With its beautiful rolling hills and quaint shop-lined streets, Hermann has become the ideal destination for those who appreciate fine wine and wish to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Often referred to as the Missouri Rhineland because of its resemblance to Germany’s Rhine River Valley, Hermann has been called the best small city destination and most beautiful town in Missouri by readers from AAA magazine and Rural Missouri magazine, respectfully. This beloved town offers spectacular views, award-winning wines, delicious food and warm hospitality. 

Hermann and the surrounding community are home to several wineries including Adam Puchta Winery, Bias Winery and Gruhlke’s Microbrewery, Endless Summer Winery, Hermannhof Winery, Kuenzel Valley Winery, Martin Brothers Winery, McKelvey Vineyards, OakGlenn Winery, Röbller Vineyard and Winery and Stone Hill Winery. 

If you enjoy great-tasting wines paired perfectly with delicious foods, schedule your visit to coincide with one of the Hermann Wine Trail events occurring on six weekends throughout the year. These signature events feature chocolate, cheese, bacon and other mouth-watering selections. 

Hermann is definitely worth the drive, but why not leave your vehicle at home and opt for convenience when you travel? Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner travels twice daily between St. Louis and Kansas City, stopping at Hermann along the way. Step off the train and catch a ride to several of the area’s wineries on the Hermann Trolley. 

Delve into the town’s past by exploring several museums including the Deutschheim State Historic Site.  Deutschheim features four-square demonstration gardens and two historic homes that capture the culture and heritage of the Germans who migrated to the area. Next door, see one of the few remaining carved wine casks in the Midwest. A remarkable collection of treasures from Hermann's past are on display in the Historic Hermann Museum. Hermann Farm is an open-air museum dedicated to preserving the agricultural, social and economic history of the Germans who settled in the area in the mid-1800s. The property was once home to George Husmann, a world-renowned pioneer in the American wine industry.

There are many ways to enjoy the great outdoors in Hermann, including the nearby Katy Trail State Park, the nation’s longest rails-to-trails project. Lace your sneakers and learn more about the community’s history during one of several walking tours.  If you’re a golfer, bring your clubs to the Loutre Shore Country Club, a semi-private 9-hole course. Or choose to explore nature from 250 feet up in the air as you zipline on one of Missouri’s longest, highest and fastest courses.  

Stroll through downtown Hermann and you’ll discover 19th century store fronts that hug the sidewalks as they do in Germany. Many of these brick buildings are listed with the National Register of Historic Places. Shop for one-of-a-kind treasures in the cute boutiques and satisfy your food cravings at a number of casual to fine dining restaurants. You’ll find a variety of dining options ranging from sandwiches and pizza to authentic German fare. And if a traditional bratwurst or summer sausage at the so-called “Sausage Capital of the World” is on your list of items to experience, you’ll find hundreds of flavors at the Hermann Wurst Haus. Those with a sweet tooth will be delighted to discover fresh baked pastries and homemade chocolates, candies and pies within walking distance of downtown.     

Hermann hosts several festivals throughout the year, including Oktoberfest where the town celebrates its German heritage with traditional music, dancing and food. The town’s Wurstfest, Maifest and Wine and Jazz Festival are also popular events. If you’re looking for a magical place to celebrate the holidays in November and December, you won’t want to miss this special time in Hermann. 

With so much to see and do, it may be difficult to see everything that this great town has to offer in one day. Consider extending your getaway and staying at one of the accommodations in town. Hermann is home to a number of charming bed-and-breakfasts. Or you can relax after a day of winetasting without leaving the winery. A couple of the wineries have onsite lodging ranging from rustic cabins to luxurious villas.  

The next time you are looking for a getaway in Missouri wine country, head to the picturesque village of Hermann, a charming river town that has it all – breathtaking views, delicious food and award-winning wines. 

For your convience, download this trip itinerary.

Adventure awaits at the 2019 Missouri State Fair, August 8 - 18, in Sedalia, Missouri. This fair highlights the best of the best in the state including Missouri wines. Before you head to the fair, put the following must-see, must-do items on your bucket list.

