2010. After stepping into the role of Baltimore Bend’s official winemaker, Sarah received her certificate in enology from Washington State University. Studying enology not only allowed Sarah to delve deeper into the technical science and chemistry behind winemaking, but it also connected her with industry experts that served as resources and shared their expertise with her along the way.

Winemaking’s unique blend of art and chemistry weaves together two seemingly paradoxical skillsets — the exact and precise nature of science and the boundless expression of creativity. Sarah relished in threading the fine line between the two. Her storytelling roots shine each time she creates a new wine — her favorite part of her role.

“My favorite part is creating a varietal or a blend that speaks to the consumer and that they enjoy. That seems kind of cliché, but that really is what we're here to do,” Sarah says. “I like people liking what I make. I like that they like it.”

With every sip of Baltimore Bend wine, Sarah hopes to tell consumers the story of her family’s Waverly home. The unique terroir and microclimate of the region imparts its essence to every Baltimore Bend bottle, even displaying subtle and unique differences from other Missouri-grown grapes. Sarah highlights her home through the taste, labels and stories of each bottle she makes. She also wants Baltimore Bend wines to be approachable to every person who walks into their tasting room, with wines that offer something for every palate.

“I've always focused on quality, enjoyable wines. Approachable wines that will keep bringing people back,” Sarah says.

While telling the story of your home one bottle at a time is certainly a romantic notion, winemaking is not without its challenges. Some of the Midwest grape varietals can be especially challenging to work with. For example, Sarah ages her family’s Norton wines for five years before she feels the wine is ready. Unfortunately, she has had to learn “the hard way” a few times with vintages of wine that didn’t turn out like she envisioned. As she will tell you, despite your education, learning a trade still comes down to traditional trial and error.  Sarah is happy to share what she and her family have learned over the last two decades with other Missouri winemakers. She feels that professional resources are invaluable to supporting new businesses and the industry as a whole.

Outside of winemaking, Sarah’s many hats at Baltimore Bend Vineyard provide her with other unique industry challenges, especially in today’s post-pandemic world. As she notes, the family-owned winery is one of the few businesses that grows their product, manufactures it, packages it, sells it directly to the consumer and offers it wholesale. This massive undertaking has required the variety of skillsets offered by her whole family. Sarah’s communications background helped the family tell their story and effectively market their product. Her brother, Scott Livingston, who returned to the family business in 2013, uses his wholesale background to help the winery partner with various retailers throughout the state.

Although family businesses have their own challenges, the Livingston family still shares a meal nearly every Sunday night. They may try not to, but they always end up talking shop. When you share something that you’re passionate about, like Missouri wines, it’s hard to exclude it from the conversation.

Currently, the third generation is starting to work at the winery, and the family is planning for the future. They hope to add to the Baltimore Bend team, and maybe even one day have event rental space available on-site. But above all, Sarah hopes that everyone who tastes a Baltimore Bend Vineyard wine learns a little about her family’s home along historic Highway 24. At the end of the day, Sarah enjoys winemaking because it brings people joy.

Concord is the classic native red grape which flavors American cuisine from sweet, red wines, to grape juices, jams and jellies. More Concord grapes are currently raised in the U.S. than any other variety, according to the Concord Grape Association. While the father of Concord, Ephraim Wales Bull, hails from Boston, Massachusetts, this variety has deep roots in the Show Me State due in large part to Welch's Grape Co., and World War I.

 

Welch’s Grapelade (or grape marmalade) was invented in 1918 by Charles Welch. It was one of the first “modern” jams and a World War I ration staple. War rations increased the need for nonperishable food items such as jams and jellies. Grapelade, layered with a well-loved legume, soon spawned an American lunchtime favorite — the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This perfect combination set demand high for Concord grape production. All ages of American palates quickly adopted the sweet and savory “PB&J” as an accessible and delicious option for a snack or meal.

 

The demand for Concord-based products saved many vines in the St. James, Missouri area from being uprooted during Prohibition. Grapes once used to make wine were now being used to create Welch’s Grapelade. According to VisitMo.com, there are surviving pre-Prohibition vines in the St. James area as of today. These pivotal Welch’s contracts allowed many Missouri grape producers to weather Prohibition and save their vineyards.

