Missouri Wine Trail
Sep 20th, 2006, 11:16 AM
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Missouri Wine Trail
I want to thank luvs2pack! I was ready the romantic weekend thread and she mentioned Hermann, MO. I live in Chicago and was looking for a long weekend road trip. Hermann fit the bill. We ended up going Labor Day weekend and it was a great time. I think the wineries are nicer than Michigans and the scenery was just beautiful. We stayed the nice in Hermann at a new little bed & breakfast (Murphy's). Amazing breakfast and we stayed in the wine cellar room. A great way to end the day after wine tasting. We also ate at Vintage and had the most amazing German meal. I wish I could go back for Octoberfest, but maybe next year. Missouri was more than we expect! Thanks.
Sep 20th, 2006, 01:25 PM
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I'm so glad you enjoyed your trip. I think the area underrated. Isn't it beautiful? I just love Hermann and we are going there over the Holidays. ( from Seattle) You wouldn't believe how pretty Hermann is during Christmas. If you go during the winter The Hermannoff winery has a big fireplace where you can sit and play games and sip wine and eat a nice cheese basket. I dream of the Vintage restaurant food. Again so happy to hear you enjoyed yourselves.
Sep 21st, 2006, 07:57 AM
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I agree Octoberfest attracts a lot of students.( not that I don't love the students) That is a wonderful time of year to go though so during the week would be great. If you want to go to a festival and not be a wild crazy time go to the Wurstfest in March loads of fun and music and of course sausage but let's say a little more mature crowd
From St. Louis you would take I-70 about 35 miles get off on #175 exit to Hermann about 20 miles.
As far as the wine they make all kinds they just use different names for them meaning they make white wine that range from dry Chardonnys to sweet Rieslings but are labeled under different type names. Same for the reds. I'm obviously not a wine expert but do enjoy wine. Hermannoff Winery make some wonderful sausages too.
The thing I love about Hermann is the history of it. Many of the wineries are from the 1800s and you can just feel the History. The town it's self has kept everything authentic. They still have much cobblestone streets, the buildings and shops. The wine tour at the Stonehill Winery is very good lots of info on the area (great tasting afterwards too) such as Missouri was the #1 wine region in America until the probation and when France had their drought and lost all their Bordeaux vines they came to Hermann and got vines to restart their Bordeaux I believe.
Be sure and eat at the Vintage at Stonehill it used to be horse stables way back when. Wonderful food and atmosphere.
The best way to stay is in one of the very many B&B's.
From St. Louis you would take I-70 about 35 miles get off on #175 exit to Hermann about 20 miles.
As far as the wine they make all kinds they just use different names for them meaning they make white wine that range from dry Chardonnys to sweet Rieslings but are labeled under different type names. Same for the reds. I'm obviously not a wine expert but do enjoy wine. Hermannoff Winery make some wonderful sausages too.
The thing I love about Hermann is the history of it. Many of the wineries are from the 1800s and you can just feel the History. The town it's self has kept everything authentic. They still have much cobblestone streets, the buildings and shops. The wine tour at the Stonehill Winery is very good lots of info on the area (great tasting afterwards too) such as Missouri was the #1 wine region in America until the probation and when France had their drought and lost all their Bordeaux vines they came to Hermann and got vines to restart their Bordeaux I believe.
Be sure and eat at the Vintage at Stonehill it used to be horse stables way back when. Wonderful food and atmosphere.
The best way to stay is in one of the very many B&B's.
Sep 21st, 2006, 08:00 AM
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I agree Octoberfest attracts a lot of students.( not that I don't love the students) That is a wonderful time of year to go though so during the week would be great. If you want to go to a festival and not be a wild crazy time go to the Wurstfest in March loads of fun and music and of course sausage but let's say a little more mature crowd
From St. Louis you would take I-70 about 35 miles get off on #175 exit to Hermann about 20 miles.
As far as the wine they make all kinds they just use different names for them meaning they make white wine that range from dry Chardonnys to sweet Rieslings but are labeled under different type names. Same for the reds. I'm obviously not a wine expert but do enjoy wine. Hermannoff Winery make some wonderful sausages too.
