Even prior to Missouri gaining statehood, agriculturalists across the state utilized diversification as a business tactic for success. Incorporating other forms of production ensures fluid income for small businesses as the economy ebbs and flows. The heritage found in Missouri’s wine industry easily mirrors the state’s beef industry. They also complement flavors with beef being a staple in pairings for Missouri-grown wine varietals. As Beef Month is wrapping up, we wanted to share a few diversified wineries that produce beef, as well as market and sell it on their menus and in their tasting rooms.

White Mule Winery – Owensville, Missouri

Charlie and Karen Schlottach have been raising cattle on their century farm in Owensville, Missouri for many years prior to opening White Mule Winery. Their cow-calf beef operation consists of around 200 head of crossbred cattle with an emphasis on steers that are grass-fed and grain finished. The presence of marbling in their meat is a priority, making their Hereford and Black Angus cattle crossbreds a great fit for the hand selected steers they feed out. They also keep their high-quality selection of replacement females from calves produced each year. Their son Gus assists with the family beef business but also runs Lyon Country Meats. His USDA inspected processing plant serves a variety of customers by offering custom processing, as well as retail and wholesale pork and beef products. Gus, who serves as the winemaker at White Mule Winery, brings this quality meat to the winery menu, making pairings easy for date night or family dinners. Every Friday and Saturday night, locals and visitors enjoy their open fire grilled steak. Saturday night’s menu also includes burgers and beef kabobs. Roast beef is served on Sunday along with their famous pan-fried chicken. Beef steaks and burger are available for sale at the winery as well. The Schlottach’s take pride in their family businesses and believe their winery, beef operation and meat processing market all bring the best out of each other. Sustainability has increased by using manure as fertilizer on hay fields and vineyards. This family farm has been able to sustain for many years from utilizing diversified practices. It is evident that Gus sees the same potential, hoping for the farm and White Mule Winery to sustain for years to come.

Windy Wine Company – Osborn, Missouri

The Keesaman family has been raising registered livestock for more than 50 years on their family’s Century Farm. Ken began their herd of Red Angus cattle in the 1970s. It has expanded into a large cow-calf operation with around 400 head. Windy Wine Company has been a newer addition to the family operation but is certainly just as celebrated as their cattle. While attending college, Kraig approached his father, Ken, about returning to the family farm, but adding a new business into the mix. At the time, Kraig was working at a winery and wanted to bring his skill and craft into creating a winery of his own. Although Kraig grew up around beef cattle, he wanted to explore something different and saw winemaking as the challenge he needed. Ken agreed to adding the winery to the family farm, as long as there was a red wine that featured their breed, hence their Norton named Angus Red. The winery sits on land acquired by Kraig’s great grandfather in 1881. Beef sticks and summer sausage are just a couple offerings guests can purchase to enjoy at the winery. Packaged meat can be purchased to prepare at home as well. Kraig hopes to expand the menu to include burgers and other beef-based dishes for guests to enjoy in the future. KK Farms Meats processes all of their products at USDA inspected facilities and are processed under the same name as their private label. Kraig’s brother Kody and his son Kolton work with Ken full-time on their beef operation. They take pride in their beef genetics and sell registered Red Angus breeding stock to other beef producers nationwide. Ken has often delivered a few bottles of Angus Red while delivering bulls to customers. Kraig enjoys how the winery and beef operation work in sync, providing fluidity between different customers and potential opportunities. Sustainability is used as every chance, as it improves each side of their business. Pairing his beef and Missouri wine varietals is easy to do for Kraig. By adding the winery, he hopes to continue the vitality of his family farm for years to come.

Westphalia Winery – Westphalia, Missouri

Terry and Mary Neuner are well-known for their Wagyu cattle and wine. In addition to owning and operating Westphalia Winery, they also operate Maries River Wagyu. The Neuners were some of the first beef producers to raise the breed in the state. Terry has more than 20 years of experience with Wagyu and still craves new experiences and learning more about how to keep improving as a cattleman. Wagyu beef has high marbling characteristics and is viewed as a premium beef product around the world. The Neuners had the foresight to see what this beef breed would become to consumers. Scott Berhorst helps manage the beef operation and vineyard from day to day. Terry and Scott take cattle to market each week to be processed at a USDA inspected facility and generated into packaged beef offerings such as steaks and burger. This premium product is enjoyed by locals and others who seek the high-quality meat produced by the Neuners. It is offered to purchase in their tasting room and also ordered online.  Terry takes pride in producing things the right way and believes it is evident in the quality his businesses produce. Their award-winning wines pair easily with beef but experience one of the best pairings by enjoying it alongside a cut of Maries River Wagyu beef.

Explore the bountiful options of high-quality beef and wine throughout the state of Missouri. Share your findings with us on social media by tagging #missouriwine and @missouriwine.