 

One such vineyard, which celebrated its Centennial Anniversary in 2021, still produces Concord grapes in St. James. Many Italian immigrants, like the Tessaros, found work in this area planting, producing, harvesting and transporting Concord grapes for Welch’s Grape Co. to produce their famous juice and jelly. The Tessaro family immigrated in the late 1890s and planted their vineyard in 1921. With Prohibition enacted during the same year, the survival of this vineyard is even more of a treasure to the area and state’s history, especially when most vineyards and wineries were told to uproot their vineyards and dispose of their wines. Millions of barrels were poured out to waste. Vines like Concord, with a purpose other than making wine, were allowed to stay.

 

Today, Concord is still well-loved and appreciated in the St. James area. You can visit roadside stands along Interstate 44 for fresh Concord grapes each fall. Concord vines are grown on more than 112 acres in the Show Me State and account for 7% of the state's total acreage.

 

You can enjoy Concord’s sweet, recognizable flavor in various forms, but can best be enjoyed as a medium bodied, blue-purple wine. This fruit forward wine pairs well with summer favorites from barbecue to ice cream, making it the perfect wine to sip during summer (especially in the Midwest.) Cheers to the history of how these vines survived, with both history and vine roots that still run deep across the United States. Concord is truly the great American grape.

 

Concord is the classic native red grape which flavors American cuisine from sweet, red wines, to grape juices, jams and jellies. More Concord grapes are currently raised in the U.S. than any other variety, according to the Concord Grape Association. While the father of Concord, Ephraim Wales Bull, hails from Boston, Massachusetts, this variety has deep roots in the Show Me State due in large part to Welch's Grape Co., and World War I.

Welch’s Grapelade (or grape marmalade) was invented in 1918 by Charles Welch. It was one of the first “modern” jams and a World War I ration staple. War rations increased the need for nonperishable food items such as jams and jellies. Grapelade, layered with a well-loved legume, soon spawned an American lunchtime favorite — the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This perfect combination set demand high for Concord grape production. All ages of American palates quickly adopted the sweet and savory “PB&J” as an accessible and delicious option for a snack or meal.

The demand for Concord-based products saved many vines in the St. James, Missouri area from being uprooted during Prohibition. Grapes once used to make wine were now being used to create Welch’s Grapelade. According to VisitMo.com, there are surviving pre-Prohibition vines in the St. James area as of today. These pivotal Welch’s contracts allowed many Missouri grape producers to weather Prohibition and save their vineyards.

One such vineyard, which celebrated its Centennial Anniversary in 2021, still produces Concord grapes in St. James. Many Italian immigrants, like the Tessaros, found work in this area planting, producing, harvesting and transporting Concord grapes for Welch’s Grape Co. to produce their famous juice and jelly. The Tessaro family immigrated in the late 1890s and planted their vineyard in 1921. With Prohibition enacted during the same year, the survival of this vineyard is even more of a treasure to the area and state’s history, especially when most vineyards and wineries were told to uproot their vineyards and dispose of their wines. Millions of barrels were poured out to waste. Vines like Concord, with a purpose other than making wine, were allowed to stay.

Today, Concord is still well-loved and appreciated in the St. James area. You can visit roadside stands along Interstate 44 for fresh Concord grapes each fall. Concord vines are grown on more than 112 acres in the Show Me State and account for 7% of the state's total acreage.

You can enjoy Concord’s sweet, recognizable flavor in various forms, but can best be enjoyed as a medium bodied, blue-purple wine. This fruit forward wine pairs well with summer favorites from barbecue to ice cream, making it the perfect wine to sip during summer (especially in the Midwest.) Cheers to the history of how these vines survived, with both history and vine roots that still run deep across the United States. Concord is truly the great American grape.

We are excited to announce the results of this year’s Missouri Wine Competition! For more than three decades, this renowned competition has recognized the highest quality wines the Show Me State has to offer. More than 235 wines representing all regions of Missouri wine country were entered into this esteemed evaluation.

A panel of seven expert judges spent two days blind tasting and evaluating the wines entered. Those that received a gold medal distinction went head-to-head for the honor of a Best of Class award in their respective category. The top wines then competed for the ultimate recognition, the coveted Governor’s Cup award. The Governor’s Cup is presented to the best wine in the state.

