Amid the peaks and the valleys of the Ozark Highlands, winds the Meramec River, one of the longest free-flowing waterways in the United States. You’ll also find a beautiful countryside and a selection of Missouri wineries that form the Meramec River Wine Trail, the perfect destination for those who enjoy the outdoors and delicious Missouri wines.

With eight wineries on the Meramec River Wine trail the most difficult decision may be where to start. Consider beginning your adventures on the road nicknamed Main Street America. Historic Route 66 curves its way through Missouri and will lead you to two wineries on the trail: Belmont Vineyards and St. James Winery. Belmont Vineyards offers views of the rolling Ozark hills and a tasting room filled with European antiques and locally crafted art reminiscent of old world Europe. Enjoy their select wines and food in a casual dining atmosphere. You can also get your kicks on Route 66 at St. James Winery. The historic road runs past the winery’s vineyards. Relax with your favorite wine and order delicious food to pair with it in The Gardens. Try your hand at bocce ball or test your chess skills on a life-sized board at the winery.

Four additional wineries call the St. James community home and invite you to enjoy their delicious wines and warm hospitality. Enjoy wine, food and delicatessen, including artisan breads, pies and cakes at Eagle’s Landing. Sip fine wines on the terrace at Heinrichshaus Vineyards and Winery. Enjoy a variety of Missouri varietals and signature blends at the newly renovated Meramec Vineyards. The winery offers a bistro menu with a savory selection of food items. Three Squirrels Winery is located in a former dairy barn and, in addition to featuring a variety of wines, showcases the talents of local and regional artists in their art gallery.

While you’re exploring St. James, don’t miss out on the opportunity to take a stroll down memory lane and check out the vast collection of vacuum cleaners at, where else, the world’s first Vacuum Cleaner Museum and Factory Outlet.

Your trip is not complete without a visit to Peaceful Bend Vineyard in Steelville and Red Moose Vineyard in Salem. Enjoy a selection of blended wines at Peaceful Bend Vineyards, each wine named after the creeks and rivers that surround the winery. You can also enjoy a delightful dish to compliment your wine selection in their new building. Red Moose Vineyard offers a variety of Missouri varietal and blended wines. Sit under the winery’s canopy and enjoy a beautiful view of their lake.

You might consider timing your trip to coincide with a Meramec River Wine Trail event. The trail hosts several events throughout the year, including Bootlegger’s, Be Mine with Wine, Rosé All Day, Homegrown Harvest and Spooky Cellars. Each of the trail’s signature events includes fantastic food or tasty treats paired perfectly with Missouri wine.

For those who seek adventure, there are plenty of opportunities in the area. Meramec State Park in Sullivan is surrounded by beautiful campgrounds where you can hike, canoe and zip line through the hills. There are more than 40 caves located throughout the park, including Fisher Cave, where you’ll find well-preserved bear claw marks, cave wildlife and a variety of calcite deposits. Take a tour of Meramec Caverns and learn about the ancient limestone “Wine Table” and the underground 7 story mansion. If you enjoy fishing, bring your rod and gear to Maramec Spring Park, home to the fifth largest spring in the state. The Missouri Department of Conservation stocks the fishing stream daily. You can camp onsite nine months out of the year. If camping is not your thing, find a quaint bed-and-breakfast located in the surrounding communities. 

This is only a glimpse of what you will find when you visit the wineries and explore the countryside along the Meramec River Wine Trail. We invite you to do your research and plan ahead of time so you get the most out of your trip. Enjoy the scenery and create your own adventure in Missouri wine country!

It’s not easy to improve upon the classic chocolate cupcake recipe. But here at Missouri Wines, we cracked the code with this mouth-watering wine cupcake! 

Have you ever thought about baking with wine? If you haven’t, you should definitely give it a try! These chocolate cupcakes mixed with our very own Missouri-made Chambourcin make for the most moist, rich, full of flavor, scrumptious treat. We would highly recommend this baked good for any occasion. 

