Photo: http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/

Time is running out! You only have a couple of weeks to plan your Total Solar Eclipse getaway. We suggest you spend the day at one of Missouri’s scenic wineries. Several wineries are hosting special events in conjunction with the eclipse. From live music to a balloon glow, Missouri’s wineries offer an amazing experience you won’t soon forget. Some wineries require reservations; call ahead to ensure ticket and space availability. Then pack up your lawn chairs or blankets and set out on your eclipse expedition. Visit Missouri Wines events calendar for more detailed information about the following solar eclipse events.

7C’s Winery
Solar Eclipse Watch Party
August 21
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Walnut Grove
Features:
• Bring your picnic basket; 7C’s Winery will provide the Bratwurst
• Solar eclipse glasses for sale or view the eclipse with a pinhole projector at the winery
www.7cswinery.com/events.html
RSVP on 7C’s Winery’s Facebook page
417-788-2263

Adam Puchta Winery
Solar Eclipse Party
August 21
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hermann
Features:
• Eclipse lunch special
• Solar eclipse glasses available for the first 100 people
• Take a hayride to the vineyard to watch the eclipse
http://adampuchtawine.com/solar-eclipse-party/
573-486-5596

Apple Creek Vineyard & Winery
Eclipse in the Vineyard
August 18 – 21
Hours & costs vary
Friedheim
Features:
• Live music
• Steak Night (reservation required)
• Viewing party in the vineyard includes bagged lunch (reservation required)
http://www.applecreekwinery.com/
573-788-2211

Cave Vineyard
Total Solar Eclipse
August 21
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Ste. Genevieve
Features:
• Complimentary snacks and special drinks
• RV parking available by reservation only
• Solar eclipse glasses available for $1 while supplies last
cavevineyard.com/news/
573-543-5299

Charleville Vineyard Winery & Microbrewery
Short Black Sun Boar & Brew Eclipse Party
August 21
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ste. Genevieve
Cost: $43.47, ages 12+; $21.74, ages 5 to 12; Free for ages 4 and under
Features:
• Included in ticket price: all-you-can-eat roasted pig luncheon with sides, first glass of wine, beer or root beer, solar eclipse glasses, live entertainment and seating
www.charlevillevineyard.com
573-756-4537

Cooper’s Oak Winery
Eclipse Party
August 21
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Higbee
Features:
• Food available for purchase
• Free solar eclipse glasses
• Unobstructed viewing
• Wine tastings
660-456-7660

Dale Hollow Winery
Eclipse Party
August 21
11 a.m.
Stover
Features:
• The first 30 guests receive solar eclipse glasses
• Custom made Eclipse label stickers
dalehollow.wordpress.com
573-569-0094

Edg-Clif Winery
Solar Eclipse Party
August 21
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Potosi
*Cost: $30/person, $45/couple – Must be 21+ to purchase tickets
Features:
• BBQ lunch
• Live music
• Solar eclipse glasses
• Special edition Chambourcin Eclipse wine with a commemorative label
Purchase tickets through Edg-Clif Winery’s Facebook page
573-438-4741
 
Fence Stile Vineyards & Winery
Total Solar Eclipse 2017 Viewing Party
August 21
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Excelsior Springs
*Cost: $50/person
Features:
• Combo event: education session, August 13; viewing party, August 21
• Toast the celestial event with a glass of wine and special Eclipse food menu
www.fencestile.com/calendar.html
816-500-6465

Hummingbird Vineyard & Winery 
Black Out Party!
August 21
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mexico
Feature:
• Solar eclipse glasses available for $3/each while supplies last
www.hummingbirdwinery.com/winery-events-mexico-mo
573-582-7425

Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery
Kansas City Eclipse & Sips Festival
August 18 - 21
*Hours & costs vary
Features:
• Educational events
• Limited edition Eclipse & Sips wine glass
• Live music
• Solar eclipse glasses while supplies last
• View the stars through one of the largest privately-owned telescopes in the Midwest
• Wine tastings
www.jowlercreek.com/events.html
816-858-5528

