Sweet or semi-sweet (also sometimes called off-dry) white wines with fruity flavors and crisp acidity have been the accepted “best pairing” for spicy foods for some time. And if you’ve ever had a glass of deliciously fruity Missouri Vignoles wine with a plate of devilishly spicy Thai food, we’re sure you’ll agree. But why do these wines work so well?

Spicy peppers are the primary source of heat for many foods. These peppers are high in something called capsaicin which our taste receptors recognize. They send a signal to our brains that we are experiencing spicy stimuli. (My mouth is on fire!) Now, why some people hate this stimuli and others love it is up for debate, but if you are a spicy food fan, here are the reasons to reach for a sweeter, acidic white wine when you enjoy your favorite burn-inducing dishes.

1.They are cold.

Even a cold or room temperature chili pepper will make your mouth feel hot when you eat it. Our brains instantly look for something cold and refreshing to tame the flames. White wines are chilled and their cool temperature is a very satisfying sensation when enjoyed with spicy food.

2.They are sweet.

Residual sugar in wine helps to coat our tongues and calm some of the heat we feel from the capsaicin in our spicy favorites. The rest of the dish becomes more bearable.

3.They are lower in alcohol.

High alcohol wines can intensify the perception of heat in our mouths when paired with spicy food. If you’re looking for a more intense burn, then by all means… give it a try.

Now, if you’re not a white wine fan, but you love spicy food, don’t fret. We have some tips. Look for a red wine that is fruit-forward, has ample acidity and maybe a little sweetness, preferably one that is lower in alcohol. Now here’s the real game-changer… chill it. No, really. Go against everything you’ve ever heard. If you want to enjoy that red wine and the spicy food, try chilling the bottle. That way you get the refreshing quench immediately on your palate, but you can still enjoy all the flavors of your favorite red wines.

Here’s to enjoying award-winning Missouri wine and delicious spicy food. Cheers! 

The Norton grape makes complex, luscious dry red wines, deep and intense dessert wines and a little of everything else in between. It’s a Missouri favorite and was even named the state’s official grape, but it has a complicated and somewhat contentious past, particularly regarding its name and origin.

Norton, named for Dr. Norton of Virginia, has also been called Norton’s Virginia Seedling, Virginia Seedling, and Cynthiana. The Cynthiana vs Norton debate tends to be the most heated. Cynthiana, believed to be discovered in the 1830s in Arkansas was thought to be a different variety for many years. However, genetic testing shows the two are indistinguishable, despite different ripening times and reported subtle differences in flavor. Both of which could be attributed to the area in which they’re grown, also known as terroir.

The Norton grape variety is believed to have been developed in the Virginia gardens of its namesake, Dr. Daniel Norborne Norton. The first mention of the grape comes from a prominent nursery of the time in 1822. However, there was a claim brought forward in 1861 that a Dr. F.W. Lemosy discovered the vine growing in wild on his property and gave a cutting of it to Dr. Norton in 1835. Being that there were two recorded mentions of Norton’s Virginia Seedling before 1835, this claim seems unlikely, but has caused some confusion as to the true origin of the grape.

What we know for sure is that Norton has found a willing and accepting home here in Missouri, and we are grateful for its hardiness and ability to make high-quality wines.

Timeline:

1818-1822 – Dr. Daniel Norborne Norton, an avid horticulturist working with many grape varieties and experimenting with crossing different breeds, developed the grape that would become his namesake in Richmond, Virginia. The exact parentage is still unknown. Norton is classified as vitis aestivalis (native American), but most likely the variety has a grandparent belonging to the vitis vinifera (European) family. 

1822 – Norton’s Virginia Seedling is first listed commercially in a catalog by William Prince Jr. for his family’s nursery, the Linnaean Botanic Garden and Nurseries of Long Island.

1830 – Prince describes in detail and praises the Norton grape in A Treatise on the Vine.

1840s – Norton makes its way to Hermann, Missouri.

1848 – The first vintage of Missouri Norton is bottled.

