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Missouri wineries: Chaumette Vineyards & Winery video

By Becca On May 10, 2013 · Add Comment
Mark Bayman, Chaumette Winemaker
Great wine? Spa? Delicious food that is 90% locally grown? Awesome views? Yes, Chaumette Vineyards & Winery has all of those.  Check out this great video produced by VisitMo.com that really gives you the relaxing feeling of Chaumette:
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History of Missouri wine

By Becca On April 28, 2013 · 1 Comment
There was a great story in Feast magazine this past week about the History of Missouri wine: “If there are people with prejudices against Missouri wine, I would encourage them to give it another try. Local products pair so perfectly with local grapes from farm to table to glass,” says [...]
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Chandler Hill Vineyards Spring photos

By Becca On April 22, 2013 · Add Comment
Chandler Hill Vineyards
Last weekend we had the chance to visit Chandler Hill Vineyards in Defiance, Missouri. This is one of the newer wineries near St. Louis and is technically the closest. It’s a short drive from Chesterfield and even though it’s a huge venue, it was packed when we [...]
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Noboleis Vineyard Spring Photos

On April 16, 2013 By Becca
Tree at Noboleis Vineyards
We visited Noboleis Vineyards in Augusta, Missouri this past weekend and tasted their wine. We loved the rolling hills of Augusta, Missouri that surround Noboleis. Below is a photo recap. It started with a wine tasting with Vickie, who loved to tease our friend Kevin. The four of [...]
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Fling by Harkness Edwards Vineyards

On April 10, 2013 By Becca
Harkness Edwards Vineyard's Fling
Fling is a crisp, dry & light wine similar to a Pinot Grigio that would be perfect on your first spring picnic. I recently came across the winery Harkness Edwards Vineyards, while writing an article for Midwest Wine Press about how Women [...]
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Montelle Winery receives Missouri’s best Norton wine award

On April 8, 2013 By Becca
Owners of Montelle Winery and Augusta wineries
Congratulations to Montelle Winery as they receive Missouri’s second annual C.V. Riley Award for the state’s best Norton! On April 5th, Tony and Cindy Kooyumjian, owners of Montelle Winery, accepted the award from Director Hagler and Missouri Wine and Grape Board Executive Director Jim Anderson. Montelle Winery’s Norton was selected to receive [...]
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Illinois Wine tax proposed

On April 4, 2013 By Becca
I read earlier this week in the Alton Daily News, that Illinois State Rep. Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) is sponsoring a bill which would tax Illinois wine sales at two cents per gallon, with the money going to support the Illinois wine industry that has quickly grown to 100 wineries. The funds [...]
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Chaumette Winery focuses on perfecting dry wines

On April 2, 2013 By Becca
Chaumette Winery Mural
On a trip last fall I had the pleasure of interviewing Hank Johnson from Chaumette Winery in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, for the below story that was featured in Midwest Wine Press. The fascinating thing about Chaumette is how their focus is primarily on dry wines (which is the opposite of many [...]
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Cave Vineyard’s Cave Rock Off Dry Traminette

On March 27, 2013 By Becca
Cave Vineyard Traminette
Cave Vineyard’s “Cave Rock Off Dry” is 100% Traminette & 100% delicious! Traminette grapes can either be made sweeter or semi-dry, which is the case of this one. Cave Rock Off Dry has beautiful floral notes and an ending note of orange blossom. Cave Rock Off Dry has won several awards [...]
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Submit Grapes, Hops & Stops in the Wine Blog Awards!

On March 25, 2013 By Becca
Wine Blog Awards
We love Midwest wine and we love you, our fans. Now its time to ask you a favor. Submit Grapes, Hops and Stops as the “Best New Wine Blog” in the Wine Blog Awards! The Wine Blog Awards were started in 2007 and ever since have been extremely popular in the wine [...]
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Eco-friendly 100% organic wine chiller

On March 25, 2013 By Becca
Eco Friendly Wine Chiller
The good thing about getting 12″ of snow here in the Midwest? We know have an eco-friendly 100% organic bottle chiller.  
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New moonshine distillery in Southern Illinois opens

On March 24, 2013 By Becca
A new moonshine distillery in Southern Illinois is open! The owners were looking to compliment the thriving business on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail: Moonshine has come a long way since Charlie Birger and his gang bootlegged in Southern Illinois. Grand River Spirits is bringing grain alcohol out of the shadows and backwoods and onto [...]
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Midwest wine featured in new Jancis Robinson book

On March 19, 2013 By Becca
Missouri’s state grape, Norton, and one of our favorite Midwest white wines, Traminette, made NPR! I just listened to the recording of NPR’s Weekend Edition host Scott Simon interviewing Jancis Robinson, the co-author of American Wine: The Ultimate Companion to the Wines and Wineries of the United States. Robinson says two of her most surprising [...]
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New: Wine Book Club

On March 16, 2013 By Becca
Wine book club: The Dark Vineyard
I have a confession: I love wine. And I love books. As my Mom used to say, this girl eats books. Here is my idea (drumroll please) to start a wine book club. The only requirement is it be about wine. I want to start us out with The Dark Vineyard: [...]
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James Beard dinner featuring Annie Gunn’s and gold-medal Missouri wines

