Chambourcin truffles are a delectable treat that combines the luxurious flavor of dark chocolate with the rich, fruity notes of Chambourcin wine. These decadent treats are perfect for any occasion, whether you want to impress your guests at a dinner party or indulge in a sweet treat for yourself. Each bite is a heavenly experience, with a smooth, creamy texture and a burst of flavor that will leave you wanting more.

INGREDIENTS:

8 OZ bittersweet chocolate

1/3 C heavy cream

1 TSP espresso powder

1 TSP unsweetened cocoa powder

3 TBSP dry red wine (we used Mathany Family Vineyards’ 2019 Chambourcin)

1 TSP pure vanilla extract

(OPTIONAL) Toppings – Sprinkles, melted dark chocolate, dehydrated fruits

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Finely chop the chocolate and place into a medium heat-safe bowl.
2. Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and place pan over medium heat. Heat until it is barely below a boil.
3. Place heavy cream into the bowl with the chocolate. Add espresso powder and cocoa powder. Stir the mixture slowly.
4. Stir in the red wine and vanilla extract. Place bowl into the refrigerator to firm up for up to 40 minutes.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop into mounds. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Shape the mounds into a ball with your hand and roll in toppings of your choice.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Indulge in the rich and decadent flavors of Chambourcin truffles, infused with the finest Missouri wine. A heavenly treat for the taste buds and a true celebration of local flavors.

Fall in love with this bubbly blend of Missouri wines and pumpkin spice. Sip, savor, and let the flavors cozy up to your taste buds. It's the perfect pick-me-up for cool autumn nights.

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz. Sweet White Wine (We used Stonehaus Farms Vignoles)

1 oz. Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Seltzer

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add ice to shaker
2. Pour 1 oz. of pumpkin spice syrup and 4 oz. of sweet white wine into shaker, and shake
3. Strain mixture into a glass
4. Top with seltzer
5. Enjoy!

Whether you're enjoying it at a cozy bonfire with friends or sipping it on your front porch, this spritzer is sure to bring a smile to your face. So, the next time you're in the mood for a festive and flavorful beverage, give this Pumpkin Spice Spritzer a try – your taste buds will thank you!

Looking for a medium-bodied, red wine that is fruity, yet earthy? Chambourcin is a great gateway to dry red wines and a perfect staple for this fall.

Chambourcin is a grape variety that grows exceptionally well in the state of Missouri, making it one of Autumn's best assets. The grape produces a rich, medium-bodied red wine that is perfect for the cooler months. When the leaves start to change and the air becomes crisp, a trip to Missouri's wine country is a must-do activity.

If you're a wine lover, then you will definitely want to give this wine a try! This red French-American hybrid grape is a treasure in the world of wine, thanks to its rich color and depth. Not only is it known for its beautiful color, but it's also celebrated during the month of November.

When you smell this wine, you'll get hints of cherry and light oak, while on the palate, it's earthy with strong notes of dark cherry. This versatile wine pairs well with a variety of dishes, including pork loin, burgers, short ribs, red sauce, mushrooms, applesauce, strawberries, figs, brie, camembert, walnuts, cobbler and chocolate cake.

So, go ahead and pour yourself a glass of Chambourcin this month and enjoy the rich flavors and aromas!

Brrr, it's soup season! And, we've got two of our absolute favorite things on the menu: Missouri wines and soul-warming soups. We've cooked up a brand new guide to help you pair the perfect Missouri varietal with your favorite soups. Get sipping and slurping!

Spooky season is here and we are ready to celebrate. Halloween movies are a staple of the season and what better way to watch them than with wine!

Turn on a Halloween movie and relax with a glass of Missouri wine.

Catawba + Clue – Catawba is a sweet wine that finishes with a floral and woodsy twist that we think would pair great with the 1985 classic film Clue. This film is fairly light-hearted and ends with an unexpected twist, keeping you on your toes until the very end.

Chambourcin + The Shining – If you dare to watch this scary movie, pour yourself a glass of Chambourcin to get through it! The plot of The Shining is dark and twisted, with lots of depth mixed with psychic premonitions and dark secrets. Chambourcin is known for its rich color that adds depth to many red blends, making it the perfect dark wine to pair with this frightening movie.

Chardonel + Scary Movie – With its dry sense of humor and embody of classic scenes from famous scary movies, Scary Movieis a great way to get a laugh and a little spooked. Pair it with a glass of Chardonel, a dry white wine that embodies both Seyval Blanc and Chardonnay. This dryer white wine is best fit for this not-so-scary Scary Movie.

