Cheers to the Fourth of July

July 04, 2019

Family, friends, food, fireworks and… WINE!

Missouri wines pair well with Independence Day.

Pair traditional Fourth of July foods with a Missouri wine.

  • Hamburgers + Chambourcin
  • Hot dogs + Traminette or Rosé
  • Barbecue chicken + Catawba
  • Salads + Vidal Blanc
  • Fresh Fruit + Vignoles

We hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration!

Concord Month in Missouri

July 02, 2019

 

Summer is here and so is Concord month. Cool off with this sweet red wine that pairs great with warm weather.

Concord, pronounced kahn-kord, is a deep, dark plum colored wine that smells like a jar of concord grape jelly. Its candy-like sweetness pairs well with cheddar cheese, BBQ, pork chops, orange chicken, spicy seafood, nutmeg, vanilla, poached pear, figs, grape pie and chocolate.

Concord accounts for 7% of all grapes grown in Missouri. There are 120.5 bearing acres of concord grapes in the state.

Missouri Wines invites you to cool off with Concord on a hot summer day!

Red, White and Blue Sangria

June 27, 2019

Looking for a delicious sangria for your next get-together? Skip the online search and go with this refreshing recipe that features a dry white Missouri wine. This recipe also calls for a liqueur that you may never have added to your sangrias in the past – elderflower. Try something new and see why this sangria is the perfect choice for summertime entertaining.

Serves: 4

Ingredients
• 1 bottle dry white Missouri wine
• 2 tbsp Elderflower liqueur
• 2 cups lemon lime soda
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 to 2 Granny Smith apples
• Club soda

Directions:

Stir together the dry white wine and elderflower liqueur. Add lemon lime soda. To give your sangria a red, white and blue theme, gently stir in raspberries, blueberries and apples cut in the shape of stars. (Who knew that holiday cookie cutters were so versatile?) To give your beverage a more colorful hue, muddle the fruit to release some of their hue and flavor. Add a splash of club soda and enjoy!    

Red, White and Blue Sangria

June 27, 2019

Looking for a delicious sangria for your next get-together? Skip the online search and go with this refreshing recipe that features a dry white Missouri wine. This easy to make recipe also calls for a liqueur that you may never have added to your sangrias in the past – elderflower. Try something new and see why this sangria is the perfect choice for summertime entertaining.

Serves: 4

Ingredients
• 1 bottle dry white Missouri wine
• 2 tbsp Elderflower liqueur
• 2 cups lemon lime soda
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 to 2 Granny Smith apples
• Club soda

 

Directions

Stir together the dry white wine and elderflower liqueur. Add lemon lime soda. To give your sangria a red, white and blue theme, gently stir in raspberries, blueberries and apples cut in the shape of stars. (Who knew that holiday cookie cutters were so versatile?) To give your beverage a more colorful hue, muddle the fruit to release some of their hue and flavor. Add a splash of club soda and enjoy!    

The Unique Wines of Missouri

June 20, 2019

Missouri’s 130+ wineries produce amazing wine, including unique wines that will surprise even the pickiest palate.

Fruity
If your palate prefers fruity flavors, you may enjoy Hermannhof’s Cherry, Montelle Winery’s Red Raspberry, West Winery’s Sweet Blackberry, St. James Winery’s Mango or Strawberry, Stone Hill Winery’s Peach. Other fruity favorites include Tipple Hill Winery and Vineyard’s Black Cherry, Stonehaus Farms Vineyard and Winery’s Apple Cranberry, Hemman Winery’s Apricot, Pirtle Winery’s Blueberry, Odessa Country Winery’s Pear, 7C’s Winery’s Apple or Endless Summer Winery’s Pineapple.

Baked Goods
If you’re craving something delicious from the bakery, try St. James Winery’s Apple Pie, West Winery’s Spiced Apple or Windy Wine Company’s Blueberry Muffin. Ladoga Ridge Winery makes a flavorful Strawberry Rhubarb.

Spicy
If you’re a fan of spicy, try Endless Summer Winery’s Habanero or Jalapeno wines. They also feature a Raspberry Chipotle wine that begins with semi-sweet raspberry and quickly moves to a light smoky flavor, then finishes with a bit of a jalapeno/peppery flavor.

Nostalgia
Who doesn’t want to go back to their childhood favorite from time to time? Windy Wine Company’s Peanut Butter and Jelly wine is sure to make you nostalgic for classic PB & J sandwiches.  

We hope you try one of these and many of the other unique wines that can be found at Missouri wineries. For a complete list of wineries, visit www.missouriwine.org/wineries.

*This is not an all-inclusive list of unique wines Missouri wineries offer. Photos are credited to wineries.