Join us in congratulating this year’s Best of Class winners:

Sparkling: Stone Hill Winery – Brut Rosé

Dry White: Noboleis Vineyards – 2021 Dry Vignoles

Semi-Dry White: Augusta Winery – 2021 Vidal Blanc Estate Bottled

Sweet White: Augusta Winery – 2021 Vignoles

Dry Red: Stone Hill Winery – 2020 Chambourcin

Semi-Dry Red: Adam Puchta Winery – Hunter’s Red

Sweet Red: St. James Winery – Velvet Red

Dry Rosé: Noboleis Vineyards – 2021 Dry Rosé

Sweet Rosé: Augusta Vineyards – River Valley Blush

Fruit: Adam Puchta Winery – Berry Black

Dessert: Adam Puchta Winery – Signature Port

Late Harvest/Ice Wine: Augusta Winery – 2021 Icewine

The winner of the 2022 Governor’s Cup is Stone Hill Winery’s 2020 Chambourcin, a dry red wine that thoroughly impressed the judging panel. The C.V. Riley Award for best Norton went to two wineries for their 2020 Norton wines – Stone Hill Winery and Les Bourgeois Vineyards on The Blufftop at Rocheport. The C.V. Riley award is a special recognition that honors the official state grape and bears the name of the first state entomologist, who is credited with helping save the French wine industry.

“With every vintage, you question how the consumer will react, so it is awesome to have these accolades showcase that our team made the right calls with the wine and grapes all year,” says winemaker for Stone Hill Winery, Shaun Turnbull. “Everyone from the vineyard and the cellar came together to make something special yet again.”

Stone Hill Winery celebrated their 175^th anniversary this year. Owner, Jon Held notes that these awards make this year even more special.

“It is such an honor to receive the top two awards from the Missouri Wine Competition for a third year in a row,” said Jon Held, owner of Stone Hill Winery. “Watching this industry grow and evolve alongside us has been gratifying while also keeping the pressure on us to always improve.”

Les Bourgeois Vineyards rebranded under the name The Blufftop at Rocheport this year. Jacob Holman, president and head winemaker, is excited to add the C.V. Riley Award to this year’s accolades for the winery.

"We are honored to have won the C.V. Riley Award for our 2020 Norton and to share this accolade with our friends at Stone Hill Winery,” Holman says. “The local wine industry is full of diverse varieties and winemaking styles, and I'm so grateful our hard work on The Blufftop was deemed worthy of this award."

The Missouri Wine Competition is an elite contest intended to honor and showcase the exceptional wines produced throughout the state. Seven judges blindly tasted 239 wines during the two-day competition. Judges awarded 48 gold, 102 silver and 70 bronze medals.

The label competition accompanied traditional judging for the second year. This portion of the competition recognizes wineries who have stand-out labels, design elements and overall bottle appearance. Congratulations to the label competition award winners:

Traditional Label: Les Bourgeois Vineyards – Rocheport Reserve Aged 20 years

Contemporary Label: Eagles’ Landing – Rosalia Chambourcin Pet-Nat 2021

Alternative Packaging: Noboleis Vineyards – Cranberry Lemon Rosemary Swirl Sangria

Best Wine Series: Noboleis Vineyards – Swirl Botanicals & Sangria (Apricot Thyme Botanicals, Cranberry Lemon Rosemary Botanicals, Elderberry & Black Cherry Sangria, Raspberry & Papaya Sangria, Citrus & Peach Sangria)

People’s Choice Award: Dale Hollow Winery - Holloween

Find the complete list of the 2022 award-winning wines here.  Explore these wonderful winning wines next time you visit Missouri wine country.

If you’re looking for a summer treat, look no further than this sweet and tart Daiquiri with a Missouri wine twist. This layered frozen drink is both fun to create and enjoy. Get creative with your own fruit combinations and make a recipe of your own.

Serves: 2-3

Time: 10 minutes

 

Layer 1

½ c (4 oz) white rum

1 c frozen cherries

1 - 2 c ice

2 tbsp simple syrup

Blend ingredients until smooth and pour into desired glasses. Tip: place the glasses in the freezer between layers to get a ‘layered’ look, if desired.

Layer 2

½ c (4 oz) tequila

¼ c lime juice

2 tbsp simple syrup

3 – 4 c ice

Blend ingredients until smooth and pour into desired glasses. Tip: place the glasses in the freezer between layers to get a ‘layered’ look, if desired.

