This Chambourcin Cranberry Sauce, or Cham-berry Sauce if you’re in a hurry, is easy to make, stores well, and adds tangy flavor to a wide range of dishes. This recipe should definitely make it on to your Thanksgiving table, but it’s also great with pork, as a condiment on sandwiches, served over warm brie, or as simply as spread on your morning toast. Missouri Chambourcin, a dry red wine, really kicks up the flavor and complexity of this sauce. Give it a try today!

Recipe

Time: 30-40 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 bag (12oz) fresh cranberries
• 1 cup Missouri Chambourcin wine
• 1 medium navel orange 
• 2-3 (1/4 in thick) slices of fresh ginger [or ½ tsp ground]
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Zest and juice the orange, reserve.

Add sugar and water to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and heat until sugar is fully dissolved.

Rinse cranberries, add to pot and stir to coat in the sugar, water mixture.

Place lid over pot and increase heat to a gentle simmer until all cranberries have popped.

While simmering… Peel and slice the ginger (Crush with the flat of a knife or the back of a spoon just before adding to help release the flavors.)

Sandwiches may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about wine pairings, but after this, they’ll probably rank a little higher. There are few dishes in the world that are more customizable than the sandwich. That could be why November 3^rd was named Sandwich Day. Use this guide to build your favorite sandwich and find the perfect Missouri wine to pair with it. 

Sandwiches aren’t just for lunch anymore. Enjoy a delicious sandwich and Missouri wine pairing, today! 

Trick or treat!  Did you know some of your favorite Missouri wines pair well with Halloween candy?  Whether you’re planning a Halloween bash or simply want to enjoy a glass, we’ve got you covered.  Here’s our wine and Halloween candy pairing suggestions.

Candy Corn + Chardonel 

Dark Chocolate + Norton 

Mounds (or Almond Joy) + Vignoles 

Pumkin Kisses + Traminette 

Gummy Worms + Pink Catawba 

Peanut Butter Cups + Concord 

Pasta is a favorite on most dinner tables because it’s easy to make, inexpensive and there are limitless options and combinations. What could be better than a delicious bowl of pasta for supper? Pairing it perfectly with an award-winning Missouri wine, that’s what! Bonus… October 25^th is World Pasta Day and the ideal time to find out which pasta and Missouri wine combo is a match for you. 

October 4^th is Taco (Tues)Day! There seems to be a day for everything, but who wouldn’t want to celebrate the delicousness that is… the taco?! And to top it off, Taco Day falls on a Tuesday this year. Most of the time when you order tacos, you may think of accompanying them width a beer or tequila cocktail, but don’t count wine out. Vino has a long history in Mexico (The oldest winery in North/Central America is in Coahuila, Mexico [Est. 1597].) and pairs incredibly well with Mexican dishes like tacos. Let’s talk pairings!

There are three primary components to consider when pairing wine and tacos:

1. Sweet cuts heat! The spicier the dish, the sweeter and colder the wine should be to help put out the fire. Wines with high alcohol content and tannins will intensify the burn, so avoid those if you like your tacos spicy.
2. Color coding: The stand-by rule of white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat, works fairly well with most dishes, including tacos. That being said… rosé wines can often toe the line and work with both red and white meats.
3. Is it herb-y? Fresh, green herbs tend to work well with acidic wines that have herbaceous flavors. So, if you’re one of the people that piles on the cilantro, reach for a Missouri Vidal Blanc to go with your tacos.

Mouthwatering Match-ups:

• Chicken Tacos + Vidal Blanc
• Tacos de Carne Asada + Chambourcin
• Carnitas Tacos + Dry Rosé (or Catawba if they’re super spicy)
• Chorizo Tacos + Vignoles
• Veggie Tacos (Mushroom, Onion, Peppers) + Chardonel
• Fish Tacos + Seyval Blanc

Try these pairings and enjoy #TacoDay with #MOwine!

The Missouri wine industry has an annual economic impact of $1.76 billion. We’d like to introduce you to all the different wines the Show Me State has to offer. As you’re sure to have noticed, the weather patterns in Missouri can range from hot and humid, to downright frigid, and everything in between. As a result, local vintners grow mostly Native American and hybrid grapes that can handle our demanding weather. Learn more about these hardy grapes and the delicious wines they become.

Norton is a Native American red grape that produces big, bold dry red wines. Norton (AKA Cynthiana) was named the Official State Grape of Missouri in 2003 and is the most commonly grown grape in the state.

Chambourcin (pronounced sham-bor-san) is a French-American hybrid grape often made into earthy, dry red wines and refreshing rosés. Chambourcin is very food friendly and it’s a great “gateway red” for those just starting out.

Catawba is a Native American grape that makes delightful rosé style wines. Catawba wines range in hue from pink to orange and are perfect for sipping on a warm summer day.

Concord is also a Native American grape and wines made from it are usually luscious, sweet red wines. Concord is the quintessential ‘grape’ flavor and a fan favorite at many Missouri wineries. 