Missouri wine country is the perfect place to explore. Missouri's wineries and vineyards offer it all, whether you're looking for adventure, local agriculture, a fun evening with friends, or a sunny patio just to kick back and relax. To celebrate all the experiences you can have while sipping a glass of the Show Me State's finest wines, we curated a Missouri Wine Scavenger Hunt just in time for National Scavenger Hunt Day.

To participate, capture any of these ten sights you will find in Missouri wine country. Snap a pic and tag #exploreMOwines to be entered in a drawing to win some wine-themed prizes. Each picture counts as one entry, so the more pictures you capture at Missouri wineries, the more chances you have to win. Post your pictures as you travel - deadline for all photos is October 1.

1.Take a picture in a cellar.

2.Snap a photo in a vineyard.

3.Find and photograph a historical landmark related to a winery or the grape industry.

4.Grab a quick shot of a riddling rack.

5.Pose with your favorite winery team member.

6.Take a 'Gram-worthy pic of your favorite meal paired with a Missouri wine.

7.Snap a shot of your favorite Missouri varietal — bottle or grapes.

8.Picture any branded winery glassware featuring your favorite Missouri wine logo — at home or the winery.

9.Snap a selfie with a Rewards Uncorked window cling at a participating winery.

10.Take a shot of you or your friends enjoying a tasting at a Missouri winery.

Additionally, you can enter these pictures in the upcoming Missouri Wine: Through the Glass photo contest. Be sure to look for details about the competition, as winners are invited to the Missouri Governor's Cup presentation at the Governor's Mansion in Jefferson City. There, they can rub elbows with some of the state's most award-winning winemakers and vineyard owners.

But, if two chances to be rewarded in Missouri wine country aren't enough, we recently launched a new loyalty program — Rewards Uncorked. Join this free, mobile-based program to reap the rewards from simply enjoying your time at participating wineries across the state. Users can sign up today and start earning following account set up. Just check in on your phone when you visit participating wineries, so you can rack up points to redeem for Missouri wine rewards. 

So, get out and explore Missouri wine country today, sip as you travel through the Show Me State, and enjoy the many ways you can win big with Missouri wine.

In 1965, Herb C. Barrett crossed the Gewürztraminer grape with the French-American cultivar known as Joannes Seyve 23.416 at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. The resulting grape was named Traminette, a well-known and celebrated varietal, especially in the Midwest. This final progeny produced large, moderately loose clustered grapes, similar to its famous parent, while bringing the cold hardiness and disease resistance of the lesser-known wine grape.

Johannes Seyve was a French biochemist that often utilized Seibel wine grape hybrids in his breeding program. Seibel hybrids were created from native American grape varietals, known as vitis labrusca, in the 1860s by Albert Seibel. Seyve is also credited for creating the French-American cultivar Chambourcin. His brother and father bred grapes as well, and are credited for hybrids including Seyval Blanc, which is also grown in Missouri.

It was initially bred as a table grape, but after finding stronger wine grape qualities suited to several inland states and their continental climates, vines were planted in Virginia, New York and Indiana to produce wine. It proved to be a high producing varietal with good yield and disease resistance. Traminette is grown across the state of Missouri, and is seen as an important varietal to grape producers who face similar climate challenges.

Traminette is very similar to its well-known perfumed parent in terms of flavor and aroma, yet less intense as Gewürztraminer. This floral forward white grape can have notes of apricot and peach, honey, rose, lychee, apple, passion fruit, pear and citrus. It is a versatile varietal and can be made into dry to off-dry, sweet and sparkling style wines, and even into ice wines. Its distinctive aroma can feature spicy notes as well.

In the vineyard, it is mostly low maintenance. There is little cluster thinning to be done to berries, and due to this, it is easier to maintain vine balance throughout the growing season. However, it is important to manage leaf canopies to guarantee the grapes get enough sunlight. Berry exposure ensures the formation of monoterpenes, the main contributors to the floral aroma. Traminette’s root system thrives in a variety of soil types and has a high disease tolerance. When the grapes turn a light gold or yellow, it is time to harvest the mature fruit from the vines. In the off season, Traminette can survive the cold and its hardy nature protects it from winter damage.

Did you learn something new about Traminette? Tag us on social with your favorite Missouri Traminette wine. If you haven’t had the chance to try this fabulous floral varietal, pursue it next time during your travels in Missouri wine country.

As a little girl in South Africa, Luzaan Bahr knew even then that she wanted to do something “different.” She grew up in a fairly rural area around many forms of agriculture. Luzaan craved new experiences, new places and growth beyond her small hometown. This adamant curiosity led her to discover her passion for grape growing and winemaking, which has taken her around the world.