Les Bourgeois Vineyards
A Blufftop Eclipse & Moonshine Release
August 19 – August 21
Hours vary
Rocheport
*Free and open to the public
Features:
• Cocktail samples
• Extended menu options at the A-Frame
• Live music
missouriwine.com/2017/a-blufftop-eclipse/
800-690-1830

Mount Pleasant Estates
Great American Solar Eclipse Watch Party
August 21
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Augusta
Features:
• Live music by Ticket to the Beatles
• Complimentary wine tour
• Solar eclipse glasses available for $2.50/each while supplies last
mountpleasant.com/great-american-eclipse/
636-482-9463

Riverwood Winery
Total Solar Eclipse Viewing
August 21
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rushville
Feature:
• Plenty of open space
riverwoodwinery.com/events
816-579-9797

Serenity Valley Winery
Sip to the Eclipse
August 19, 12 to 4 p.m.
August 20, 7 to 10 p.m.
August 21, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fulton
Features:
• Balloon Glow
• Camp sites
• DJ
• Food trucks
• Live classic rock music performed by Open Road
• Yard games
www.serenitywinerymo.com
573-642-6958

Stone Hill Winery
Total Solar Eclipse Viewing Party
August 21
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hermann
Features:
• Box lunches available for purchase
• Complimentary wine tours
• Solar eclipse glasses available while supplies last
stonehillwinery.com
573-486-3479

Tipple Hill Winery & Vineyard
August 21
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Easton
*Cost: $10 parking
Features:
• Live music with Bill Hoffman & Bill Reiss
• Murphy Smokin' Meats
• Solar eclipse glasses available for $2.50 while supplies last
• Sunoculars available for viewing
www.tipplehillwinery.com/events
816-294-7968

Twin Oaks Vineyard & Winery
Solar Eclipse Party
August 21
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Farmington
Features:
• Celestial and eclipse themed food and drink specials
• Live music by Deja Vu
• Solar eclipse glasses available for purchase
www.twinoaksvineyard.com
573-756-6500

Villa Antonio Winery
Total Eclipse
August 21
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hillsboro
*Cost: $20 parking passes
Features:
• Chef Bruce Special BBQ plates will be available for purchase
• Live music with Scott Laythan and Karl Holmes
villaantoniowinery.com/index.php/events-calendar/
636-475-5008

Vox Vineyards
Solar Eclipse 2017 Watch Party
August 21
11:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Kansas City
*Cost: $45/person
Features:
• Picnic lunch
• Wine tasting
www.voxvineyards.com/calendar/solar-eclipse-2017-watch-party-august/
816-354-4903

Weston Wine Company
Eclipse Watch Party
August 21
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Weston
Cost: $59/non-members, $49/members
Features:
• Included in ticket price: brunch buffet featuring southern-inspired cuisine from EJ’s Urban Eatery, two drink tickets for wine, beer or limited-edition wine cocktails, solar eclipse glasses, closed eclipse viewing on the porch
http://westonwinecompany.com/event-registration/
816-386-2345

Missouri wineries are a popular destination for people who want to experience the Total Solar Eclipse in a unique and memorable way. Some winery events are already sold out. Contact your favorite winery to save your spot today!

The 2017 Missouri State Fair is happening August 10-20^th in Sedalia. There are approximately a gazillion fun things to do at the fair. There are of course the rides and the games, but there are also really amazing expos and displays, not to mention the concerts and other exciting spectacles. In addition to all of the classic fair fun, there are some great ways to learn about and enjoy Missouri wine at this year’s MO State Fair.

Cooking with Missouri Wine Contests:

Missouri Wines sponsors two different cooking contests at the fair. The Cooking with Missouri Wine Contest where contestants prepare an entrée with Missouri wine, and the Cooking with Missouri Wine – Just Desserts Contest where contestants make dessert dishes with local wines. The entries are tasted and judged. The top three entries receive cash prizes and have their recipes featured on missouriwine.org.