(This recipe calls for coconut flour, but the ingredient can easily be substituted with a 
wheat-based flour.)

Chambourcin Chocolate Cupcakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Serving Size: 12 Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

6 tbsp - Unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup - Dark brown sugar, packed

¼  cup - Granulated sugar

1 Large Egg + yolk, room temperature

¾ cup - Chambourcin wine

1 tsp - Vanilla extract

1 cup + 1 tbsp - Coconut flour ¹

½ cup - Cocoa powder

1/8 tsp - Baking soda

½ tsp - Baking powder

¼ tsp - Salt

¼ tsp - Ground cinnamon

Icing Ingredients:

8 oz. - Cream cheese

¾  cup - Chilled heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp - Granulated sugar

Sprinkles ²

Directions: 

Preheat over to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, sift together coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Set aside. 

In the bowl of a standard mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together butter and dark brown and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the egg + yolk, beating well.  Next, mix in the Chambourcin and vanilla. 

Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until it’s all combined and mixed well. 

Use an ice cream scoop and divide the batter into the lined muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely. 

In the meantime, to make the frosting, whip together cream cheese, heavy whipping cream and granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Put frosting into piping bag (or Ziploc bag and snip the corner) and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before icing.

Be sure to enjoy with a glass of Missouri Chambourcin!

Additional Notes: 

¹These Chambourcin cupcakes were made gluten-free by using coconut versus wheat flour.

²For added beauty, and a seasonal touch, feel free to add your favorite sprinkles.

When it comes to wine, nothing is black or white. Often people base their opinions on their first impressions or a singular experience. There are a lot of misconceptions about wine – have you heard any of the following? 

1. MYTH: A screw cap is a sign of low quality wine. Overtime, screw caps have been associated with large, economy-sized wine production. Many consumers view large industry winemakers as lower-quality, thus creating the myth that all screw cap wines are lower in quality than wines with corks. 

Even though screw caps get a bad rap, they really aren’t a sign of poor quality wine. Screw caps are actually used for many reasons, all which essentially increase the quality of wine. One of the reasons winemakers use screw caps is to keep the bottle sealed and not allow oxygen to get into the wine. Producers also choose screw caps versus corks to reduce the risk of cork failure. 

2. MYTH: Since wines improve with age, they never go bad, even after opening. This is nottrue. Once a bottle of wine is opened, it has a shelf life. The type of wine determines the shelf life. 

To preserve the wine as long as possible, you should always seal and refrigerate wine after opening. 

Red wine typically lasts 5-7 days after being opened and white wine for 3-5 days. After this period, the wine is past its prime. 

3. MYTH: Expensive wine is better. Although expensive wine canbe high quality wine, that is not always the case. A price tag is not a true indication of a wine’s worth. Many factors play into the overall cost of a wine, including labor, barrels, bottles and grape production as well as label design and packaging. 

4. MYTH: Old wines are better. Did you know wine is actually perishable? Most wines are meant to be enjoyed within the first one to fiveyears of their life – their life outside of the barrel!  

The most age-worthy wines are those with solid acidity and structured tannins – like Norton. 

5. MYTH: Red wine is better for you than white. A lot of people claim that red wine is healthier than white. Without getting into the heart health debate, if we are just looking at calories, white wine actually tends to have less calories. Check out our Missouri wine calorie chart for more information: 

References: 
Grapecollective.com 
Missouriwine.org

Hello November! It’s officially the start of the holiday season. As you spend your time thinking about the holidays, the food you’ll serve and the guests you’ll invite… make sure you include your favorite Missouri wine in your gatherings. 

November is also Chambourcin Month, and here at Missouri Wines, we believe celebrations are best with Chambourcin! Chambourcin is a high-quality, medium-bodied, dry red wine with many great attributes. Its characteristics range from a cherry and light oak smell to a moderately fruity taste – you might even note berry flavors. Additionally, this grape accounts for 10% of all grapes grown here in Missouri.