Vignoles (pronounced veen-yole) is the most popular white grape in the state and is used to make everything from Late Harvest dessert wines, to refreshing, fruity dry whites. Most frequently, you’ll find semi-sweet to semi-dry Vignoles wines with wonderfully fruity aromas and flavors. No wonder it’s so popular!

Vidal Blanc is an incredibly versatile grape and you’ll find wines made from it in the dessert, sparkling, semi-dry, and crisp, refreshing dry wine categories. It’s delicious and award-winning in many of its styles.

Chardonel is a hybrid grape and wines made from it are often aged on oak, producing wines similar in style and flavor to one of its parent grapes, Chardonnay. You can also find unoaked Chardonel wines at some Missouri wineries, letting more of the apple and citrus notes of the grape shine through.

Whether you’re preparing meat, seafood or vegetables, a well-made marinade can make all the difference. There are four primary components to any good marinade: Acid, Fat, Herbs + Aromatics, and Spice. Marinades are designed to impart flavor and in the case of meat, act as a tenderizer.

Building your best marinade is easy…

1. Acid: You can use anything acidic for this such as vinegar, lemon/lime juice, or wine. Obviously, we think wine is the way to go because you can customize the level of acid by which wine you select. Plus, you get the added bonus of imparting delicious, complex flavors. The amount of time you will be marinating and what you will be marinating determine how acidic the wine you choose should be. The more acid… the more tender. There is such a thing as too tender that gets into mushy territory. Lower Acid Missouri Wines: Chambourcin, Chardonel | Higher Acid Missouri Wines: Norton, Vidal Blanc
2. Fat: The classic is extra virgin olive oil, but you can use butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil… and the list goes on. Keep in mind the flavor and smoke point when selecting your fat.
3. Herbs and Aromatics: There are almost countless options to play with in this category. Everything from rosemary, to orange zest, to lavender, and everything in between. Remember dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh. You want to add flavor to the dish, not overpower it.
4. Spice: Salt and pepper are the old stand-bys, but you don’t have to stop there. Vanilla, anise, and chili powder are a few other options to consider.

As for amounts of each, it depends on how much meat/fish/vegetables you are marinating. You want to make enough to fully coat what it is marinating. Good amounts to start with are: 1 cup wine, ½  cup oil, ½- tsp - 2 tbsp herbs (less for dry, more for fresh), and ½- tsp - 2 tbsp spice. For info on how long to marinade different meats, click here.

Whichever Missouri wine you choose to use in your marinade will pair nicely with the meal when it’s finished. Cheers! 

Vignoles grapes are used to make a wide range of wines with a variety of sweetness levels, making it ideal for pairing with all kinds of foods. Use this guide to match up dishes with delicious, award-winning Missouri Vignoles! 

Your new favorite summer sipper is here! Beat the heat of August with a Missouri wine slushy. Wine slushies can be made two ways. You can combine cold wine with frozen fruit in a blender, or you can freeze wine in ice cube trays and blend it with fresh fruit. Whichever method you choose, you’re in for a delicious, refreshing treat! There are practically endless flavor combinations, but because August is Vignoles Month, this recipe uses Missouri’s favorite white wine.

Fruity Vignoles Slushy Recipe

Time: 5 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients:
10 oz Frozen Peaches 
10 oz Frozen Strawberries 
1 bottle Semi-Sweet Vignoles Wine, chilled

Directions: 
Put frozen peaches in blender. Add half the bottle of Missouri Vignoles. Blend fruit and wine until smooth and slushy. Pour into a bowl or pitcher and set aside. Place frozen strawberries in blender. Add the remaining Missouri wine. Blend until smooth and slushy. Pour slushies into glasses 2-3 ounces at a time, alternating between the flavors. Enjoy! 

Add sunshine to your summer with Vignoles and wine slushies! 

Your new favorite summer sipper is here! Beat the heat of August with a Missouri wine slushy. Wine slushies can be made two ways. You can combine cold wine with frozen fruit in a blender, or you can freeze wine in ice cube trays and blend it with fresh fruit. Whichever method you choose, you’re in for a delicious, refreshing treat! There are practically endless flavor combinations, but because August is Vignoles Month, this recipe uses Missouri’s favorite white wine. Vignoles is the most commonly grown white wine grape in the state. 

Fruity Vignoles Slushy Recipe

Time: 5 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients:
10 oz Frozen Peaches 
10 oz Frozen Strawberries 
1 bottle Semi-Sweet Vignoles Wine, chilled

Directions: 
Put frozen peaches in blender. Add half the bottle of Missouri Vignoles. Blend fruit and wine until smooth and slushy. Pour into a bowl or pitcher and set aside. Place frozen strawberries in blender. Add the remaining Missouri wine. Blend until smooth and slushy. Pour slushies into glasses 2-3 ounces at a time, alternating between the flavors. Enjoy! 

Add sunshine to your summer with Vignoles and wine slushies!