Pasta Primavera with Vidal Blanc

June 18, 2019

What’s better than a clean, crisp white wine? Adding it to a delicious pasta salad. Pasta Primavera with Vidal Blanc is a flavorful dish that is full of beautifully colored vegetables, making it a great summertime dish. It’s easy to make and sure to impress your guests while they relax on the patio or poolside this season.

Servings: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 28 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz farfalle pasta
  • 1/4 cup leftover liquid from cooking pasta
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 cup sliced asparagus (1 inch pieces)
  • 1/2 cup minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup Vidal Blanc
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 pt baby grape tomatoes (cut in halves)
  • 1 diced yellow onion
  • 1 diced summer squash

Instructions

Cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Remember to save 1/4 cup cooking liquid before draining. While cooking the pasta, preheat a large skillet over medium low heat for a couple of minutes. Once preheated, add butter to the pan. Add diced onion and sliced asparagus and cook for two minutes. Add diced squash and cook another two minutes. Add the frozen peas. Cook for another two minutes. Stir in salt, pepper and minced garlic. Do not let the garlic burn. Cook one more minute. Add Vidal Blanc and cook a minute and a half. Turn off the heat after the wine has cooked. Add tomatoes and cooked pasta. Stir to combine. Add cooking liquid from the pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Serve immediately.

Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy them later, cold or reheated.

A Family Tradition: Multigenerational Wineries

June 14, 2019

It’s all in the family. The joy of working with the earth and producing award-winning wines goes back two or more generations at several Missouri wineries. We proudly recognize the families that continue to pour their love for the land into each bottle of wine they produce.

1947 Frene Creek Road
Hermann, MO 65041
 
Adam Puchta Winery is the oldest continuously owned family winery in the United States.  The winery is located on land purchased by John Henry Puchta in the 1840s. Adam, John Henry’s son, produced his first wine in 1855. At the height of productivity, the winery produced 10,000 gallons of wine. Prohibition dealt a devastating blow to the winery, but the winery reopened its doors in 1990. The tasting room, the family’s original stone home, features photos of the winery’s owners, including current owner, Tim Puchta. 
 
 
601 State Hwy 165
Branson, MO 65616
 
485 Booneslick Road
New Florence, MO 63363
 
Thomas Held grew up learning about the winemaking business from his father, Jim Held, at Stone Hill Winery. Thomas and his wife Andrea created Curling Vine Winery when they rebranded the Stone Hill Winery outlets in Branson and New Florence. 
 
 
502 Spring St.
Weston, MO 64098 
 
Established in 1978, Pirtle Winery has been family-owned and -operated for more than 40 years. Elbert and Patricia Pirtle started the winery and have passed it down to their sons. The winery is located in a former German Lutheran Church that dates back to 1867 in historic Weston.
 
 
1110 Stone Hill Highway
Hermann, MO 65041
 
In 1965, farmers Jim and Betty Held bought Stone Hill Winery. They and their four young children moved into the remnants of the original winery and began the long restoration of the buildings and vaulted underground cellars. The business is now in the hands of the next generation, managed by son Jon Held and his wife, Karen.
 
For these families, their passion for producing delicious wine goes back generations. Their commitment to the land is woven into the fabric of their family’s history and tied to the farms where their vineyards are planted. We invite you to discover these wineries during your next visit to Missouri wine country.

Secrets of the Vineyard

June 12, 2019

Inside each vineyard there is a potential for greatness, but before the grape clusters are transformed into wine, they must first survive the elements. Insects, animals and weather all threaten the health of the vines and their ability to thrive and produce delicious grapes. Fortunately, wineries have a few tricks to protect their vineyards. From bud break to harvest, we uncovered the tactics most commonly used by wineries in Missouri. 
 
 
 
 
Bird Busters Birds love eating grapes as much as winemakers enjoy turning them into delicious wines. In an attempt to keep birds from creating too much damage in the vineyard, wineries use a variety of ploys, including reflective tapes, wind flappers, bird calls and moving owls. Noise scare tactics like popguns and predator calls can also be an effective way to keep birds away. Some Missouri wineries place nets over their vines. Secured tightly to eliminate any holes, this tactic even keeps birds from flying underneath the bottom of the net.
 
Good fences make great neighbors. Deer fences can be an effective way to keep animals out of vineyards. These fences are durable and tall enough to stop deer from jumping over them. Electric fences can also deter deer from wandering into a vineyard for a snack. 
 
Flower Power Although not as common of a practice as it used to be, some wineries plant rose bushes at the end of their vineyard rows. While the blossoms add beauty to a winery’s lush landscape, they also serve a special role. These plants can alert winery staff to issues taking place in the vineyard. Rose bushes tend to show stress first, so vineyard managers can act quickly to protect their vines. Roses and grapevines are susceptible to a couple of the same types of fungus. The flowers on a rose bush can also act as a deterrent to insects that find the grapes hard to resist.
 