1. Missouri Food and Wine Pairing Classes - Sample delicious Missouri wines during our wine classes at the Missouri Wine tent located across from the Grand Stand. You’ll learn about the Missouri wine industry while experiencing Missouri wines and the local cheeses and meat that pair perfectly with them. We offer 10 classes during the state fair – a noon and 2 pm class on Thursdays and Fridays and a noon class offered on Saturdays at the fair. The cost for the classes are $5 per person. This year, our classes will feature a giveaway from the Missouri Lottery.

2. Missouri Wines Cooking Contests - One of Julia Child’s most memorable sayings was “I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.” On Thursday, August 8, the Missouri Wine and Grape Board will sponsor two different cooking contests: Cooking with Missouri Wine and Cooking with Missouri Wine – Just Desserts. During the contest, entries are tasted and judged by food industry experts. The top three entries receive cash prizes and have their recipes featured on Missouriwine.org. Stop by the Home Ec building and see how the contestants have incorporated wine into their entrée or dessert.

3. Discover a Variety of Missouri Wines - It’s impossible to cover all of the amazing wines you’ll find in Missouri wine country in just one wine and food pairing class. We invite you to experience a variety of wines under the Missouri Wine tent. This is a unique opportunity to taste wines from across the state side-by-side. While you’re there, check out our display featuring the Best of Class wines from the 2019 Missouri Wine Competition.

4. Happy Hour(s) at the State Fair - Enjoy delicious wines from the oldest continuously owned family winery in the country. Wine and wine slushies from Adam Puchta Winery will be available for purchase at the Bistro located in the Taylor Woods Youth building from 10:30 am to 4 pm.

5. Missouri Lottery - We are excited to announce a unique partnership between Missouri Wines and the Missouri Lottery. During the Missouri State Fair, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase “MO Wines and MO Winners” Scratchers tickets before they are made available to the general public. You can purchase your $5 ticket at the Missouri Lottery booth in the MO-Ag Theatre or from the vending machine located inside the Agriculture building. Stop by the Missouri Wine tent and register for the chance to win a bundle of Missouri Lottery tickets! (The public will be able to purchase MO Wines and MO Winners Scratchers tickets at retail locations starting August 26.)

6. Missouri Travel Alliance’s Tourism Trade Show - See the best of the best from communities across the state on Thursday, August 15 from 10 am to 5 pm at Lowell Mohler Assembly Hall. Stop by our table for information about the local wine industry as well as fun giveaways. Don’t miss your opportunity to participate in a complimentary wine tasting that afternoon. Get your wristband for the wine tasting while they last!

7. Find the Missouri Wine Giveaway - New this year! Find the Missouri Wines logo on the fairgrounds and you’ll have the opportunity to win free Pepsi Grandstand and State Fair Arena tickets. Keep an eye on the Missouri State Fair’s Facebook page for announcements posted multiple times throughout the day. If you’re the first person to find our logo, you’ll win the tickets.

8. Unique Photo Op - Look for our inflatable wine bottle right outside the Missouri Wine tent for a one-of-a-kind photo at the state fair.

9. Can’t resist a corn dog or funnel cake? - Enjoy your favorite fair foods with the Missouri wines that pair perfectly with them. (See numbers 3 and 4 on how to find your #1 wines at the fair.) 

It’s hot outside! Grab a glass of Vignoles and cut the heat with this fruity white wine.

August is Vignoles month in Missouri. As one of Missouri’s most versatile white grapes, this French-American hybrid produces wines ranging from dry to sweet, late harvest dessert wines. Vignoles’ luscious floral aroma and fruity flavors of pineapple and apricot make it a favorite.

Vignoles is one of the most food-friendly varietals. It pairs well with spicy pork, chicken and cheeses, peppers, Mexican, buffalo style hot sauces, strawberries, apricots and cheesecake.

Vignoles accounts for 15.4% of all grapes grown in Missouri with a whopping 262.2 grape bearing acres. The vines tolerate the state’s cold temperatures and have a later bud opening period than most, making the varietal less susceptible to late frost damage.

Missouri Wines invites you to discover the versatility of Vignoles!