Layer 3

½ c Concord wine

½ c frozen blueberries

1 – 2 c ice

1 tbsp simple syrup, optional to reach desired sweetness

Blend ingredients until smooth and pour into desired glasses. Garnish as desired with fruits, mint leaves, etc.

 

Enjoy this easy, three layered daiquiri this summer and tag us in the fun on social media @missouriwine and #MissouriWine.

There are many ways to find your perfect bottle of wine — such as choosing a favorite variety or reading tasting notes. You can also select wines by region, which is often indicative of the quality from the terroir found there. Around the world, wine enthusiasts have (legally labeled) specific regions where high-quality wine grapes are grown called appellations. While each country has its own set of names and laws for its appellations, in the U.S. these regions are referred to as American Viticultural Areas (AVA). These designated wine grape growing regions in the United States are distinguished by unique geographic features, such as soil, climate and overall terroir of the area, and their boundaries are defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The very first AVA designated was not California’s Napa Valley, but Missouri’s own Augusta region.

Today, the Show Me State is home to five AVAs. Each region boasts unique history and geographic features which makes it ideal to grow wine grapes. Let’s take a deep dive into each Missouri AVA, and its road to appellation.

Augusta AVA – Petitioned Oct. 12, 1978; Established June 20, 1980

Fifteen square miles of land near the Missouri River just west of St. Louis made history as the first officially designated AVA. The TTB recognized Augusta’s unique soil, climate and winescoupled with the area’s long history as one of the country’s oldest wine and grape districts in the state. Augusta’s wine history dates back to the mid-1800s when German immigrants settled the area. The petition to recognize Augusta as an AVA was filed by the proprietors of Mount Pleasant Estates and Montelle Winery on Oct. 12, 1978. Lucian Dressel, a young winemaker from Mount Pleasant, played a very important role in the process and helped prepare the petition. He dreamt of Missouri’s terroir being recognized by appellations identified similarly to other famous wine regions in the world (e.g. French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée.) In the petition, the Augusta vineyards wrote about the loess and glacial till soils, which made the rolling hillsides ideal for wine grapes. The hills themselves were mentioned, as the “the irregular ridge of hills which rise approximately 250 feet above the fertile vineyards on which the grapes are presently planted,” kept certain areas within the proposed district “virtually free of spring frost.” When the news came that Augusta would be recognized as the first AVA several supporters wrote to the bureau asking to hold a public hearing, so that Augusta, Mo., residents could fully understand and support the appellation. One such letter penned by the Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture Jack Runyan said, “I cannot stress the importance of your decision to Missouri agriculture and especially the vintners of our state.” Today, the number of wineries in the Augusta region have quadrupled. Yet, the Augusta AVA still delivers small town charm, stunning views of the Missouri River Valley and of course high-quality wine created by the region’s unique features and long history.

Hermann AVA – Petitioned July 22, 1982; Established Aug. 17, 1983

German immigrants first settled along the Missouri River Valley area in the 1830s. They soon planted vineyards, and today Hermann is one of the most historic wine regions in the state. The official AVA includes 51,200 acres surrounding the town of Hermann, located between St. Louis and Jefferson City. The petition submitted by Stone Hill Winery and Bias Winery touted the regions well-suited geography for high-quality grapes. Dr. ArthurE. Gaus, University of Missouri’s professor of horticulture and state fruit and vegetable specialist, wrote that the Hermann area has several temperate factors crucial to the success of a vineyard, including “adequate number of growing degree days, optimum summer temperatures and elevation with respect to the surrounding areas.” The latter, Dr. Gaus said was the “most critical in the survival of the wine (during winter cold).” Other parts of the petition emphasized Hermann’s extensive history of grape growing and wine production, citing that by 1865 the Hermann winery business had become lucrative that local vintners excavated massive caves to store and age their wines. Many wines from that region had already garnered prizes at wine competitions around the world by the time they submitted their proposal to TTB. Missouri State Senator Ralph Uthlaut, Jr., joined many state influencers in penning his support for the Hermann AVA saying, “Having lived in this area all of my life I am well aware of the wine making and grape growing history of this region. The early settlers of this area were aware of the favorable environment for these industries and established several wine making businesses and vineyards on the hills surrounding the town of Hermann.” In 1982, the Hermann wine industry was well-established with Van Moore, Bias, Hermannhof and Stone Hill wineries. Today, there are three times as many wineries to enjoy in the region and many unique Hermann Wine Trail events that set this AVA in a class of its own.