1861 – A man named F.W. Lemosy comes forward with a claim his father discovered the Norton grape 1835 and gave a cutting of the vine to Dr. Norton. Seeing as it had already been commercially available for several years prior to 1835, this claim doesn’t appear to have merit, but still casts some doubt on the true origin of the grape.

Mid-1860s – A devastating blight attacks the vineyards of France. Scientists in France and America worked to uncover what was destroying the vines at their roots. It was a pest called Phylloxera.

1870-1890 – The golden age of Norton.

1870s – Cuttings of American grape vines, including Norton, which are resistant to Phylloxera are sent to France to be grafted to their vines.

1873 – The first of many to come, a Norton wine from Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, Missouri wins a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Vienna.

1874 – A study commissioned by the French Academy of Sciences lauds Norton as producing “wines of the finest quality”.

1883 – Norton is recognized as the “best medicinal wine of America” in the American Cyclopedia, a Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge.

1900 – Norton’s popularity spreads to winemakers across America. A Frenchman turned Floridian wins medals for his Norton wine at the Paris Exposition.

1919 – Prohibition goes into effect and most vineyards are destroyed. The Norton grape is nearly lost forever.

1965 – Jim Held, having newly re-opened Stone Hill Winery, discovers pre-Prohibition Norton vines (dating back to the Civil War) on a nearby property and brings the variety back to commercial use.

1988 – Dennis Horton, originally from Hermann and now a vintner in Virginia, requests a shipment of Norton vines from Stone Hill Winery, bringing the varietal back to its birthplace.

1993 – An issue of Gourmet Magazine, penned by Gerald Asher, brings attention to the Missouri wine industry and Norton, calling it the “indigenous grape that might yet do for Missouri what Cabernet Sauvignon has done for California. 

2003 – Norton is named the Official State Grape of Missouri.

2013, 2014 and 2017 – Norton wines from Stone Hill Winery take home the triple crown at the Missouri Wine Competition for Best of Class Dry Red, Best Norton, and Best Overall, known as the Governor’s Cup.

Now – Norton wines from across Missouri and Virginia win numerous accolades at national and international competitions every year. Norton continues to flourish in Missouri, accounting for nearly 21 percent of all the grapes grown in the state.

Sources:

Kliman, Todd. The Wild Vine: A Forgotten Grape and the Untold Story of American Wine. 1st ed., Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2010.

Stover, Ed, et al. “Investigations into the Origin of ‘Norton’ Grape Using SSR Markers.” Researchgate.net, 18 Dec. 2014, Link.

Ambers, Rebecca K.R., and Clifford P Ambers. “The Norton Grape: An American Original.”American WIne Society Journal , vol. 36, no. 3, 2004, pp. 77–87., Link.

Hedrick, U P. “The Domestication of the Grape .” Manual of American Grape Growing, Norwood Press J. S. Cushing Co.—Berwick & Smith Co., 1919, pp. 12–12.

It happens to the best of us. You pop the cork on your favorite Missouri wine but soon realize that you've left a few cork pieces behind. Don't fret. There's a simple solution to your cork conundrum. Watch the video to see our super easy fix.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr_jo3dXxdc

**UPDATE**

More than 300 people took the recent Missouri Wines Trivia Challenge. Eight clever guessers won a Missouri Wines stocking cap. Did we stump you? Here are the answers. 

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Do you consider yourself a genius with a knack for knowledge? Are you a minuscule fact marvel? Trivia Day is celebrated on January 4 and is the perfect time to test your knowledge of Missouri wines and the Missouri wine industry. Answer the questions correctly and you could win a cool Missouri wines stocking cap. Five clever guessers will win so what are you waiting for? Click here to take the Missouri wines trivia challenge. The challenge ends January 18, 2018.

These days there's a holiday for everything, but the way we see it is... why not? Even if a holiday may seem a bit silly, we'll take the excuse to raise a glass of Missouri wine and celebrate. Will you join us this year? 