Wondering what to do with all those wine bottle corks you have laying around? Put them to good use by making a super slim and convenient cork board.

What you will need:

Yard stick
Hot glue gun
18-20 bottle corks
Knife or box cutter

The greatest part about using a yard stick is that it takes up very little room. Use it to pin up reminders, recipe cards and more!

Step 1.
Cut each bottle cork in half lengthwise.

Step 2.
Put a couple drops of hot glue on the back of your cork.

Step 3.
Glue cork to the yard stick.

Step 4.
Repeat until yard stick is covered.

Step 5.
Hang up on wall or set on counter and enjoy your new cork board!

Keeping a tidy vineyard is an ongoing challenge during the growing season which is why some vineyard managers have enlisted the help of sheep. These natural weed eaters are superb at trimming below trellises and they aren’t picky eaters so they won’t complain about what’s on the menu.

Utilizing sheep in the vineyard is a practice that is common in the states and overseas. Jowler Creek Vineyard and Lambs and Vines Winery are just two of the wineries in the Show-Me State that keep sheep on staff. The animals are green alternatives to gas-powered lawnmowers and herbicides.

Watch this video to see how a herd of Katahdin sheep are earning their keep at the University of Missouri Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center in New Franklin.

We are pleased to announce that the results are in from the 2019 Missouri Wine Competition! For more than 30 years, this annual competition has honored the highest quality wines made in the state. More than 280 wines from 32 different Missouri wineries were entered, but which ones soared to the top?

An acclaimed panel of 10 judges, comprised of wine experts and industry professionals, spent two days swirling, smelling and tasting all the wines entered. After all wines are scored, the entries that receive gold medals go head-to-head for the honor of being named “Best of Class.” Those that make it to this top tier battle for the highest award - the Governor’s Cup.

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

Dry Red Wine: Stone Hill Winery – 2017 Chambourcin
Semi-Dry Red Wine: Noboleis Vineyards – 2018 Syncopation Jam Session
Sweet Red Wine: Dale Hollow Winery – 2018 Concord
Dry Rosé Wine: Montelle Winery – La Rosee Missouri
Semi-Dry Rosé Wine: Defiance Ridge Vineyards – Femme Osage Rosé
Sweet Rosé Wine: Les Bourgeois Vineyards – Pink Fox
Fruit Wine: Stone Hill Winery – Peach
Sparkling Wine: Stone Hill Winery – Brut Rosé
Dry White Wine: Adam Puchta Winery – Dry Vignoles
Semi-Dry White Wine: St. James Winery – 2017 Dry Vignoles
Sweet White Wine: Stone Hill Winery – Moscato
Late Harvest/Ice Wine: Montelle Winery – 2018 Vidal Blanc Icewine
Dessert/Fortified Wine: Adam Puchta Winery – Signature Port

The winner of the coveted Governor’s Cup for 2019 is Stone Hill Winery’s 2017 Chambourcin, a dry red wine that blew the judges away. The C.V. Riley Award for the best Norton went to Stone Hill Winery for their 2017 Norton. This is a special recognition honoring the official state grape and the history of winemaking in Missouri and is named after Missouri’s first state entomologist.

In addition to Best of Class, C. V. Riley Award and Governor’s Cup honors, 87% of all the wines entered into the 2019 Missouri Wine Competition took home a medal.

The breakdown:

48 Gold Medals
110 Silver Medals
89 Bronze Medals

A devoted group of volunteers we call “The Flight Crew” helped ensure that this year’s two-day wine competition ran smoothly. We can’t thank them enough for all their hard work.

You can find the complete list of this year’s award-winning wines here.

Concord is a deep, dark plum colored wine that smells like a jar of concord grape jelly. Its candy-like sweetness makes it a great wine to create summer treats that are perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.

Here are a few of our favorite summertime recipes using concord:

3 Ingredient Wine Ice Cream
There is nothing better than a bowl of ice cream on a hot day, nothing except ice cream made with Missouri wine, that is. This recipe is incredibly easy and only requires three ingredients. If you’d like to add even more fun to this delectable dessert, make a wine chocolate sauce to top it off.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Missouri concord wine
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream

Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the superfine sugar into the wine until completely dissolved. Slowly whisk the cream into the wine and sugar mixture until it begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 3-4 hours or overnight. Scoop and enjoy!