Soap Secrets Deer have a very strong sense of smell. Surrounding vineyards with highly-scented, tallow-based soaps can be an effective way to keep those pesky animals at bay. This tricks tends to work better in areas where there are smaller amounts of deer. 
 

Hidden or in plain sight, wineries employ tactics like these to ensure a better selection of grapes at harvest time. With a winemaker’s steady eye and gentle coaxing, the grapes will begin their transformation into delicious wine. We hope you have the opportunity to explore their fabulous array of wines the next time you’re in Missouri wine country. 

Vidal Blanc Month

June 04, 2019

Vidal Blanc, pronounced vee-dahl blahnk, is a French-American hybrid grape that most often produces a dry to semi-dry wine with fragrances of a fresh summer garden. Clean, citrus fruit flavors of apples and lemon make this wine a summertime favorite.

There are nearly 140 acres of Vidal Blanc grapes in Missouri which account for 8.2% of all grapes grown in the state. These grape vines do well in winter months and are susceptible to mildew and several other fungus diseases.

Vidal Blanc pairs best with simple, fresh ingredients like basil and garlic, as well as seafood and poultry. Perhaps the most perfect pairings for Vidal Blanc are warm summer days and a patio.

Missouri Wines invites you to enjoy a glass of Vidal Blanc, simple like a summer day.

 

Past Lives: Wineries with Stories to Tell

May 23, 2019

 
 
If walls could talk, many of those within Missouri wineries would have interesting tales to tell. Several winery buildings have witnessed decades of change, while a couple date back to a century ago. These buildings have served a number of past purposes, including use as cattle barns, headquarters for fraternal organizations and automobile showrooms. Today, these wineries showcase delicious Missouri wines. We invite you to discover their fascinating history and stop by for a visit during your next excursion in Missouri wine country.  
 
1505 Genessee
Kansas City, MO 64102 
 
Amigoni Urban Winery is located in the Stockyards District of Kansas City’s historic West Bottoms. At the peak of the stockyard industry’s success, the area served as a place to hold cattle before they were loaded onto railroad cars. The winery is located in the former home of the livestock industry’s trade publication, the Daily Drover Telegram. When you stop by for a visit, look closely at the ceiling towards the back of the building and you may just spy an ink spot, a lasting remnant of an old printing press.
 
 
27150 Hwy 24
Waverly, MO 64096 
 
Baltimore Bend Vineyard’s tasting room has undergone a couple of transformations through the years. Originally built for an antique business, the building later became an apple cider production facility. The Schmidt family remodeled the building for their winery in 2003.
 
 
1325 Odd Fellows Rd
Liberty, MO 64068 
 
The property surrounding Belvoir Winery is known as the Odd Fellows Home District. This area was established by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F), a secret society and one of the largest fraternal and benevolent orders in the United States. The society provided care and education for its elderly members and the orphans of Missouri Odd Fellows. A hospital, old folks home and school were located on-site. The winery is located in the former administration building which housed classrooms for the orphans. 
 
 
Cave Hollow West Winery
217 Cave Hollow Road
Hannibal, MO 63401 
 
Cave Hollow West Winery is located in the Mark Twain Cave Complex and formerly housed a dinner theatre. 
 
 
 
601 State Hwy 165
Branson, MO 65616
 
Curling Vine Winery’s location in Branson is just a couple of blocks off the strip. The building once housed a car dealership and has been remodeled and added onto multiple times since the late 1980s. 
 
485 Booneslick Road
New Florence, MO 63363
 
Curling Vine Winery’s location in New Florence is located near I-70. The building was the former site of a restaurant and dance hall. 
 
 
10035 Edg-Clif Dr
Potosi, MO 63664 
 
Edg-Clif Farms and Vineyard is located in a former dairy milking barn. The barn has served a few different purposes in the past. The building sheltered livestock including Hereford show cattle and pigs, then stored used tires. After undergoing extensive renovations, the barn became the winery’s tasting and barrel room featuring a wine shop, catering kitchen and restrooms.  
 
9364 Mitchell Trail
Lexington, MO 64067
 
In 2008, the Fahrmeiers expanded their family business to include vineyards and a winery. The family’s old cattle barn was converted into a rustic space where you can sip delicious wines while gathering with friends. 
 
 
595 Clinton St
Osborn, MO  64474
 
Grindstone Valley Winery is located inside the former meeting spot for local members of the American Legion. The winery owners purchased and renovated the building in 2014. The structure dates to 1950. Prior to that, the Bank of Osborn was located at the site. Built in 1909, that building was demolished after the devastating effects of the Great Depression. 
 
  
1829 McGee Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
 
KC Wineworks is located in a building within the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City. The location once served as a showroom for the Kelly-Springfield Motor Truck Company. In 1912, Belfast Investment Company hired C.S. Smith, a well-known architect in the city, to construct the building in the area known as the McGee Street Automotive Historic District. The streetcar route originally ran down McGee Street so it passed right in front of the showroom’s windows. 
 