Concord + Casper – A sweet red wine with aromas of candy and notes of jam is the perfect wine to pair with Casper, a sweet film about a young ghost who haunts a mansion in Maine. America fell in love with Concord grapes just like how Casper fell in love in the movie. Pair the two together and you’ll have a delightful sweet treat.

Norton + Halloween – Alike to our classic varietal of Missouri, this 1978 authentic Halloween film about Michael Myers is a must watch during this season. This dark and deceiving plot goes great alongside a glass of Norton, a rich and layered wine. Norton is known for being bold and full-bodied, alike to this complex plot that will keep you watching until the very end.

Red Blend + Sleepy Hollow – This 1999 classic film mixes horror, fantasy and romance to tell the classic tale of Sleepy Hollow. Our Missouri red blends are also a mix of flavors and red wine varietals, with each blend different from the others. Watch this extraordinary film while you sip on an anything but ordinary wine.

Rosé + Haunted Mansion – A specialty wine that can be made sweet or dry is the perfect pairing for Haunted Mansion, a 2023 film that is on the lighter side but can be spooky too. Paired together, they both offer a sweet and dry aroma, with moments of laughter and fright.

Seyval Blanc + Hocus Pocus – Herbal spices, pear and oak. All aromas that sound like they could be boiling in a witch’s stew. These flavors, however, make up the crisp and clean taste of a Seyval Blanc. Pour a glass of this unique wine and watch Hocus Pocus, a film about evil witches who are accidently released into the world and must be stopped before it’s too late.

Sparkling + Scream – Scream, a modern horror classic that involves both tension and self-parody, is a great film to pair with a glass of Sparkling wine. This wine can be made sweet or dry, with aromas of fresh fruit and flowers. Following the plot of the movie, the victims are not always the ones you’d expect, just like the taste of sparkling wine.

Traminette + The Addams Family – The Addams Family is anything but normal. They live a fun and complex life, with a twist of thrill. Alike to their family, Traminette is a complex wine with a touch of spice on the end. It has floral aromas, citrus fruit and a tangy acidity. Watch The Addams Family and follow along their mysterious lives, just as you follow along the diverse aromas of Traminette.

Vidal Blanc + Young Frankenstein – For those of us who cannot recall the classic story of Frankenstein and Transylvania, we recommend watching Young Frankenstein. This vintage film follows Dr. Frederick Frankenstein who inherits his infamous grandfather’s estate in Transylvania. One experiment lead to another and he creates his own monster Frankenstein. Pair it with a glass of Vidal Blanc, a dry white wine that finishes sweet, just like the story of Young Frankenstein.

Vignoles + Charlie Brown & The Great Pumpkin – Vignoles is a very versatile grape, it can be dry or sweet or in between. Alike to the versatility of Vignoles, Charlie Brown & The Great Pumpkin is a film for everyone. Whether you are younger or older, you will enjoy this cute classic that embodies all things fall.

As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy a glass of Missouri wine during fall. Turn on your favorite Halloween movie because its spooky season here at Missouri Wines!

This 3-ingredient wine spritzer is easy, and refreshing for a warm fall day. With the combination of cranberry and apple, it adds the flavors of the season to the light and fruitiness of Vignoles.

INGREDIENTS

3 parts Vignoles (We used Jowler Creek Vineyards 2022 Vignoles)

1 part Cran-Apple Juice

Club Soda

RECIPE

1. Add ice to a glass.
2. Pour 3 parts of vignoles and 1 part cran-apple juice into glass.
3. Top with a splash of club soda.
4. Add additional cran-apple to taste.

It’s simple, delicious and can be used with your favorite Missouri white wine.

Fall is one of the best seasons in Missouri. The change in weather, celebrations with friends and family, and spiced wine-tails make this season enjoyable. We took one of our favorite celebration desserts and made it into a wine-tail.

INGREDIENTS

3 oz. Apple Cider

¾ oz. Cinnamon Schnapps

1 tbsp Cinnamon Simple Syrup

3 oz. Sparkling Wine (we used Stone Hill’s Blanc de Blancs)

(optional) Cinnamon Sugar

RECIPE

1. In a small sauce pot, add the water and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, and remove cinnamon sticks.
3. Bring cinnamon water back to a boil, add sugar, and stir until sugar is dissolved.
4. Place cinnamon simple syrup aside.
5. In a shaker, add ice, apple cider, cinnamon schnapps, and cinnamon simple syrup. Shake until well-chilled.
6. Use apple to rim glass and dip rim into cinnamon sugar mixture.
7. Strain mixture into glass.
8. Top with sparkling wine
9. Garnish with an apple slice.