*Bonus: Top your Concord Wine Ice Cream with this decadent wine chocolate sauce for an extra special treat!

Wine Chocolate Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Missouri concord wine
• 6 oz milk chocolate chips

Directions
Bring the wine to a simmer over medium-low to medium heat in a small saucepan. Let the wine simmer until reduced by about half, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and add the milk chocolate, stirring until thoroughly melted and smooth. Let cool slightly and serve.

MO Wine and Peanut Butter Popsicles
Peanut butter and jelly is truly a classic flavor combo, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more delicious way to enjoy it on a hot, summer day than with these popsicles.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups Missouri concord wine

Directions
In a medium-sized bowl mix the peanut butter and yogurt until smooth. Spoon or pope the peanut butter mixture into ice pop molds until 1/3-1/2 full. Fill the rest of the molds with Missouri concord wine. Freeze for 3-4 hours until solid. Run the molds under cool water for a few seconds to loosen the pops from the mold. Remove the pop and enjoy!

Concord Dessert Sauce
This Concord Dessert Sauce is the perfect addition to pound cake, baked apples, vanilla ice cream and more desserts that need an extra boost of flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 cup concord wine
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat combine wine, sugar and cinnamon. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture is of a syrup-like consistency and reduced to 1/4 cup, approximately 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

We hope you will try one of these recipes to cool off with concord this summer!

Every year, wineries from across the state are invited to compete for top honors at the Missouri Wine Competition. This year, 10 wine industry experts from across the nation will judge more than 280 wines. These professionals include sommeliers, wine educators, retailers and food and wine publishers. We would like to introduce you to several of the judges at this year’s competition.   

Glenn Bardgett
Wine Director, Annie Gunn’s Restaurant

Glenn Bardgett is the Wine Director at Annie Gunn’s Restaurant, a renowned steakhouse that offers a top-notch culinary experience in Chesterfield, Missouri. Bardgett features a large selection of Missouri wines on the restaurant’s wine list. Under his guidance, Annie Gunn’s has been honored with The Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence for 17 consecutive years and a semifinalist in the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Program. Bardgett has more than 30 years of retail wine experience. He serves as a judge for a number of wine competitions across the nation and is a passionate advocate for the Missouri wine industry.

Bob Foster
Assistant Editor, California Grapevine

Bob Foster is the wine director of the Mid-American Wine Competition. He has judged wine competitions for more than 30 years. Foster is the assistant editor of the California Grapevine, the oldest continuously published private wine newsletter in the United States. He leads one of two judging panels at the Missouri Wine Competition.

Doug Frost
American Master of Wine, Master Sommelier, author and wine consultant

Doug Frost is a Master Sommelier and American Master of Wine, one of only four people in the world to hold both of these distinguished titles. He is also a published author who writes and lectures about wine, beer and spirits. Frost is a founder of the Beverage Alcohol Resource, an education and examining body for the spirits and cocktail industry. He serves as President of the Institute of Masters of Wine North America and is the founder of the Mid-American and Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competitions. He leads one of the judging panels at the Missouri Wine Competition. When Frost is not judging wines, writing and engaged in professional speaking engagements, he enjoys down time with his family in Kansas City.

Catherine Neville
Publisher, Feast Magazine
Producer and On-Air Talent for tasteMAKERS

Catherine Neville is an Emmy Award-winning television producer. Although Neville calls St. Louis home, her culinary adventures have taken her across the state and the nation. She created, produced and anchored Feast TV, a show that promoted food and wine in Missouri, eastern Kansas and southern Illinois and aired on PBS stations. With her national PBS show, tasteMAKERS, Neville travels throughout the United States in search of delicious American food and beverages. Neville is also the publisher of Feast magazine, a publication that features the best in the St. Louis, Kansas City and the Midwest region’s culinary scene.