The Missouri Wine Tent:

Located near the grandstand, the Missouri Wine Tent is a great place to escape the heat and discover new, award-winning local wines. A 15-foot tall inflatable wine bottle will let you know you’ve arrived (and is the perfect selfie spot in our opinion). The Missouri Wine Tent features a wide range of wines crafted in the Show Me state. It’s a great place to relax with friends, and a must stop on your trip to the fair.

Missouri Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Classes:

During the MO State Fair on Thursdays and Fridays at 12 and 2pm, and Saturdays at 12pm, we offer fun, interactive wine tastings in the Missouri Wine Tent. This year we will walk participants through the best way to taste wine and how to pair local wine with local cheese and chocolate with samples of each. Classes fill up fast, so be sure to sign up at the Missouri Wine Tent. Cost is $5 per person.

Missouri Wines at the Leisure Travel Showcase:

On the second Thursday of the fair, August 17, we will participate in the Leisure Travel Showcase with a booth offering information about the local wine industry as well as goodies to giveaway, and in the afternoon a tasting. Be sure to get your wristband for the tasting while they last!

See you at the MO State Fair! 

Vignoles is the most widely grown white grape in the state, and for good reason. It makes truly delicious wines. Light, fruity and refreshing, Vignoles wines are the ideal complement to your favorite summer foods. Celebrate this versatile varietal with us during Vignoles Month (AKA August).

Vignoles, pronounced veen-yole, is a French-American hybrid grape created to be hardy, making it a good fit for the demanding weather conditions of the Midwest. There are 260 acres of Vignoles in the vineyards of Missouri wine country, 15.4 percent of all grapes grown in the state.

Winemakers use this popular white varietal for wines ranging in sweetness. At the recent Missouri Wine Competition, three very different styles of wine made from Vignoles grapes all won Best of Class honors. A Dry Vignoles from Adam Puchta Winery took the title in the dry white wine category. Augusta Winery’s 2016 Vignoles, a semi-sweet wine, took the honor in its category, and a Late Harvest Vignoles from Stone Hill Winery also won Best of Class. These three wines are drastically different, but all delicious and all made from Vignoles.

Aromas of tropical fruit, floral notes, and citrus accompany a plethora of fruity flavors, most notably pineapple in Missouri Vignoles wines. The fruity characteristics open an exciting range of food pairing possibilities. Dryer Vignoles wines go well with fresh fruit, swiss cheese and curries. Sweeter Vignoles wines match up remarkably well with spicy foods. The sweetness helps put out the fire. Try a glass with spicy Mexican or Asian dishes. Late Harvest Vignoles is the perfect pair for cheesecake or crème brûlée.

Head out to Missouri wine country or your local wine retailer this August and discover Missouri’s most popular white wine in all of its styles. Find your favorite!

National Chicken Wing Day is celebrated on July 29^th, but wings are a favorite for many year-round. Why not match up this delicious dish with a local wine for a winning flavor combo? There are countless styles and recipes for wings, but when selecting a wine to pair, keep in mind the sauce and spice level. Sweet cuts heat. So, if you like spicy wings, put out the fire with a slightly sweeter Missouri wine. Match up or complement the most dominant flavor of the sauce with the flavors and aromas of the wine. 

We’ve made some pairing suggestions for nine classic types of wings to get you started on your wings and wine adventure.

• Classic Buffalo + Vignoles
• Savory BBQ + Chambourcin
• Spicy BBQ + Catawba
• Garlic Parmesan + Chardonel
• Caribbean Jerk + Traminette
• Teriyaki + Vidal Blanc
• Lemon Pepper + Seyval Blanc
• Honey Mustard + Traminette
• Chipotle + Vignoles 

Mix and match to find your favorite wings and wine combo. Cheers! 

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2017 Missouri Wine Competition. For more than thirty years, local wineries have entered their wines with the hope of winning the coveted Governor’s Cup, the top award for best wine in the state. This year was no different with 308 entries from 31 different wineries across the Show Me state.

