Missouri Grape and Wine Educational Opportunities

October 29, 2019

Have you ever walked into a winery and wondered if you could start your own? Or glanced at an open field and envisioned rows of grapes stretching into the horizon? If you are curious about the winemaking business or are already in the industry and need a little guidance, there are a couple of professional organizations in Missouri that may be able to help.

Grape and Wine Institute
William Wiebold - Interim Director
wieboldw@missouri.edu

Fast Facts
Partnerships: University of Missouri, University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Wine and Grape Board 
Collaborators: Saint Louis University, Missouri State University, Lincoln University
Funding: Missouri Wine and Grape Board
Mission: Support the growth and prosperity of the grape and wine industry through education, research and outreach

The Grape and Wine Institute (GWI) conducts research on best winemaking and grape growing practices and how they impact the growth of the grape and wine industries in Missouri and the Midwest. GWI provides opportunities in viticulture and enology for undergraduate and graduate students. The organization also offers several services including nematode testing, soil testing, weed identification and a plant diagnostic clinic. GWI hosts an annual Show Me Grape and Wine Conference and Symposium which brings together Missouri grape growers and viticulturists to learn about new research in the industry. Viticulture and enology classes led by industry experts during the conference, covers several key topics, including the cost breakdown of starting a vineyard as well as vineyard site and grape selection. If you’re thinking about starting a vineyard but not sure where to start, review this brochure with important facts and tips, then contact the GWI at 573-882-0476.

Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance
Michelle Norgren
National Center Director, Principal Investigator
michellenorgren@missouristate.edu

Fast Facts
Partnerships: Missouri State University system and colleges, universities, vineyards and wineries across America
Funding: National Science Foundation
Mission: Establish programs of study in viticulture, enology and wine business entrepreneurship

The Viticulture Enology Science and Technology Alliance (VESTA) is a national grape and wine education program that provides education to students in the United States and around the world. The program combines the flexibility of industry-validated online instruction, instructor guided education from industry professionals and crucial hands-on mentored experiences at a vineyard or winery. VESTA offers more than 30 online college credit courses for those who are interested in viticulture. Students can work towards a technical certificate or an associate of applied science degree. The alliance also provides face-to-face workshops for VESTA students and interested individuals. VESTA requires students to complete a field practicum that gives them the opportunity to put into practice the concepts they learn in class. The alliance is working with the Department of Labor to establish a Registered Apprenticeship Program for the grape and wine industry. If you’re interested in pursuing certified training in viticulture and enology, click here to sign up for classes through VESTA.

The wine industry is an exciting and sometimes challenging adventure. Just remember, there is help available if you need it. Check into these resources and pursue your dreams.

 

Behind the Label: Dale Hollow Winery's Whimsical Art

October 24, 2019

Dale Hollow Winery began as a dream, a seedling of hope to repurpose land that had been in the same family for four generations. Once a hayfield, the Dale family farm is now the site of a 15-acre-vineyard where eight varietals of grapes are grown and delicious wines are served in a quaint tasting room in Stover.  

Dale Hollow Winery offers a full lineup of wines, with each bottle featuring original artwork by Beth Dale, the family’s matriarch and resident artist. (Look closely at each label, and you will find her initials, “BD,” hidden somewhere in the illustration.) From the community’s past to a beloved work of fiction, each of Beth’s unique illustrations tell a story. These are a just a few. 
 
 
• Beth’s illustration of an old tractor and trailer hauling hay bales is a tribute to the farm’s past on their “Storybook Red.”
 
• The winery’s “Caboose” is an homage to the Rock Island Railroad that once traveled through their hometown. 
 
• Beth’s sons, Jesse and Asher, are huge fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, something she took into consideration when creating the artwork featured on several of the winery’s varietals, including their Concord, winner of the best wine in the sweet red category at the 2019 Missouri Wine Competition. While the artwork is loosely inspired by the Shire in “The Hobbit,” Jesse says that the scene is even more intimately associated with their winery building - a small earth contact structure built into a hill for function and form. 
 
Even the winery’s logo has an interesting origin. A crescent moon gives shape to the “D” in the winery’s name while a tree represents the “H.” The moon is a precious reminder of the days when Beth and her husband Kenny were first dating. When distance separted them they would gaze at the moon at the same time to help them feel closer. 
 
Early on when the Dale family began laying the foundation for their winery, they decided to create a special place that “captured a bit of the old world charm, a call back to simpler times, a time when people gathered over a glass of wine and experienced genuine cheer.” They hope that each visitor who walks through their door receives a warm, inviting experience and that their labels help convey that message.
 
To learn more about what inspires the artwork on the Dale family’s wines, visit the winery’s website.  
 
 
 

Visit Branson

October 22, 2019

There is no shortage of exciting things to do in Branson. Whether you love to travel or you tend to be a homebody, this town offers something for everyone who visits. From five beautiful wineries to live shows, outdoor adventures, attractions and museums or one of the world’s top 10 theme parks, Branson is a great vacation destination for the entire family.

