MissouriLife Articles

Old Guard Wins Big

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:40:40 GMT

By Doug Frost

WITH PLENTY OF NEW WINERIES among the sixty or so in
Missouri’s market today, it’s the old guard that keeps leading the way.
That’s a strong contrast from other states; often the old guard can be
stuck in its ways, and the young Turks spearhead the improvements.

At this year’s State Fair competition, five wineries collected all nine
Best of Class awards and the Governor’s Cup. Indeed, all twenty-nine
gold medals were shared by nine wineries. Those wineries were Augusta
Winery, Blumenhof Vineyards, Crown Valley Vineyards, Cave Vineyards,
Durso Hills Vineyards, Hermannhof Winery, Montelle Winery, St. James
Winery, and Stone Hill Winery. Six of
those exemplify the old guard.

Stone Hill continues its success, both
in Missouri and in national competitions.
Stone Hill won four Best of Class
awards: The Best of Class Best Sweet
White went to Stone Hill’s 2006 Vignoles;
the Best of Class Late Harvest went to its
Late Harvest Vignoles 2005. Both these
wines are great examples of the apricot
and peach notes great Vignoles can
show, alongside notes of melon, lemon,
and apple. Not surprisingly, Stone Hill
also won the Best of Class Best Dessert/
Fortified with its lovely Port and Best of
Class Best Semi-Dry White with its 2006
Traminette.

Crown Valley took Best Sparkling Wine with their easy Chardonel
Brut 2006 (an honor Stone Hill has often earned).

Blumenhof Vineyards took Best of Class Dry White with its 2006
Seyval Blanc. It was a rather disappointing showing for many of the
Seyval Blancs, but not so with this crisp and tangy bottling.

The Governor’s Cup went to Augusta Winery’s Estate Chambourcin
2004 as did the Best of Class Dry Red, and if I could find more of this
wine, I’d send a bottle to every wine writer who has yet to discover
what this grape can do here. A smart taster might also realize that Tony
Kooyumjian, winemaker for Augusta and Montelle wineries, makes
knockout wines across the board. But he’s proven his mettle with brilliant
Chambourcin. His Reserve Red won Best of Class Best Semi-Dry
Red, and his Apple Brandy won Best of Class Best Distilled Beverage.

In future competitions, perhaps newer wineries will weigh in. But
because the 2007 vintage was challenging, in all likelihood, in next year’s
competition, as this year’s, experience will carry the day.

December 2007

Pairing the possibilities

Thu, 08 May 2008 18:28:17 GMT

6 Missouri wine trails blend wine, food, and fun

By Barbara Gibbs Ostmann

One of the most popular ways to visit wine country is via a wine trail, and Missouri has several. The trails offer a user-friendly way to explore wine areas, with tips on top sights and attractions in each area. Most wine trails sponsor special themed events throughout the year.

Patty Held-Uthlaut of Stone Hill Winery at Hermann is the state’s wine trail diva. After hearing a presentation about wine trails at a national marketing conference several years ago, she came back charged up and ready to roll. She spearheaded the Hermann Wine Trail, and her presentations on the topic at industry conferences have helped launch several wine trails in Missouri and other states.

“What’s really nice about the state’s wine trails,” Patty says, “is that they expose visitors to the wineries in our wine regions. We show them how versatile Missouri wines are by pairing the wines with foods. The wine trails have resulted in increased visits to the wineries throughout the year because people have such a good time during the trail events that they come back on their own.”

Most of the trails have some sort of passport program, by which visitors get their passports stamped at each winery and can enter prize drawings.

HERMANN WINE TRAIL

One of the best-organized Missouri wine trails is the Hermann Wine Trail (www.hermannwinetrail.com), which encompasses seven family-owned wineries in Hermann, Berger, and New Haven. The web site boasts that these wineries are the heart and soul of Missouri Wine Country, producing about one-third of the state’s total wine production. They are situated along the Missouri River, in what is called Missouri’s Rhineland. The German influence is strong, and the history is deep.

The trail organizes four main events each year, plus a bike ride. The next event will be the second annual Seven Hills of Hermann Bike Ride on June 29. This ride started last year in conjunction with the first Tour of Missouri cycling race; this year it is being held separately from the Tour. On the Very Berry Wine Trail, July 26-27, each winery will pair one of its wines with a special berry dish. Participants go from winery to winery, tasting and experimenting. The twenty-five-dollar ticket price per person includes a souvenir wineglass.