January: Norton Month 

February: 18- Drink Wine Day, 24- Open That Bottle Night

March: 3- Mulled Wine Day 

April: Chardonel Month 

May: 9- Moscato Day, 25- National Wine Day 

June: Vidal Blanc Month, 9- Rose Day 

July: Concord Month 

August: Vignoles Month 

September: Missouri Wine Month 

October: Create your own MO wine celebration! 

November: Chambourcin Month 

December: 5- Repeal Day, 20- Sangria Day, 31- Sparkling Wine Day 

Tis the season for celebrations with family and friends and a great time to pair excellent conversations with sparkling Missouri wines. Watch this video and learn how the fizz gets into your favorite bottle of bubbly.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3bTWT7xZbQ

Harvest is arguably the most visible time of the year for grape-growing and winemaking, but the work doesn’t stop after the excitement of crush is complete. Important aspects of winemaking go on during the cold winter months as well. Here are some of the things happening behind the scenes in Missouri wine country according to local winemakers. Whether it’s filtering, stabilizing, oak aging or looking for ways to continually improve, making great wine takes a lot of time and dedication. Luckily for us, Missouri winemakers know that some things are worth the work!

Brandon Dixon – Noboleis Vineyards in Augusta

“The winter is actually a very busy time for us. It is the time when we are taking our newly fermented wines and getting them ready for bottling. For the majority of our wines, that means stabilizing the proteins and tartaric acid in the wines. We do this purely for cosmetic reasons. If a wine has excess protein, the proteins can denature and come out of solution at warmer temperatures. This can cause the wine to look cloudy. Conversely, if the wine experiences cold temperatures, the tartaric acid salts can crystallize and come out of solution. If you've ever noticed small, sand-like crystals in the bottom of your bottle, or stuck to the side of the bottle, you've experienced tartaric acid crystals. Neither one of these things would affect the wine's aroma or flavor, but customers don't like to see anything but brilliantly clear wine in their bottle. Once the wines are stable, we filter them to prepare them for bottling. 

We are also pumping some of our wines into oak barrels at this time. Some of our wines benefit from slow, controlled oxidation that the barrels provide. We also gain additional layers of aromas and flavors from the caramelized sugars in the wood that are produced when the barrel staves are toasted at the cooperage. The amount of oxidation and barrel flavors we want will determine how long we leave the wine in the barrel. The average time frame for barrel aging at Noboleis is 4-18 months; although we do have some wines resting in barrels that we expect will be in there for 7 years or more!”

Chris West – Cave Hollow West Winery in Hannibal and West Winery in Macon

“[Throughout the winter] we are working on racking, filtering, blending trials and new labels for new wines. We are also thinking about the next year and what will help us make better wine through equipment improvements and reviewing prior year notes on cellar aging and processes that were done with each wine.”

Susie Johnson – Cave Winery in Ste. Genevieve

“In addition to our usual deep cleaning and pruning, this winter we are experimenting with oak alternatives and micro-oxygenation. We will also be getting out of the winery some as we are working on getting our distillery up and running. Norton makes great brandy!”

Whitney Schmidt – Vox Vineyards in Kansas City and Weston

“During the winter months the wine is in a stage that the French call “elevage”. This word means ‘to raise’ or ‘to bring up’. At this point the wines are all finished with primary fermentation and are undergoing slower more subtle changes. You might say, they’re developing their personalities and revealing their essence… I view my responsibility to the wine at this point like I do being a parent. I’m monitoring the changes that the wines are going through and guiding them gently toward becoming a well-adapted grown-up that’s ready for the… bottle.

What this means is I’m making filtration decisions, gathering basic chemistry information and watching for changes over the course of several months. Also, I’m looking at the chemical changes from the juice before fermentation compared to the finished wine. This gives me a lot to ponder, like what was good about my harvest timing decision and what should I try to do different next time. I’m also doing sensory evaluation of each of the wines. Which ones can stand on their own as single varietal wines and which would be better wines if they were blended. Winter is also an important time to reflect on the past year and find ways to educate and evaluate myself. It’s important to never settle for good enough. Always striving to be better! We attend conferences, read new books, and enter our wine in competitions.”