Read more about this wonderful town by checking out this helpful trip planner.

 

 

Fall Wine Releases

October 18, 2019

Temperatures are dropping, leaves are changing and fall wines are releasing! Check out which wineries will be celebrating the season with a special wine.

Baltimore Bend Vineyard

Kris Kringle: This holiday wine is blended with Vignoles and Norton grape varieties with cinnamon. The bottles display a festive label created by a local artist. The 2018 Kris Kringle is now available at the tasting room and at select stores throughout Missouri. 

Chandler Hill Vineyards

Rochambeau Wine Spritzer: A red Chambourcin wine spritzer with bursts of zesty orange and organic agave nectar. Best of all, it's in a can!

Dale Hollow Winery

Holloween Apple Wine: Made with 100% crisp, sweet, Missouri apples. This wine is perfect by itself or mixed as a cider for fall festivities.

Grindstone Valley Winery

Apple Cobbler: An apple wine made with both cinnamon and vanilla.

Jowler Creek Winery

Hayride Red: A semi-sweet red that is best when sipped on a hayride.

La Bella Vineyards and Winery

Santa’s Little Helper: An apple wine that is back sweetened with apple juice, cinnamon nutmeg and clove.
Strawberry Dreams: A white wine with natural strawberry flavoring that is fresh and crisp with a luscious salmon-pink tone.
Peace Out Peach: A sweet white wine with natural peach flavoring. Best served chilled.

 

Ladoga Ridge Winery

Cranberry: This wine is 100% Cranberry and is sweet with a tart finish. It is an excellent wine to take to a Thanksgiving dinner as it pairs nicely with ham and turkey.

Les Bourgeois Vineyards

Winter White: This seasonal, sweet white blend presents aromas of vanilla blossom and candied pear on the nose, transitioning into layers of fruit notes of jammy peach, kiwi, melon and grapefruit zest.

St. James Winery

Cranberry: This seasonal best-selling wine is sweet and tart with bright, festive cranberry colors, aromas and flavors. It’s perfect for cooking in the kitchen, behind the bar with mixology and at the table paired with your favorite foods. St. James Winery’s Cranberry wine is a versatile and delicious addition to any holiday celebrations.

Stone Hill Winery

Cranberry: This is a sweet seasonal wine, bursting with the aroma and flavor of ripe cranberries. Perfect for any holiday celebration, Stone Hill’s Cranberry-flavored grape wine can be served with your favorite foods, poured over ice or even used in the kitchen.

Terra Vox Vineyards

Terra Vox Vineyards is releasing five new wines to the public this fall! Be sure to watch their website for more information.

Saignee: A rosé wine in the oxidative style. It is dry and structured.
2018 Lenoir and Lomanto: Both wines are dry red.
2018 Stark Star RePort: A port-style wine
2018 Hidalgo: A dry white wine

Viandel Vineyard

The rich color, crisp cranberry flavor and smooth finish of Jack’s Frost Cranberry will get you in the holiday spirit. Viandel Winery’s semi-sweet wine has the perfect balance of tartness. Looks like Christmas in a glass!

Wenwood Farm Winery

Pumpkin Pie Wine: A semi-sweet wine you can add to your favorite family traditions. Kissed with pumpkin Pie: This wine is slightly spicy, rich with cinnamon and has just the right amount of sweetness.

West Winery

Apple: This semi-sweet wine is a crisp, refreshing celebration of harvest.

We hope you get to enjoy some of these fall release wines. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite.

 

 

Urban Wineries You Can Uber To

October 15, 2019

You’ve selected the perfect date for a road trip to Missouri wine country. Your friends are all on board. There’s just one hitch. Who’s driving? These days it’s easier than ever to leave the driving to someone else by hiring rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. Consider contacting a rideshare service the next time you visit one of the following wineries.

Amigoni Urban Winery

Belvoir Winery

Canterbury Hill Winery and Restaurant

Curling Vine Winery - Branson

KC Wineworks

Les Bourgeois Vineyards

Little Hills Winery and Restaurant

Mallinson Vineyard and Hall

Mount Pleasant Winery

Shawnee Bluff Winery

St. James Winery - Branson

Stonehaus Farms Vineyard & Winery

Top Hat Winery

Taking a trolley or a bus are other great ways to reach your destination. Click here to discover whereyou can find these modes of transportation in Missouri wine country. Whether you drive or leave it to someone else, we hope you enjoy your adventures.

*Please note that these wineries responded to a survey. There may be additional wineries that you can travel to utilizing other transportation services.

Wine Labels With a Cause

October 08, 2019

 
The families behind Missouri’s wineries enjoy giving back to the communities that they call home. Go beyond these wineries’ labels to see how they are making a difference in the lives of others.
 
*These wineries responded to a survey and are only a small fraction of the wineries that contribute to causes within their communities. 
 
 
 
The Livingston family is promoting their Joli Vin, a blended blush wine, during the month of October to raise breast cancer awareness. A portion of their Joli Vin sales will be donated to the Lafayette County Cancer Coalition. October was first designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 1985.
 