One of our favorite things about Chambourcin is how food friendly it is. There are so many pairing possibilities with this great Missouri wine. If you’re focused on the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, Chambourcin pairs well with turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and other fall vegetables. Other foods that are exceptionally tasty with Chambourcin include: pork, red sauce, mushrooms and burgers.

Chambourcin is an award-winning Missouri varietal. Stone Hill Winery’s 2015 Chambourcin won the Governor’s Cup, the highest honor at this year’s Missouri Wine Competition. This medium to full-bodied, dry red, mellow yet gentle, wine just might win you over!

Wine labels are important. Stroll through the wine section at your local grocery store and see for yourself. Which labels grab your attention? Which bottles blend in with the rest? A great design can entice you to make a purchase and may even leave you wanting to know more about the winery. In this new series, discover the inspiration for the eye-catching designs on your favorite Missouri wines.

Wine: 2017 St. Vincent Dry Rosé 

Art: Fleur’s Moment by Arleana Holtzmann, Fenton, Mo

 

 

Wine: 2017 Dry Vignoles
Art: Magnolia by Brie Duey, Bucklin, Mo.

 

 

Wine: 2016 Cabernet Franc

Art: Raven On Red by Christian Mouser, Ballwin, Mo

 

Every year, three new labels are introduced to the lineup, while others are retired once they sell out. Purchase your favorite while it's still available. 

Is there a Missouri wine label that you would like to learn more about? Contact us and we’ll share the winery’s story in a future blog post.

Fall is in the air and we couldn’t be more excited! Missouri wine country is an absolute dream this time of year. Not only are the colors breathtaking with the leaves changing colors, but the fresh, cool, crisp air is ideal for cozying up with your favorite glass of Missouri wine. As if the  atmosphere wasn’t already ideal, our wineries have many great events this time of year! Many of the celebrations include several of your favorites – from winetasting hayrides to bon fires to pumpkin pairings. For a list of fall events, be sure to check out our calendar. 

Another reason fall is such a great season is the many spectacular Missouri Wine pairings and recipes that we get to enjoy.

Fall calls for seasonal Apple Cider Sangria

The cool weather has arrived and it’s time for dips and soups. Luckily, we have several delicious recipes that call for your favorite Missouri wine. 

Creamy Chardonel Dip

Chardonel Fondue

Tomato Soup with Red Wine

Chili and Local Wine Pairings

Pumpkin time! Fall isn’t just for visiting pumpkin patches and festivals, but also for all of the pumpkin flavors.  The following pumpkin recipes pair well with these Missouri Wines. 

Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds pair well with Chambourcin; Pumpkin Leek Soup matches up great with a smooth Chardonel; and Pumpkin Cheesecake with Traminette is a great dessert to top off any meal. 

To all you wine aficionados out there… 

You know wine, right? And all about the differences between red and white, dry and sweet? Fabulous! But, did you know that there is so much more that goes into wine? There is even preferred terminology when it comes to tasting wine.

When you hear the description “young, mature, brilliant and sweet,” you might think that is the description of an individual, but those are terms also used to describe wines. “Young” means that the wine is immature and is usually bottled and sold within a year of its vintage (the year a wine is harvested). Wines that are meant to be enjoyed “young” are noted for their fresh and crisp flavors.  

As one might expect, a mature wine means that the wine is ready to enjoy. “Brilliant” is a tasting note for wines that appear sparkling clear. Sweet wines have perceptive sugar contents on the nose and in the mouth.  