Andrew Stover
ISG Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Wine

Andrew Stover is an International Sommelier Guild Certified Sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine based in Washington, D.C. In 2009, Stover launched Vino50, a brand and wholesale wine portfolio that includes wines from all 50 states and encourages consumers to explore local and regional wines. He has been named one of the “40 Under 40 Tastemakers” influencing the U.S. wine trade.

Our other judges this year include Linda McGovern, Director of the St. Louis Chapter of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs; Michelle Meyer, winemaker for Holy-Field Vineyard and Winery in Basehor, Kansas; Jonathan Parker, wine retailer at Parker’s Table in Richmond Heights, Missouri; Patricia Wamhoff, Advanced Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator in St. Louis, Missouri; and Mark Baehmann, owner and winemaker at Wild Sun Winery in Hillsboro, Missouri.

The Missouri Wine Competition features the blind judging method to ensure that each wine is judged fairly and on its own merit. The judges are provided some details about the wine including its varietal and vintage, but not which winery submitted the entry.

Bronze, silver and gold medals as well as best-in-class honors are awarded to submissions. Only best-in-class wines are eligible to compete side-by-side for the coveted Missouri Governor’s Cup. This top honor is bestowed on the wine that is judged best in show at the competition. Another highly sought-after honor, the C.V. Riley award, is named after Missouri’s first state entomologist and is awarded to the best Norton in the state.

Check back next week for results from the 2019 Missouri Wine Competition. Click here for a behind-the-scenes look at last year’s competition. 

Weston, established in 1803, is a charming town tucked in northwest Missouri. The town offers a slice of American heritage with its antebellum homes, historical museums and exhibits, award-winning wineries and more.

The activities are endless. Download our trip planner below.

Download PDF

Go on a quest to find an arrowhead and odds are you may end your search empty-handed. Get ready to plant your first vineyard and you may just hit the motherlode.

When the Livingstons uncovered several perfectly intact arrowheads while tilling land for their first grapevines, they knew they had stumbled upon something special. They chose to showcase the pattern from one of their finds on the label of their Arrowhead Red, Baltimore Bend Vineyard’s Concord wine. The wine with its quintessential grape taste is a popular choice for those who prefer their sips on the sweeter side of the scale. It’s also sought after by Chiefs fans who enjoy the wine and its unique albeit indirect connection to their favorite football team.

Baltimore Bend Vineyard is truly a family endeavor. Richard and Kathleen Livingston along with their daughter, Sarah Schmidt, planted their first vines in 1997 and opened their winery in 2003. Their son, Scott Livingston, plays a vital role in all aspects of the winery’s operation, focusing on the wholesale growth of the brand throughout the state and region, while Sarah manages the tasting room, tends to the vineyard and serves as the primary winemaker. She takes great pride in crafting delightful wines from the five grape varietals they grow as well as the varieties they buy from other growers. 

The Livingston’s boutique winery is located outside Waverly, Missouri, 60 miles east of Kansas City, along parts of the Santa Fe Trail and the legendary path of Lewis and Clark. In addition to being known as a great spot to sip award-winning wines, this small farming community has been hailed as the “Apple Capital of the State” due to the large number of fruit orchards in the area. The winery’s tasting room is the former site of an apple cider production facility.

Waverly is bordered on the north side by the Missouri River, a waterway that greatly influenced the town’s history and development. Native American tribes including the Sacs, Ayauways and Sioux crossed the river nearby in their excursions against the Osage. Tradesmen and pioneers traveled on steamboats, sometimes coasting too close to the murky water’s bends. When it came time to choose a name for their winery, the Livingstons chose “Baltimore,” the name of a riverboat and the nearby bend where the boat sank. Bends in rivers were customarily named after boats that met their untimely demise near them.

Visit Baltimore Bend Vineyard the next time you are on a quest to sip delicious Missouri wines. You’ll find a variety of wines to try, everything from red to white, dry to sweet. Venture into town and explore the Port of Waverly and Marina, dine on delicious hometown food and check out fresh produce from the local orchards. Enjoy nature? Take a leisurely stroll through the Baltimore Bend Conservation area. And, if your visit happens to coincide with the second week of September, take time to join in the festivities at the Waverly Apple Jubilee.

We hope you continue to enjoy your adventures in Missouri wine country.