Other events include the Holiday Fare Wine Trail in November, the Chocolate Wine Trail in February, and the Hermann Norton Wine Trail in May.
For the holiday trail, each winery pairs a festive dish with a wine, creating a memorable way to usher in the holiday season. The chocolate trail ties in with Valentine’s Day; the wineries pair their wines with chocolate dishes. The Norton trail offers participants a chance to taste Norton (also called Cynthiana) wine from each winery and to talk with the various winemakers.

Detailed information about each event can be found on the web site closer to the time. The trails tend to sell out, so be sure to book early.

Participating Wineries:

Adam Puchta Winery, Hermann
573-486-5596; www.adampuchtawine.com

Bias Vineyards & Winery, Berger
573-834-5475; www.biaswinery.com

Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery, New Haven
573-237-5158; www.bommaritoestatewinery.com

Hermannhof Winery, Hermann
573-486-5959; www.hermannhof.com

OakGlenn Vineyards & Winery, Hermann
573-486-5057; www.oakglenn.com

Röbller Vineyard, New Haven
573-237-3986; www.robllerwines.com

Stone Hill Winery, Hermann
573-486-2221; www.stonehillwinery.com

ROUTE DU VIN

French heritage flavors the Route du Vin, or wine route, which meanders through the rolling hills of Ste. Genevieve County. This wine area features a bevy of new wineries and focuses on local foods and purveyors.

The wine route sponsors special events, including a progressive dinner paired with wines from each winery in June; the Wine Diva Weekend in November, which offers a girlfriend getaway while the guys are deer hunting; the Jour d’Amour weekend for Valentine’s Day in February; and the Jour de la Terre weekend in April, which focuses on cooking with herbs.

Prices vary but are generally twenty-five dollars per person, including a complimentary wineglass, plus a discount on wine purchases that day.

There is no Route du Vin web site, but each winery has brochures and trail maps. Most of the participating wineries have a Ste. Genevieve address, although many are outside the city limits.

Participating Wineries:

Cave Vineyard, Ste. Genevieve
573-543-5284; www.cavevineyard.com

Charleville Vineyard, Ste. Genevieve
573-756-4537; www.charlevillevineyard.com

Chaumette Winery, Ste. Genevieve
573-747-1000; www.chaumette.com

Ste. Genevieve Winery, Ste. Genevieve
573-883-2800; www.saintegenevievewinery.com

Twin Oaks Vineyard & Winery, Farmington
573-756-6500; www.twinoaksvineyard.com

Crown Valley Winery no longer participates in the Route du Vin but has developed its own wine trail, linking its outposts. There’s the main winery at Coffman, the Champagne House at nearby Farmington, and the Port House up north at Clarksville.

Crown Valley Winery
573-756-9463; www.crownvalleywinery.com

MISSOURI WEINSTRASSE

The Weinstrasse, which roams along the Missouri River in the Augusta area, was the state’s first wine road, long before the wine trail concept blossomed nationwide. Originally more a sense of place than an organized trail, the Weinstrasse has been reorganized and is up and running again as an official wine trail, with two special events each year in May and September. The purpose of the Weinstrasse is to educate visitors about wine and how to pair it with foods—as well as to offer a pleasant day’s outing with visits to some or all of the wineries along the route.

The scenic Weinstrasse runs through the heart of the country’s first designated American Viticultural Area. Augusta received that distinction in 1980—ahead of Napa Valley, California.

For the latest information, visit www.moweinstrasse.com.

Participating Wineries:

Augusta Winery, Augusta
636-228-4301; www.augustawinery.com

Balducci Vineyards, Augusta
636-482-8466; www.balduccivineyards.com

Montelle Winery, Augusta
636-228-4464; www.montelle.com

Sugar Creek Winery & Vineyards, Defiance
636-987-2400; www.sugarcreekwines.com

MISSOURI RIVER WINE TRAIL

The central part of the state boasts the scenic Missouri River Wine Trail (www.missouririverwinetrail.com), which runs from Rocheport to Jefferson City, with stops in Hartsburg and Holts Summit along the way.