 
 
Like many families, the owners of LaBella Vineyards and Winery have personally felt the effects of cancer, specifically breast cancer. The Soendkers have released FIGHT!, a new blush wine infused with pineapple, raspberry and lemon flavoring, to help spread awareness, educate and prevent this disease from impacting families. FIGHT! tastes similar to the winery’s popular slushy. Cory Soendke, Labella’s co-owner and winemaker, was challenged by his mother to create the wine in honor of his late grandmother who battled breast cancer and was particularly fond of the slushy. This was not an easy feat since the winery adds a variety of juices to its slushy, but the amazing end result was worth the time and effort. The family donates a dollar per every bottle purchased to the Lafayette County Cancer Coalition.
 
The winery’s Oktoberfight will feature brats, burgers and music on Saturday, October 12. Proceeds from the Route 66 band cover charge will benefit the Lafayette County Cancer Coalition. 
 
 
 
Ladoga Ridge Winery’s Catawba is dedicated to breast cancer survivors who give others hope in the face of adversity. Winery owners Galen and Leinda Haddock have personally been touched by the disease. Leinda’s grandmothers died of breast cancer, while her mom and three aunts have also suffered from the illness. Kathy, a friend who recently lost her battle with the disease, named the wine and wrote the dedication featured on the back of the wine bottle. A portion of the net proceeds from their Catawba is donated to various breast cancer awareness programs. 
 
 
 
Stone Hill Winery is a proud partner of the Saint Louis Zoo’s efforts to bring awareness to the endangered hellbender. Hellbenders are the largest aquatic salamanders in North America. They are found only in the Ozark streams of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. A portion of the proceeds from every bottle of Stone Hill Winery’s Ozark Hellbender sold will be donated to the Saint Louis Zoo and hellbender conservation.


Top Hat Winery’s Foxy Lady and Old Glory

Top Hat Winery dedicates two of their wines to special causes in the community of Independence. A portion of each bottle sold of Foxy Lady helps in the fight against breast cancer, while a portion of each bottle sold of their Old Glory supports homeless veterans. 

Wenwood Winery’s Sweet Corky

Thomas Kalb and Laura Neese donate a portion of the sales from their Sweet Corky, an ice wine style with pear, to Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue of Columbia. The wine is named in memory of their late winery dog, Corky.  

There are many wonderful organizations to support. We hope you find a way to give back to the communities where you live.

Haunted Festivities in MO Wine Country

October 07, 2019

Escape to a winery for some BOOS this Halloween! Below is a list of upcoming haunted festivities in Missouri wine country.

Augusta Winery

Head over to Augusta Winery for the 9th Annual Hallo-Wine Party on Saturday, October 26 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Get dressed up in your Halloween attire, play games, enjoy candy and wine pairings and sip on their festive wine cocktails. This event is family-friendly so be sure to keep the costumes PG-rated.

Edg-Clif Farms and Vineyard

On Saturday, October 26 from noon-4:00 p.m., Edg-Clif Farms and Vineyard will host the Spooktacular, Handpicked Wine Club Event. This event includes a Chili Cook-Off, hayrides around the vineyard, a wine tasting of their new wine and live performance by The Idea Men. Costumes are not mandatory but definitely encouraged.

Four Horses and a Dog Winery

Interested in riding the Trolley? Four Horses and a Dog Winery will host a Halloween party on October 26 as part of the Excelsior Springs Trolley tour.

Jowler Creek Vineyard and Winery

Candy and wine? Sounds divine! Jowler Creek Vineyard and Winery will host a wine and candy pairing event on October 26, 27 and 31.

Meramec Vineyards
Bring your girls out for the 2nd Annual Witches Night Out at Meramec Vineyards. Dress up like witches and enjoy shopping from Shylah B. Boutique, treats from Yummalicious Sweets, live music with Jordan Isakson from St. James Idol and more! Witches Brew Sangria and delicious food will be available for purchase. More vendors TBD. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Team Anita - Pay it Forward.

Top Hat Winery

Grab a ticket, throw on a costume and head to Top Hat Winery for a night of games, prizes and live music! This Halloween party will take place on Friday, October 25 from 7:00-11:00 p.m.

We hope you’re able to check out one or more of these haunted festivities!

Fall in Love with Fall Decor

October 04, 2019

Fall is here and Halloween is near! Now is the time to use those leftover wine bottles and corks for DIY décor.

If you’re wanting to decorate for the upcoming holiday, check out these seven Spooktacular DIY Halloween crafts.

Quite possibly the easiest project to put together is this wine bottle mummy using only two supplies – tape and stick-on googly eyes. Super cute!

You can also make your very own pumpkin out of leftover wine corks that can stick around all season long.

Up for a challenge? Try this repurposed bottle scarecrow!

If you’re not looking to decorate your home, but rather decorate yourself you should check out these wine-themed Halloween costumes that were tried and adorned by Missouri Wines staff members!

For more inspiration using wine bottles and corks to celebrate the season, visit our Fall Favorites Pinterest board.

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