This cinnamon-forward dessert in a glass is the perfect drink for a cool fall day. Cheers!

“You need to have the passion for agriculture and never lose it because that is what drives the winery,” says Sarah Schmidt, Baltimore Bend Winery Co-Owner.

Passion is certainly what drives Sarah, as her and her co-owners are rapidly approaching 20 years in the wine industry. Sarah says that it is a family business, starting back in 1997 alongside her parents and brother.

“We wanted to start this winery because of our love for the creation of wine itself. We were all wine drinkers and wanted to share what we were growing in the vineyard,” Sarah says. Although they had been growing grapes for several years prior, the tasting room did not open until November 3, 2003.

Their goal for opening the tasting room was to try out their own craft, bringing together the science of making wine and the creativity of flavors. It was about sharing with customers and the public, Sarah says.

Reflecting back on the past 20 years, Sarah says that their business has evolved greatly. Not only is their physical building different, with the addition of outdoor seating and an updated tasting room; their expansion into the wholesale market has also helped their business grow.

As many winery owners and agriculturists know, the wine industry has certainly not been easy. Sarah says they have had to adjust to changes in weather, as well as the economy. “We are weathering the storm after 20 years, continuing to just keep moving forward,” she says.

With every falling low, there has been an equal rising high for Baltimore Bend Winery. “It has been fun and interesting to see the progression of the wine industry,” Sarah says. “When we got into business 20 years ago, we were the 52nd or 53rd winery in the state. Now, there are more than 128 wineries.”

In addition to co-owning Baltimore Bend, Sarah also serves as a member of the Wine Marketing and Research Council. The Wine Marketing and Research Council is the check-off program with funds going towards research and marketing projects that promote the consumption of Missouri grape and wine products.

While serving, Sarah says she strives to be the voice for smaller wineries. “Baltimore Bend is not a big winery so I think that projects that are brought to the Council for funding, whether it is for marketing or vineyard research, influence my operation differently,” she says. “I try to look at it from the perspective of a mid to smaller winery and if it would be impactful for the entire industry.”

After taking a step back and seeing all that Baltimore Bend Winery has achieved over the past 20 years, Sarah says she is eager to celebrate the winery’s big anniversary. The winery plans to hold events this year on November 10 and 11.

Partnering with Lex-La-Ray Technical Center’s Culinary Arts program, Nov.10 will entail a small plate food and wine pairing. “We wanted to give experience to the students, as well as just give back to the community,” Sarah says.

The celebration will continue into Saturday, Nov. 11, with all day festivities such as live music, a food truck, and plenty of wine, Sarah says. In addition, Baltimore Bend Winery will be releasing a special edition wine release with a special label commemorating 20 years in business.

November 3, 2003 will always hold a special place in Sarah’s heart. It was the day the tasting room opened 20 years ago. A love for agriculture and a passion for wine is what has driven her and her family to achieve all they have for Baltimore Bend Winery.

Click here to Learn More about Baltimore Bend Winery.

The French 75 is a classic in the cocktail world, so we decided to put a twist on it. Meet the new and improved, Apple French 75.

Ingredients (yields 1 drink)

1 oz. gin

½ oz. apple cider

3 oz. sparkling wine (we used Stone Hill Winery’s Blanc de Blancs)

1 oz. cinnamon simple syrup

(OPTIONAL) Cinnamon sugar mixture

(OPTIONAL) Apple slices

Cinnamon Simple Syrup

2 cups water

1 ½ cups sugar

4 cinnamon sticks

Recipe

1. In a small sauce pot, add the water and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, and remove cinnamon sticks.
3. Bring cinnamon water back to a boil, add sugar, and stir until sugar is dissolved.
4. Place cinnamon simple syrup aside.
5. In a shaker, add ice, gin, apple cider, and cinnamon simple syrup and shake until well-chilled.
6. Rim glass with apple and dip into cinnamon sugar mixture
7. Strain the mixture into a champagne flute.
8. Top with sparkling wine
9. Garnish with apple slice

With spice from the cider to the sweetness from the simple syrup, this cocktail is the perfect beverage to transition into fall.