There you have it! Winter might seem like a less busy time of the year in Missouri wine country, but there is still so much being done to craft the next vintage of delicious, award-worthy wines. Perhaps next time you’re out at a local winery, you could take a tour to see some of these efforts for yourself. 

Get into the holiday spirit and use some of those corks and empty bottles you’ve been saving with these DIY projects. Have fun making crafts and decorate your home or office with holiday cheer!  

1- Wine Cork Snowman Ornaments

These ornaments take only a few supplies (most of which you probably already have) and are easy to make… plus they are about as cute as can be!

Full tutorial @ growingupgabel.com

2- Pinecone and Wine Cork Christmas Trees

Making Christmas trees from wine corks and pinecones may sound a little cheesy, but the end result is adorable and perfect for decorating this holiday season!

Full tutorial @ babble.com

3- Santa’s Wine Glasses

Hand-painted glasses make a great decoration or gift! These are simple to make and full of holiday spirit (and hopefully they’ll be full of Missouri wine as well).

Full tutorial @mandysmoney.worpress.com

4- Stemware Snow Globes

If you have extra wine glasses lying around or love things in miniature, this craft is for you! Simple, inexpensive and fun, making these snow globes could be a great way to relax and enjoy some holiday cheer.

Full tutorial @ cfabbridesigns.com

5- The Grinch Wine Bottles

Do you play “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” on repeat this time of year? If so, this DIY project is the perfect way to celebrate! Empty wine bottles, paint and a santa hat and you’re on your way to some adorable holiday decorations.

Full tutorial @ leapoffaithcrafting.com

6- Wine Cork Wreaths

If you have been collecting corks from your favorite Missouri wines for some time and have a pretty hefty stash, then why not make a wine cork wreath?

Full tutorial @ deavita.net

Cheers to a wonderful holiday season full of good times and great wines!

Holidays often bring the opportunity to toast those you cherish most. Glasses are raised to recognize special occasions, achievements and give thanks for health and happiness. So let’s raise our glasses to toast as we celebrate the holiday season... But first let’s look at how the tradition of making toasts began. How has it evolved over the centuries? What is customary in other countries?

Let’s start with the name; to “toast” originated from a tradition of adding bits of toasted bread to the wine to improve the taste. While the exact origin of the action may never be known, records show it was a custom across many cultures throughout history. Legend has it the Roman Senate required citizens to toast to the health of Emperor Augustus at each and every meal. While the Greeks may have poured from the same pitcher and had all raise their glasses together as a sign that the beverage was not poisoned. Kings throughout Europe also made toasting a requirement at their courts.

In many nations it was customary to finish one’s glass for each toast offered throughout the meal and there was never just one toast. In addition, women were often forbidden from participating. We’re sure glad that tradition has gone by the wayside. However, in 1791, The Royal Toastmaster book was published outlining acceptable toasts and setting a new tone for the tradition. In later years some newspapers even kept an official Toast Editor on staff and held regular toast competitions.

As the custom of offering a toast spread around the world many created their own formalities. Here are a few tips for the world traveler:

• For Brazilian celebrations toast to your health with saude!
• In China its custom to clink your glass lower than the host as a sign of respect while saying gan bei or bottoms up!
• Costa Ricans often raise their glass to pure life with pura vida!
• When in Germany and toasting with wine, join in by saying zum whol but be sure you make eye contact as you clink everyone’s glasses.
• Italians can choose between salute, cin cin or use the phrase cent’ anni which roughly translates to “may you live one hundred years”.  
• For proposing a toast in Japan use kanpai (dry the glass) after pouring a glass for everyone in attendance but do not pour your own.
• Spanish cultures often toast to good health using salud!
• Frequent toasts are common in Ukraine and everyone at the table is expected to propose at least one during dinner – Bud-mo!

No matter which tradition you favor, we hope you have the opportunity to toast friends and family this holiday season with a glass of Missouri wine! Cheers!