A panel of judges made up of wine experts and industry professionals from across the country spent two days in Columbia, Mo. swirling, smelling, tasting and evaluating the wines. The entire tasting is done blind. Each wine is assigned a number and the judges get very little information about the wine to avoid any possible bias.

Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, is one of our judges and he describes what the different medals mean to him, “Bronze wines strike me as wines that someone (perhaps not me, but someone with reasonable experience) might find pleasing or exciting. Silver award wines should be the sort of wines that ANY reasonable person would find exciting or at least very, very pleasing. A gold medal wine is one that I think is thrilling or at least an ideal representation of its type, style or grape. It should be the sort of wine that a judge feels strongly enough about that, if someone else doesn't agree with them, then they're nuts. EVERYONE should love a wine that you've chosen as a gold, or at least it should seem likely that any experienced judge would agree.”

Out of 308 wines, 112 were awarded bronze medals, 117 the distinction of silver medals, 26 the high honor of gold medals. From the gold medal winners the best of class were selected, and from the Best of Class winners the Governor’s Cup top award was named. Stone Hill Winery’s 2015 Norton claimed the highest honor as well as being named the C.V. Riley Award winner for best Norton, and the Best of Class Dry Red Wine.

Join us in congratulating our big winners of 2017:

• Governor’s Cup: Stone Hill Winery – 2015 Norton
• C.V. Riley Award (for best Norton): Stone Hill Winery – 2015 Norton
• Best of Class Wines:
  • Dry White: Adam Puchta Winery – Dry Vignoles
  • Semi-dry White: St. James Winery – Friendship School White
  • Sweet White: Augusta Winery – 2016 Vignoles Estate Bottled
  • Rosé: Stone Hill Winery – Rosé Montaigne
  • Dry Red: Stone Hill Winery – 2015 Norton (*That’s right; it won the Triple Crown!)
  • Sweet Red: Noboleis Vineyards – 2015 Ridgeview
  • Fruit: Pirtle Winery – Blackberry Mead
  • Late Harvest: Stone Hill Winery – 2013 Late Harvest Vignoles
  • Dessert: Stone Hill Winery – Cream Sherry

For a full list of all the medals awarded, click here. How many of these top-awarded local wines have you tried? It’s time to head out to Missouri wine country and discover which award-winning wines are your favorite! 

Véraison is a fancy French word that simply means the grapes are beginning to change color. A more complete definition is that Véraison is the beginning of berry ripening when the berries on a grape vine become soft and take on the colors characteristic of their specific varieties. What makes Véraison exciting? It means harvest is just around the corner, and the grapes are beginning to take on all of the wonderful characteristics that present themselves in the finished wine we enjoy so much.

There is nothing better than a bowl of ice cream on a hot day. Nothing except maybe 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.

Concord Wine Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup               Missouri Concord Wine

¼ cup               Super-fine Sugar (find it in the baking aisle or make it)

2 cups              Heavy Cream

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the super fine 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:

¾ 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 it has reduced by about half, approximate 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and add the milk chocolate, stirring until thoroughly melted and smooth. Let cool slightly and serve.

The 2017 Missouri Wine Competition will take place later this month. The Missouri Wine Competition has been around for more than 30 years, and we’re very excited for this year's event. Have you ever wondered what goes into putting on our wine competition? Take a behind the scenes look with us.

The Wines:

The number of wines entered in the competition varies from year to year, but this year there are 306 entries vying for awards. Wineries submit their wines in different categories based on varietal, style and sweetness level. Once the wines are entered, they’re assigned a number so the process can be blind and unbiased.

The Set-up:

The competition is not quite as glamorous as you might expect, but it certainly is impressive. Rows upon rows of wines, all labeled with their flight numbers, waiting to be poured into glasses with corresponding numbers, loaded on carts, served to the judges, tasted, spit out, and cleared. A lot of time is spent washing, polishing and labeling glassware. The wines are poured as precisely as possible, handled carefully and the entire process is treated with a great deal of respect.