This trail started last year and is still developing its annual events. Check the trail’s web site or any of the wineries for more information.

Participating wineries:

Les Bourgeois Winery, Rocheport
573-698-2133; www.missouriwine.com

Native Stone Winery & Bull Rock Brewery, Jefferson City
573-584-8600; www.nativestonewinery.com

Summit Lake Winery, Hartsburg and Holts Summit
573-657-0467 or 573-896-9966; www.summitlakewinery.com

OZARK MOUNTAIN REGION WINE TRAIL

Inaugurated in August 2007, the Ozark Mountain Region Trail is Missouri’s newest—and most of its wineries are new, too. At present, six wineries participate in the trail, which roams from Joplin to Seymour in the southwest corner of the state, with one or two more wineries expected to join soon. Although the wineries are fairly spread out, it’s possible to do the entire trail in a day, depending on how long you want to spend at each winery. Fairly close to Branson, the trail offers a fun side trip during a Branson vacation.

The wineries offer tastings, tours, and special events, including an Octoberfest. There is no trail web site yet, although one is in the works.

For events information, call Beth White at Le Cave Vineyards.

Participating wineries:

Keltoi Vineyard, Oronogo
417-642-6190; www.keltoivineyard.com

Le Cave Vineyards, Billings
417-744-4122; www.lecavevineyards.com

OOVVDA Winery, Springfield
417-833-4896; www.oovvda.com

Whispering Oaks Vineyard &Winery, Seymour
417-935-4103; www.whisperingoakswinery.com

White Rose Winery, Carthage
417-359-9253; www.whiterosebed-breakfast.com

Williams Creek Winery, Mt. Vernon
417-466-4076; www.williamscreekwinery.com

MARAMEC TRAIL

Not a wine trail per se, the Maramec Trail (www.maramectrail.com) includes wineries along with bed-and-breakfasts, restaurants, shops, recreation, and entertainment. Centered in and around St. James, the Ozark Highlands viticultural area reflects the early Italian heritage in the state’s wine-making industry. Today, the area celebrates its proximity to the Ozarks, with its rivers, springs, fishing, floating, hiking, and other recreational opportunities.

The spelling of the trail’s name comes from the spelling of Maramec Spring Park, which is often confused with the spelling of the Meramec River and Meramec State Park.

The Maramec Trail sponsors a bicycle ride in May and September.

Participating wineries:

Heinrichshaus Vineyards and Winery, St. James
573-265-5000; www.heinrichshaus.com

Meramec Vineyards, St. James
573-265-7847; www.meramecvineyards.com

Peaceful Bend Vineyard, Steelville
573-775-3000; www.peacefulbend.com

St. James Winery, St. James
573-265-7912; www.stjameswinery.com

Show-Me Wines

For the most up-to-date information about wine trails, visit the Missouri Wine and Grape Board's official web site, www.missouriwine.org, and click on "wine trails," or call 800-392-WINE and ask for a copy of the new Missouri Wines brochure. There are more than seventy wineries in Missouri.

June 2008

Port Wine for Stormy Winter Nights

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 03:06:25 GMT

*By Doug Frost* "Any port in a storm” goes the old saw, and it’s not hard to understand. Sailor or not, a stormy evening seems far friendlier when your hands are wrapped around a glass of rich port. Port is a fortified wine. Port and its brethren sherry and Madeira are called “fortified” because they are bolstered with distilled spirit. In the old days, a dose of spirit was added to fortify the wines for a voyage to England or farther shores. The best ports hail from Portugal. Indeed, port is named for the Portuguese port city of Oporto. But plenty of other countries and regions produce good port-styled wines. Most Missouri ports are made from the Norton grape. The intensity of the Norton grape is ideal for port, partly as a result of our intensely hot summers. Missouri’s first modern port wine of fame was Mount Pleasant Missouri Port; back in the 1980s, Wine Spectator, the most popular American wine magazine, anointed it one of the best port-styled wines made in America. Mount Pleasant’s vintage port is still tasty and lauded; the 2002 costs $30. Newcomer Crown Valley Vineyards has quickly become one of the reliable, quality wineries in Missouri. Its port, also $30, warms you well on a cold wintry night. Picturesque Les Bourgeois Winery and Bistro, perched above the Missouri River, has a delightful 2002 port, $20. Port doesn’t have to be consumed next to a raging fire. Adam Puchta’s well-made Vintage Port 2001, $22, or Hermanhoff ’s lush port, also $22, are great with dessert. Because alcohol levels range from 13 to 20 percent, fortified port wines have more body that most other wines. Wines with that kind of bone structure may show up at dessert time simply because they’re the biggest wines around. But port’s inherent sweetness also makes it the ideal match for chocolate. Port and chocolate may be most people’s idea of dessert heaven. February 2006