These are additional wine tasting terms:

• Acidity - the liveliness and crispness in wine that activates our salivary glands
• Aeration - the deliberate addition of oxygen to round out and soften a wine
• Balance - when the elements of wine – acids, sugars, tannins and alcohol – come together in a harmonious way
• Bitter – a taste sensation often caused by tannins 
• Blend – a wine made from more than one grape varietal 
• Complex – a wine exhibiting numerous aromas, nuances and flavors 
• Corked – a term that denotes a wine that has suffered cork taint 
• Demi-sec – French term meaning “half-dry” used to describe sweet sparkling wine 
• Earthy – an odor or flavor reminiscent of damp soil 
• Fermentation – the conversion of grape sugars to alcohol by yeast 
• Finish – the impression of textures and flavors lingering in the mouth after swallowing wine 
• Foxy – a term that describes the musty odor and flavor of wines made from vitis labrusca,a common North America varietal 
• Hot – a description for wine that is high in alcohol 
• Lees – sediment consisting of dead yeast cells, grape pulp, seed and other grape matter that accumulates during fermentation 
• Leesy – a tasting term for the rich aromas and smells that results from wine resting on its lees
• Mouth-feel – how a wine feels on the palate; for example: rough, smooth, velvety or furry
• Nose – a tasting term describing the aromas and bouquets of a wine
• Oak/oaky – tasting term denoting smells and flavors of vanilla, baking spices, coconut, mocha or dill caused by barrel-aging 
• Tannins – the phenolic compounds in wines that leave a bitter, dry and puckery feeling in the mouth
• Yield – the productivity of a vineyard  

No matter what the occasion, when you’re hosting a wine tasting or dinner, etiquette is extremely important. Of course some things are a given - like ladies and eldest first, offer to refill others’ glasses before you serve yourself and ask before taking the last pour from the wine bottle – but that isn’t all you need to consider!

What’s on the menu?  What wine do you serve with certain foods?

As you go about planning your event, one of the first things you’ll do is plan the food. Be sure that whatever food you serve, you choose a wine that complements your choice. If you are wondering which foods go best with certain wines, have no fear, we are always glad to help –check out our pairing guide.

Quick tips: If you are going to serve wine with a specific course, remember: salad can be overpowered by a bold glass of wine, crisp white wine could be overshadowed by the main entrée, and dessert always calls for a sweeter wine to complement it.

How much wine will I need?  

Okay… so now you have selected the food and are at least on the right track of thinking about a specific wine or wines that you are going to serve. Now… just make sure that you have enough wine! Nothing spoils an event more than not having enough wine. After all - it is a wine gathering.  

Do I need fancy glassware?  

Although you don’t necessarily need different wine glasses, there are specific glasses that can make a glass of wine more enjoyable. Depending on your guests and how fancy your occasion, it might be wise to serve your wine in the glass it serves best in.  

For example, Riedel, the famous wine glass company, makes a wine glass specifically for Nortonand Vignoleswines. If you plan to serve sparkling wines, use a tall and thin flute glass or even a white wine glass so the bubbles don’t dissipate into the air. 

To chill or not to chill?

Here’s a tip. Remember the 3-2-1 rule: chill sparkling for 3 hours, white wines for 2, and red wines for 1 hour. In addition to the chilling, there is also a trick to the wines that you open and when. Sparkling and white wines are best opened just prior to serving, while red wines can be opened well before serving to allow them to “breathe” – red wines are best once they’ve had the chance to mix with air and develop their full aroma and flavor.

When pouring wine, what is the right amount to pour for each guest? 

We alluded to this earlier, noting that each glass should be about 4-5 ounces, but we know that isn’t the easiest to judge without a measurement tool. Even though we believe in the glass always being “half-full”, it is important to know that you should only fill the glass about 1/3 to halfway (sparkling wines being the exception) – this allows your guest to swirl the wine to open and release the aromas for maximum flavor and enjoyment.  

Saving the best for last… be prepared!  

All of the above steps are important, but the most important thing is to simply be prepared.  Make sure that you have all of the necessities before your event begins. Things you will definitely need to have on hand are: corkscrews, glasses, food, palate cleansers (crackers or bread), dump bucket, water pitcher, napkins, water and/or coffee and wine charms for guests. 

And most of all, always remember, enjoy yourself!