The Volunteers:

The Missouri wine competition wouldn’t be possible without our volunteers. Folks from all walks of life, sharing the common trait of loving Missouri wine, make it all run smoothly. They devote three days of their time to the competition and we are extremely grateful for all their hard work. Most of the volunteers this year are returning for their second, third and even eighth years.

The Judges:

We are grateful to have some truly wonderful and well qualified judges who participate in our competition year after year. This year we are honored to have:

• Doug Frost: One of only four people in the world to hold both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine titles
• Bob Foster: Wine Writer from San Diego, CA.
• Glenn Bardgett: Sommelier and Wine Director at Annie Gunn’s Restaurant
• Andrey Ivanov: Advanced Sommelier and Beverage Director at Reed’s American Table
• Michele Meyer: Winemaker at Holy-Field Vineyard and Winery
• Catherine Neville: Publisher of Feast Magazine
• Patricia Wamhoff: Advanced Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator

The Awards:

These esteemed judges will do a blind tasting and vote on whether they think each wine is worthy of a bronze, silver or gold medal. They’re looking at each wine for how well it represents its class. Is it a good representation of a semi-dry white wine, a Chambourcin, or a port-style dessert wine, etc. The wines awarded gold medals will move on for a chance to take home coveted Best of Class distinctions. Those that make the cut as Best of Class are then considered for the top honor of Governor’s Cup.

Missouri wineries make a wide variety of wines from big and bold dry reds like Norton, to light and fruity semi-dry Vignoles. In July, we celebrate the sweeter side of local wine with Concord Month. Concord is a fan favorite in Missouri. It’s a sweet red wine that pairs perfectly with hot summer days in Missouri!

The Concord grape has an interesting origin story. It was cultivated by Ephraim Wales Bull in 1849. Bell desired to create a hardy grape that could withstand the harsh northeastern climate of the United States. He planted seeds from the native species growing on his farm and evaluated 22,000 seedlings before he settled on what he considered the perfect grape. Bell named the variety after the town where he planted the grape, the village of Concord, Massachusetts.

What made it ideal for withstanding the demanding weather of the northeast, also lets it thrive in the Midwest. Concord vines tolerate our cold winters and hot summers well. There are 120 acres of the grape variety grown in Missouri, accounting for seven percent of the grapes grown in the state.

Concord wines are deep, dark plum in appearance and have a soft, yet robust mouthfeel. They embody the quintessential grape flavor and aroma… think Concord grape jam or Welch’s grape juice. The sweet, fruity wine pairs well with grilled pork chops and barbecue, aged cheeses, peanut butter, ice cream and truffles.

Most wineries in the Show Me state have at least one Concord based wine. Head out to wine country to discover the sweeter side of Missouri wines this July! 

Salads are a summer staple at lunch and dinner time. They’re nice and light on a warm day and a great way to use fresh, seasonal vegetables. They can present a little bit of a challenge when it comes to pairing them with your favorite wines though. Let’s break down the best way to find the perfect local wine to go with your summer salad favorites.

The first and most important thing to do is identify what is the most prominent flavor of the salad. Is it the dressing, or maybe it’s the protein or a flavorful cheese? Picking out the overarching flavor is a great way to start your pairing selection. For example, if the dressing is a tart, citrusy vinaigrette, look for a wine with bright acidity and citrus notes such as a delicious Missouri Vidal Blanc. Once you’ve identified the primary flavor profile, use this interactive guide to match the ideal wine.

Pairing suggestions:

• Citrus Salad with Grilled Chicken + Vidal Blanc
• Southwest Salad with Seasoned Beef and Grilled Corn + Rosé
• Goat Cheese and Berry Salad + Seyval Blanc
• Spinach Salad with Bacon and Bleu Cheese + Chambourcin
• Chef Salad + Chardonel
• Spicy Asian Chicken Salad + Vignoles

Cheers to salad season! Share your favorite summer salad and Missouri wine pairing with us on social media by using the hashtag #MOwine.