Welcome to Missouri Wines

A native of Missouri, Dr. Hofherr is currently the Chairman and CEO of St. James Winery. St. James Winery is a Midwest winery located in St. James, Missouri where it farms 185 acres of vineyards and produces 250,000 cases of wine, which it distributes in 25 states as well as the District of Columbia. St. James is the largest winery in Missouri and one of the top 10 largest wineries in the Eastern United States. The winery is one of the most awarded wineries in the Eastern United States. Its awards include numerous Best of Competition Awards as well as being recognized as the 14th most awarded winery in the world in 2014 by the World Association of Wine and Spirits Writers and Journalists in their annual ranking of the top 100 most awarded wineries. Dr. Hofherr’s education includes a BS in Microbiology from Auburn University, a MBA with a concentration of Finance from Georgia State University and a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Missouri. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst. His work experience include working for Coopers and Lybrand in their Financial Advisory Services consulting group; working for Missouri Governor Bob Holden as the Director of Agriculture and the Chief of Staff for the State of Missouri and various positions at St. James Winery over the last 25 years. In addition to his winery and industry responsibilities, Peter serves on numerous state and national boards and commissions including Missouri’s Wine and Grape Board as its Chairman; Missouri Humanities Council and the Wine Marketing Council’s Research Committee. In 2018 Ag Leaders of Tomorrow (A LOT) recognized Hofherr as Agricultural Leader of the Year.

Barbara Gibbs Ostmann has served on the Missouri Wine and Grape Board for more than 17 years. A travel, food and wine journalist, Ostmann has been writing about Missouri wine since 1975. She was the Food Editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for 18 years, syndicated food columnist for the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group for 12 years, and has co-authored 13 books. She takes bottles of Missouri wine – usually Norton – around the world on her travels. Ostmann is the founding president of the St. Louis Culinary Society, founding vice-president of the St. Louis Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, and a past board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and The Culinary Trust. She lives on a small farm near Gerald, MO.  

Chris Chinn, a fifth generation Missouri farmer from Clarence, was named Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture in January 2017 by Missouri Governor Eric R. Greitens. Director Chinn has held leadership positions in agriculture on the local, state and national level for more than 19 years, working to move the state’s agriculture industry forward.

Cory Bomgaars, Vice president of Winery Operations and Partner at Les Bourgeois Vineyards, started his career in the Missouri wine industry in the early 1990’s. After studying Biology and Chemistry at the University of Missouri, he moved to California to study viticulture and enology at the University of California Davis. Cory is passionate about the growth and development of the Missouri wine industry. For the past twenty years Cory has been instrumental in the success of his company while working towards the improvement of quality, reputation and the expansion of the Missouri wine industry.

Sarah is one of the owners of Baltimore Bend Vineyard. The first grapevines were planted in 1997 and the winery was opened in 2003. As a small business owner, Sarah has been instrumental in all aspects of the vineyard and winery’s growth over the years, and currently oversees all winemaking and vineyard operations. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a certificate in enology from Washington State University. 

Sarah serves as president of the Missouri Wine Marketing & Research Council, sits on the Missouri Wine & Grape Board and Technical Committee and is a member of the Missouri Grape Growers Association.

Jon Held grew up in a Missouri vineyard tagging alongside his parents in their original 4-acre planting of Catawba grapes in Pershing, Missouri. In 1965, his parents, Jim and Betty Held, moved to Hermann and reopened Stone Hill Winery thus beginning the reawaking of the Missouri grape and wine industry. That year also saw new vineyard plantings for the Held family and as the vines grew so did Jon’s passion for grape growing and winemaking. Jon studied Viticulture and Enology at California State University, Fresno where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1980. After graduation, Jon gained winemaking experience in Switzerland and Canada before returning to work alongside his parents in 1983. In 2017, Jon and his wife Karen purchased Stone Hill Winery where he works today as President and CEO while occasionally sneaking out to the vineyards to enjoy his passion of tending to the vines. Jon has served on numerous wine and grape industry boards and committees during his career at both the state and national level.

John LaRocca has an extensive background in the hospitality industry, showcasing his strong leadership and management skills. Currently serving as a Coordinator at the Missouri Restaurant Association, he oversees the curriculum offering culinary and management skills development for high school students. John also organizes events like the Missouri Student Invitational and leads the review of Scholar's applications.

Joan Daleo, hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, comes from a family deeply entrenched in the produce industry. Her journey began with her grandparents, Sam and Rose Daleo, who ran a retail and wholesale produce business. In 1973, her parents, Joe and Louise, opened Ole Tyme Produce in St. Louis County, where Joe meticulously selected all the fruits and vegetables. Over the years, the business expanded to serve commercial clients such as schools, restaurants, and caterers. After graduating from Reed College in 1985, Joan gained experience at PacifiCorp before returning to earn her master's from Washington University in St. Louis. She joined the family business full-time in 1993, eventually becoming President and CEO in 2001. Under her leadership, the company thrived, relocating to a modern facility in 2016 and joining Frosty Acres Brands in 2019.