Native Norton

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 20:43:52 GMT

*By Doug Frost* Norton is the bomb. It’s explosive, powerful, and messy. Specifically, Norton stains wine glasses. It can stain your teeth, too. That’s one of the more aggressive characteristics of this American grape. Norton was first domesticated in Virginia as a wild grape, hence its former name, Virginia Seedling. It was embraced one hundred years ago because European varieties, like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, couldn’t withstand Pierce’s Disease, a bacteria spread by insects, although no one understood why imported vines were dying. Early Virginia vintners noticed that the native vines not only survived, but prospered. North America hosted a dozen species of indigenous grapevines. Although all thrived, few vines made wine comparable to European varieties. Norton was different and made good wine; that was quickly apparent. A century later, there are still only a few native vines that are taken seriously. Among these, Norton is unique because it requires extraordinary winemaking. Stone Hill Winery’s chief winemaker, David Johnson, helped lead the way. Stone Hill’s Norton style is like Zinfandel. It has raspberry and cassis, it shows lashings of American oak, and it has all the subtlety of Mike Tyson in a feisty mood. But in the heavyweight world of Norton, Stone Hill’s version is almost a dancer. Les Bourgeois Vineyard’s version of Norton is called Premium Claret and, like the term claret itself (a vernacular term for Bordeaux), is more elegant than clunky. Augusta Winery’s Cynthiana wine — an alternate name for the grape — as well as sister winery Montelle’s version are just as balanced. Hermannhof Winery and Heinrichshaus Vineyard and Winery are adept as well. Adam Puchta Winery’s Norton is built of bigger stuff. There is a port-like richness to the wine. Both versions from St. James Winery and Crown Valley Winery are just as chocolaty. And Mount Pleasant Winery’s Norton seems to have all the styles combined into one complex picture; its 2003 Norton won the Governor’s Cup for top red in 2005. Perhaps the easiest version to love is Norton Port. Adam Puchta, Augusta, Crown Valley, Hermannhof, Montelle, and Stone Hill all make lovely port comprised wholly or partially of the mighty grape. April 2006

Think Pink

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 02:51:22 GMT

*By Doug Frost* Is pink the new gray? My daughters certainly think so, and their fashionista abilities outstrip mine. For me, pink, at least in wine, never went out of style; it simply got lost amongst more conservative colors. If you blend reds and whites in the right proportions, you get pink, right? So what’s wrong with that? Nothing. While many people assume pink means sweet, it doesn’t have to, and most European pink wines are nearly bone dry. Missouri makes gentler versions, and some are downright sweet. People don’t complain about their chocolate being too sweet. So, why is it a bad thing in wine? It’s not. Sweet and semi-sweet rosés are offered by nearly every Missouri winery. Good examples include Augusta Winery’s River Valley Blush ($8), Montelle Winery’s Rose Gold ($12), Mount Pleasant Winery’s White Zen ($6), Ste. Genevieve Winery’s LaRose Rosé ($10), St. James Winery’s Country Red ($7), St. James Winery’s Schoolhouse Blush ($8), Hermannhof Winery’s Spring Blush ($9), Les Bourgeois Winery’s Pink Fox ($10), or any number of rosé wines from Stone Hill Winery including their Blush ($8), Rosé Montaigne ($8), Spumante Blush ($10), and Pink Catawba ($8). Adam Puchta has two rosés. One, called Blush ($13), is light, soft, and sweet without being cloying. The other, simply called Rosé ($15), is based upon the Norton grape and is round, friendly, and dry without losing any of the character that goes along with the style. There are two other intriguingly dry-styled rosés in Missouri: Crown Valley Winery’s Rosé ($14), a blend of Chardonel, Grenache, and Chambourcin, and Hermannhof’s Chambourcin Vin Gris ($13). June 2006