As soon as she started working at a winery, she knew she had found her vocation. The hands-on labor required in the vineyard and working outdoors was alluring to her. Combine that with the science, creativity and caretaking needed for making wine and she easily selected it for her future. However, it wasn’t an easy educational path to pursue. Luzaan received her degree in viticulture and enology from the world-renowned wine program at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. The popular program is competitive, as it is a top three program nationally and it’s work with sister school University of California – Davis is widely recognized.

After graduation, she continued to add to her resume working for several more wineries. In 2015, she was offered a job in Oregon to help with harvest, which she took, and was then was hired in a full-time role a few months later. While in Oregon, she met Nathan Bahr, a Missouri native and her future husband. She stayed at Union Wine Company for four years, assisting with the rapid growth of the business, quality control and emerging trend-setting products. Underwood, the original wine in a can, as well as other wine offerings helped Union Wine Company become the largest winery in the state of Oregon in less than three years. The demanding time and energy from this high-paced environment, combined with the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, forced Luzaan and Nathan to reevaluate career paths.

While visiting Nathan’s family in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, Luzaan once joked that they should move there. Nathan quickly quipped back that he would never move back to his hometown. Fate’s humor soon took precedence. Nathan and Luzaan had recently invested in a camper and reduced their belongings to focus on living simply. This flexibility led to four months on the road visiting the country, eventually stopping in Ste. Genevieve. After arriving and seeing new opportunities with his family farm, they decided to stay and create a new journey in the Midwest.

After their return to Ste. Genevieve, Nathan was pruning vines at Cave Vineyard and discovered that the owner wanted a transition of work responsibilities. Marty Strussione, self-taught winemaker and vineyard patriarch, was looking to take a step back from winemaking and vineyard work after many years of hard labor. Marty’s focus shifted to other parts of the family winery and distillery business, often working directly with his children and grandchildren. This family involvement was, and still is, top priority. Nathan knew Luzaan would enjoy both the wine work as well as working with Marty. Nathan brought Luzaan into the fold, where she fit perfectly for the role, the varietals and with the Strussione family.

After many years of working with vitis vinifera cultivars, Luzaan had once again found a thirst for new skills, information and experiences within the wine industry. Missouri’s different varietals and vitis labrusca grapes solidified a new challenge which she excitedly accepted.

“This is my dream job,” Luzaan said glowingly, “I have definitely hit the jackpot working for Cave Vineyard.”

She proudly manages every step of the winemaking process and works with Marty on the final product. Whether in the vineyards or in the lab, Luzaan thrives off of the new opportunities for her that lie ahead with Missouri wines.  Cave Vineyard and Winery grow all their own grapes on roughly 15 acres of self-owned land. Vignoles, Traminette, Norton and Chambourcin are their current varietals, with new acres of Seyval being planted this year. Marty still enjoys helping with taste-testing and quality control, and is very active with the winery and distillery business. 

Luzaan admits she still has a lot to learn about navigating the terroir and winemaking with Missouri grapes. However, the potential to grow and master these new opportunities is what drives her passion forward. Her past experience with other cultivars brings a freshness to the strong foundation at her Cave Vineyard and Winery.

Harvest is her favorite time of year - seeing the fruits of her labor come to a final product, to then again ferment into a new challenge. Luzaan admits Chardonel is one of her favorite varietals because of its versatility, countered with Norton being the most challenging to manage in the vineyard. Vineyards in Oregon were not close to the winery, often being an hour away or more, just to turn in another direction to monitor more vines another hour away. Luzaan loves having the vines she manages close by to monitor and care for as she believes they should be cared for. Growth and progress are sure to be made when care is intentional and thorough, “just like other plants,” she jokes. Luzaan is proud of her role as winemaker and hopes to keep expanding the definition of her title for years to come. Whether expanding Cave Vineyard and Winery’s offerings, or eventually creating a label of her own, she believes the future of Missouri wines is bright and strong, just as its past.

Share your travels to Cave Vineyard and Winery on social media with us by tagging #missouriwine and @missouriwine.

This smooth Mexican cheese dip made with Missouri white wine is sure to please a crowd. Made for dipping or serving over your favorite Mexican dishes, this queso will add some extra flavor to your next Taco Tuesday.

Serves 12

Total time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

4 oz can of green chili’s

¼ c jalapeño diced – 1-2 whole jalapeños depending on size

¼ c dry white wine – we used Seyval Blanc

½ pound white American cheese

4 oz Monterey Jack cheese

½ c heavy whipping cream

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp garlic salt

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Taco seasoning – to taste

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add chili’s and jalapenos and simmer until fragrant (about 3 minutes).
2. Add wine. Stirring occasionally, bring mixture to a low boil and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in American cheese and Monterey Jack. Add heavy cream and stir until smooth.
4. Add cumin, garlic salt and cayenne pepper. Add taco seasoning to taste, if desired.
5. Serve as a dip or over your favorite dish and enjoy!