 
12847 W Hwy BB
Rocheport, MO 65279
 
Les Bourgeois Vineyards’ tasting room, located right off of I-70, is the site of a former restaurant named Pete’s Café. The restaurant was well-known for its huge dining room wall painting that replicated Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.”
The winery’s A-Frame was a house located on the property when Curtis and Martha Bourgeois purchased the property. The couple lived in the building until they converted it into the A-Frame Winegarden and Patio.
 
 
57 N. Main St
Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
 
Lewsi Winery moved to historic downtown Ste. Genevieve in 2016. The winery’s red brick building dates back to 1893 and has housed numerous businesses including a clothing store, beauty shop and an art gallery. The site is best known for housing Otte Cleaners, a dry cleaning business for 75 years.
 
 
5448 N Berry Lane
Springfield, MO 65803
 
OOVVDA Winery is located in a building that once served as a wood shop. The current owner purchased the property in 2003 and converted it into a winery.
 
 
502 Spring St
Weston, MO 64098
 
Pirtle Winery is located in an old German Lutheran Church. Originally built in 1867, the building also served as the bottling location for Royal Brewery from 1901 to 1919. The structure sat empty for years and was in danger of being torn down to make room for a parking lot. Fate intervened and the community fixture still stands. 
 
 
22200 State Rt 45 N
Rushville, MO 64484
 
Students once learned their reading, writing and arithmetic inside Riverwood Winery’s doors. The winery is the site of a former 1950s school building. Located along the east bank of the Missouri River, the school was part of the Weston School District. The school was designed by Joseph Radotinsky, a noted architect in the Kansas City area. The structure is a great example of the architecture during that time period. 
 
 

Stone Hill Winery
1110 Stone Hill Highway
Hermann, MO 65041

Stone Hill Winery was established in 1847. Completed in 1868, the main winery building was used primarily for office and administrative purposes along with a warehouse wing. Prohibiton collapsed the winery. From 1923 to 1965, the cellars and the main building were solely devoted to growing commercial mushrooms. In 1965, Jim and Betty Held began on a very small scale to use one of the cellars to make wine, coexisting with the mushroom business for two years. The Held family lived in the upstairs portion of the main winery building residing there for the next 27 years. In 1967, Jim and Betty took over full ownership of the winery property and solely operated it as a winery. In 1992, the Helds converted the main winery building to administrative offices upstairs with tasting and sales rooms on the first level.


Stone Hill Winery's original carriage house and horse barn once housed hardworking horses and mules. In 1979, the Helds converted it into the winery's Vintage Restaurant. 

 

100 South Lynn
Dover, MO 64022 
 
Terre Beau occupies a chapel that once ministered to westward bound pioneers and frontiersmen. Built in 1858, the building served as a place of worship for two religious denominations throughout its history. Situated in the center of Dover, the church came away mostly unscathed during the Civil War, although a cannon ball fired from a river boat struck its tall steeple. Confederate sympathizers from Dover and the surrounding area were held prisoner in the church until they were transported to the Federal County House in Lexington. Historians believe several unknown Confederate soldiers are buried behind the building. The beautiful winery is located along the historic Santa Fe Trail. 
 
 
7325 N. Farm Rd 171
Springfield, MO 65803
 
Tyler Ridge Winery’s tasting room is located in an old farm house built in 1905. Several families have lived there through the years. The previous owners sold eggs and milked cows for a living. Cattle once grazed the area that now features the winery’s vineyard. The current owners bought the property in 1998 and planted their first grapes in 2004. 
 
 
8385 W. US 60
Mountain View, MO 65548
 
Located in the Ozark Mountain woodlands, Viandel Vineyard is located inside the former Apple House. The property featured an apple orchard and the previous owners sold apples and other fruits and vegetables to the public. The old farmhouse was remodeled into the winery’s tasting room and features the original fireplace.
 
 
1132 Brick Church Road
Bland, MO 65014
 
Wenwood Farm Winery is located on the site of an old dairy farm. The farm buildings have all been repurposed: the calf barn is now their tasting room, the dairy barn houses their wine production and the bull barn serves as the winery’s open air event pavilion.
 
 
107 Vine Street
Macon, MO 63552 
 
The building that now showcases West Winery’s wines has seen more than 100 years of history unfold from its storefront windows. Before the current owners gutted and renovated the century-old building, it served as a notions store and several menswear shops, including JP’s Mens Wear. JP Hartung, the previous owner of the building, works at the winery and likes to share Macon’s history with guests.  
 
 
We hope you take the opportunity to visit these beautiful wineries in Missouri wine country. While history has helped shape them, these buildings will continue to be defined by the local families who craft delicious Missouri wines and call these communities home.
 

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