The thing I love about Hermann is the history of it. Many of the wineries are from the 1800s and you can just feel the History. The town it's self has kept everything authentic. They still have much cobblestone streets, the buildings and shops. The wine tour at the Stonehill Winery is very good lots of info on the area (great tasting afterwards too) such as Missouri was the #1 wine region in America until the probation and when France had their drought and lost all their Bordeaux vines they came to Hermann and got vines to restart their Bordeaux I believe.
Be sure and eat at the Vintage at Stonehill it used to be horse stables way back when. Wonderful food and atmosphere.
The best way to stay is in one of the very many B&B's.
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From St. Louis you would take I-70 about 35 miles get off on #175 exit to Hermann about 20 miles.
As far as the wine they make all kinds they just use different names for them meaning they make white wine that range from dry Chardonnys to sweet Rieslings but are labeled under different type names. Same for the reds. I'm obviously not a wine expert but do enjoy wine. Hermannoff Winery make some wonderful sausages too.
The thing I love about Hermann is the history of it. Many of the wineries are from the 1800s and you can just feel the History. The town it's self has kept everything authentic. They still have much cobblestone streets, the buildings and shops. The wine tour at the Stonehill Winery is very good lots of info on the area (great tasting afterwards too) such as Missouri was the #1 wine region in America until the probation and when France had their drought and lost all their Bordeaux vines they came to Hermann and got vines to restart their Bordeaux I believe.
Be sure and eat at the Vintage at Stonehill it used to be horse stables way back when. Wonderful food and atmosphere.
The best way to stay is in one of the very many B&B's.
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Sep 21st, 2006, 04:29 PM
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The smaller wineries in Augusta and the surrounding little communities are much better than Herman in my opinion. Not nearly as touristy.
There are some mom and Pop winereies who produce a lovely wine and serve homemade german dishes and have jazz bands on the weekend, etc... Sometiems if you just drive in that area( near Washington) you will stumble on to little known ones that are so much fun!
There are some mom and Pop winereies who produce a lovely wine and serve homemade german dishes and have jazz bands on the weekend, etc... Sometiems if you just drive in that area( near Washington) you will stumble on to little known ones that are so much fun!
Sep 21st, 2006, 07:30 PM
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I agree those are wonderful too.The views from the bluffs are so nice. We rode our bikes all along there staying at a nice B&B in Washington, Mo. Heres a little tip taste on the way back not on the way up!!!! We learned the hard way. LOL
Sep 22nd, 2006, 06:05 AM
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I guess that's a matter of opinion as I said I'm for sure no wine expert but have been tasting in Washington, Oregon, Napa, Sonoma and New York. Some places in Missouri are better than others as in anywhere but Bon Appetit featured Missouri wines a while back and gave some great reviews particularly to the Augusta Winery white wines. But I guess I'm easy to please a nice bottle of wine in a beautiful surrounding with the right person and I'm a happy girl!
Sep 22nd, 2006, 07:05 AM
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Rocky- I like the wine too this is one of the articles I found in a wine magazine recently this is a small portion of the article if you want the rest which was quite nice all about the area let me know.
I think you would really enjoy Wurstfest. What winery did you like the best?
During the last 30 years, a handful of vintners have labored to restore many of Missouri's vineyards and wineries to their pre-Prohibition levels of excellence. Missouri wine production has doubled since 1991. During the past five years, the ratio of medals awarded to the 32 Missouri wineries has been higher than those awarded to the more than 750 California wineries. Stone Hill Winery, located in Hermann, the hub of Missouri wine production, is now the third most awarded winery in America.
I think you would really enjoy Wurstfest. What winery did you like the best?
During the last 30 years, a handful of vintners have labored to restore many of Missouri's vineyards and wineries to their pre-Prohibition levels of excellence. Missouri wine production has doubled since 1991. During the past five years, the ratio of medals awarded to the 32 Missouri wineries has been higher than those awarded to the more than 750 California wineries. Stone Hill Winery, located in Hermann, the hub of Missouri wine production, is now the third most awarded winery in America.
Sep 24th, 2006, 10:59 AM
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I just returned home from a 3 week vacation and I am thrilled to see that my home area has been discussed! I guess I didn't read the romantic weekend thread so I didn't know luvs2pack had talked about Hermann. 