Ozark Mountain AVA – Petitioned Dec. 30, 1983; Established July 1, 1986

The Ozark Mountain AVA is the largest appellation in the state. It covers as vast 3.5 million acres from southern Missouri stretching into northwest Arkansas and northeast Oklahoma. The Ozark Mountain AVA actually contains several smaller AVAs within its borders, including Augusta, Hermann and Ozark Highlands. During the official petition process, the proposed borders of the Ozark Mountain AVA were amended a few times. However, supporters stressed the unique geography of the Ozark region carved out by the receding glaciers and the areas deep roots, regional culture and climate. “With four different climatic regions pressing against them, the Ozarks serve as a sanctuary for a selection of plants and animals from all sides …,” penned viticulturalist Keith Striegler in support of the petition. Today, you can enjoy wines from the sixth largest AVA in the country at many of the state’s southern wineries.

Ozark Highlands AVA – Petitioned March 15, 1985; Established Aug. 30, 1987

The Ozark Highlands AVA encompasses more than 1 million acres in south-central Missouri. It covers portions of 11 counties and includes St. James, Mo. The original petition for the appellation was prepared by seven bonded wineries in the area: Carver 

Wine Cellar, Ferrigno Vineyards and Winery, Heinrichshaus Vineyard and Winery, Peaceful Bend Vineyard, Rosati Winery, Reis Winery and St. James Winery. According to the petition, the Ozark Highlands AVA region was synonymous with grape growing for quite some time with the abundance of roadside stands, the history of Welch’s Foods Concord grape production in the region and a booming commercial wine market established in the early 20^th century. Commissioner Mario A. Pertici writer for the IlPensiero, an Italian-American newspaper, wrote his enthusiastic support for the Ozark Highlands AVA. “I have been visiting Rosati (originally Knobview, Mo.) since 1926 and have enjoyed all my associations with these fine people for years. Needless to say, their Concord, Catawba, Delaware and Cynthiana wines have done well through the years. Their harvest time in September is especially a wonderful time to visit this great area, only 90 miles from St. Louis.,” he wrote. Today, he Ozark Highlands AVA is still a great place to taste Missouri wines. For a quick trip and some great sips down I-44, visit the St. James area.

Loess Hills District AVA – Petitioned Oct. 25, 2013;  Established March 2, 2016

A narrow region along the Western banks of the Missouri and Big Sioux Rivers in western Iowa and northwestern Missouri is the newest AVA. It includes nearly 13,000 square miles. The “Steeply Rolling Loess Prairies,” as the petition describes the region, is unique because the loose, crumbly loess soil is as much as 300 feet in places, which makes it the thickest loess deposit in the U.S. The deep soil has enabled grape vine roots to reach deep into the soil while draining quickly, and wine grapes have grown in this region for more than 150 years.

We encourage you to explore Missouri’s AVAs and the unique wines they each have to offer. Check out this interactive AVA map from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and starting exploring Missouri wines.

Hundreds of wines from across the Show-Me State will vie to be recognized for their quality during the upcoming 2022 Missouri Wine Competition. Each wine is blindly swirled, sniffed and sampled by a panel of expert judges over the course of two days. Wines will go head-to-head for medals and Best of Class distinctions, with the top wine receiving the coveted Governor’s Cup award. The best Norton in Missouri will be bestowed the C.V. Riley award.

Held in conjunction with the 2022 Missouri Wine Competition, the Missouri Wine Label Competition has been extended for a second year. Wineries have entered their best label designs to be evaluated by industry experts in the following categories:

• Best Traditional Label
• Best Contemporary Label
• Best Alternative Packaging
• Best Wine Series
• People’s Choice Award – decided by online voting

We need your help! It is up to you, our Missouri wine enthusiasts, to choose the People’s Choice Award label winner. Now is your chance to recognize your favorite and provide input on which winery leaves the competition with this coveted award. You can vote for your favorite label once starting July 11th. The voting for this award ends July 17th.

 

Hurry, this survey closes at 11:59 PM July 17th! Be on the lookout for the wine and label competition results in an upcoming blog!