What's the secret of Missouri wine?
We visited Missouri wine country as part of a media trip in 2019. We quickly learned many things one of which is Missouri has a secret.
As we followed Peter Hofherr, owner, St. James Winery, around his sprawling property he shared with us Missouri’s wine secret…partnerships. Missouri wine is a growing powerhouse that has worked hard at building partnerships between private industry, government, academia. The end goal is the same even though each player may have different ways to get there - get people visiting and enjoying Missouri wine. We did.
The Grape and Wine Institute is a partnership between the University of Missouri and the Missouri Wine Grape Board with the goal of “moving up that curve”. Besides research, they are able to provide actionable steps to vineyards in Missouri on how to address diseases and pests and get the best yield. We learned more about a problem plaguing Missouri, “sour rot.” It targets mostly Vignoles, which is a hybrid that is planted widely in the state.
There is a current way to address sour rot, but long term solutions are being sought out. We discussed natural and organic wine trends. This region just doesn’t really appear to be a candidate for it. That’s ok! There’s been recent pushes for natural and organic wines along with a clean wine trend (spoiler: clean wine is a myth). I myself pursue natural wines and exciting trends.
But there is something to be said for those pursuing how to grow, produce, research, promote tourism and pride in their own community regardless of new labels or categories. That’s what I found in Missouri. History with families like St. James Winery producing over 200,000 cases of wine each year. Or Stone Hill where we were able to try verticals of Norton that were 20 years old and still had amazing structure. Or Jeff Voss of Belmont Vineyards who after retiring from the military returned home to Missouri to open his own winery.
The secret is out. Missouri and Missouri wine are thriving from the partnerships the community has built.