I really enjoy making daytrips to Hermann and the surrounding area. I am definitely not a wine connoisseur but I like the vignoles from Adam Puchta and vidal blanc from Stone Hill, and some others I can't think of right now. The organized wine trail events where wines are paired with food are the most fun; these are held several times a year. There is also a microbrewery in Hermann and it is fun to sample their beers (I am actually more of a beer fan than a wine fan). My favorite restaurant in Hermann is the Cottage, located a bit outside of town, with a very light, bright interior and great food. But I love the Vintage, too (usually for lunch, as there is a big price jump for dinner). Luvs2pack, in what magazine did you find the recent article on the area?
I really enjoy making daytrips to Hermann and the surrounding area. I am definitely not a wine connoisseur but I like the vignoles from Adam Puchta and vidal blanc from Stone Hill, and some others I can't think of right now. The organized wine trail events where wines are paired with food are the most fun; these are held several times a year. There is also a microbrewery in Hermann and it is fun to sample their beers (I am actually more of a beer fan than a wine fan). My favorite restaurant in Hermann is the Cottage, located a bit outside of town, with a very light, bright interior and great food. But I love the Vintage, too (usually for lunch, as there is a big price jump for dinner). Luvs2pack, in what magazine did you find the recent article on the area?
Sep 24th, 2006, 02:33 PM
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The Missouri wines remind me of German wines, which isn't surprising given both the Geography and the orginal settlers. A lot of the wine is sweeter than I prefer, but I've had some very good Missouri wines and they are doing some interesting blends. There is a favorite at a number of the winerys called a "Chardonel" which is a slightly sweeter Chardonnay that's actually quite good.
In addition, the locations are really beautiful. I like the area between St. Charles and Augusta which have beautiful views and are less congested. I'm a bit of a wine snob, but have had a great time visiting the Missouri wine region. Given that you can be in Augusta within an hour of leaving downtown St. Louis, it's a great spot for people visiting St. Louis.
In addition, the locations are really beautiful. I like the area between St. Charles and Augusta which have beautiful views and are less congested. I'm a bit of a wine snob, but have had a great time visiting the Missouri wine region. Given that you can be in Augusta within an hour of leaving downtown St. Louis, it's a great spot for people visiting St. Louis.
Sep 24th, 2006, 03:58 PM
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Aloha-Welcome home. I read that in The World Traveler. It was a great article. I think Missouri is very underrated. I have not been there for 8 years but I am soon making the trip back to Columbia, KC and with a nice side trip to Hermann. I hope it hasn't changed to much there was not a microbrew at that time.
Sep 25th, 2006, 07:55 PM
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Luvs2pack, I don't think you will find much change in Hermann--a few more shops, but the buildings and ambiance are unchanged I think. Columbia, though, has experienced a growth spurt and a lot of sprawl...but the downtown area hasn't changed too much. I hope you enjoy your trip to Mo.
Sep 26th, 2006, 06:56 AM
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aloha-Thanks for the info. While I'm glad to hear Hermann has not changed it saddens me to hear about Columbia, others have told us the same. We have many friends there and lived there when first married. I loved the small town feel with the amenities the universities brought. We had always thought to maybe return in retirement with the cost of living so much lower than Seattle. This visit is to see our old friends and check out the area (Columbia) to see if we still love it as much as we did. I do miss all the people there. I think Missouri is such a friendly area.
Dec 20th, 2006, 05:40 PM
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I have to admit I do love Missouri wine country. However, I just wanted to post one clarification. The varietals they have in Missouri are not the typical French varieties you will find in your typical grocery store (or in any major wine area for that matter). Due to the cold weather in winter, these types of grapes will not generally survive (at least not without burying each vine). A very few, such as Cab Franc can survive but they usually never fully ripen. Therefore, the wines are mostly based upon either French American hybrids (Vidal, Seyval, Chambourcin) or vitis aestivalis (otherwise known as Cynthiana/Norton which is really Missouri's grape with the most potential for true red wine greatness).
So not the same wines but good different ones (you also get some of these varietals in Michigan, Illinois and (for Norton) Virginia).
So not the same wines but good different ones (you also get some of these varietals in Michigan, Illinois and (for Norton) Virginia).