On March 14, 2013 By Becca
Scallops from Annie Gunn's dinner at James Beard Foundation
Annie Gunn’s in Chesterfield, Missouri recently re-created the wine dinner served last October at the James Beard Foundation in New York City. Wine director Glenn Bardgett paired all gold-medal Missouri wines with chef Lou Rock III’s fabulous menu. Annie Gunn’s serves over 25 Missouri wines on their wine list. This restaurant [...]
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Eckert’s Food and Wine Festival 2013

On March 8, 2013 By Becca
Grafton Winery's Harbor Red food pairing
On March 3 & 4, 2013 Eckert’s Country Store and Restaurant in Belleville, Illinois hosted a Wine and Food Festival with cooking demos, wine tastings, and samples. The crowd enjoyed a wide variety of samples, including wines from St. James Winery, Montelle Winery, Grafton Winery and beer from Crown Valley Brewery. [...]
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Bottle Shock movie

On March 7, 2013 By Becca
Bottle Shock movie DVD cover
Last night we had date night at our house and watched the movie Bottle Shock, based on the 1976 wine competition when California wine defeated French wine in a blind taste test. Bottle Shock trailer: I couldn’t help but think how the Midwest region is similarly looked upon as having wine [...]
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Greg Hall, formerly of Goose Island, switches to cider

On February 24, 2013 By Becca
Red Streak, Apple Cider
Read how Greg Hall, formerly the brewmaster with Goose Island, is switching to Apple Cider: Everyone wanted the brewmaster to stay. Greg Hall was 45 and savvy enough to help Goose Island Brewery through the transition after Anheuser Busch purchased the brewery for $38.8 million in 2011. Plus, Goose Island was [...]
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Top phone apps for Midwest Wine

On February 20, 2013 By Becca
Hello Vino wine app
Recently I read an article about wine apps and that got me thinking – are there wine apps for the Midwest? Or do the big brand wine apps even mention Midwest wines like Norton and Chardonel? First off, let me preface this by saying I have an Android phone, so as [...]
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Indiana Uplands designated as new AVA

On February 17, 2013 By Becca
Indiana Uplands AVA
The state of Indiana has recently been approved by the TTB as a new American Viticultural Area (AVA). They join 206 other viticultural areas across the United States. An AVA specifies a geographical location from which at least 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must have been grown. From [...]
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Stone Hill Winery’s 2009 Norton

On February 7, 2013 By Becca
Stone Hill Winery 2009 Norton
This 2009 Estate Bottled Norton is definitely our favorite of the 4 Norton’s we tasted for January’s Norton month. We aren’t alone in our preference, as this Norton won the Gold Medal C.V. Riley Award-Best Norton 2011 Missouri Wine Competition and a Gold medal at the 2012 Mid-American Wine Competition, Iowa. About: [...]
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Women Prefer wine with a story to tell

On February 6, 2013 By Becca
Women Focused Wine Labels
From Midwest Wine Press: More Midwest wineries are realizing that women like to be marketed to differently. According to The Beverage Information Group, women accounted for 58.1 percent of wine buyers in 2011. While many men look to ratings to give them advice, women are much more influenced by the stories [...]
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Augusta Winery’s 2010 Estate Bottled Norton

On January 25, 2013 By Becca
Augusta Winery Norton
As we continue to celebrate Norton in the month of January, we are reviewing Augusta Winery’s 2010 Estate Bottle Norton. This Norton is a dry full-bodied wine that starts slow and ends with a giant burst of berry and spice. Delicious! About: Augusta Winery is located in Augusta, Missouri and was [...]
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Adam Puchta Norton Vintner’s Reserve

On January 14, 2013 By Becca
Adam Puchta Norton Wine
As we continue to celebrate Norton in the month of January, we are reviewing Adam Puchta & Son Wine Company’s 2008 Norton Vintner’s Reserve. This Norton is a dry full-bodied wine that starts with a big burst of flavor and slowly fades away. About: Located 2 miles south of Hermann, Missouri, Adam [...]
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St. James Winery’s Norton Reserve kicks off Norton Month

On January 9, 2013 By Becca
St. James WInery Norton Reserve 2008
Did you know that January is Norton Month? Norton is Missouri’s state grape, so we are focusing on 4 of Missouri’s Nortons this month. To start, we are reviewing St. James Winery’s 2008 Norton Reserve, which is dry, full-bodied and spicy. About: St. James is Missouri’s largest winery, producing over 200,000 [...]
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Stone Hill Winery’s Spumante Blush Sparkling Wine is Bold & Bubbly

On January 3, 2013 By Becca
Stone Hill Winery Spumante Blush
We rang in the New Year with Stone Hill Winery’s Spumante Blush sparkling wine and were pleasantly surprised by the bold & bubbly semi-sweet flavors. We don’t typically reach for sparkling wine at the wine store, but we are glad we chose this to toast the New Year. Spumante Blush also [...]
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Top local Midwest Champagne to ring in the New Year

On December 31, 2012 By Becca
Top Champagne in Illinois & Missouri
If there is one time of year that people think of of Champagne, it’s toasting the New Year. As you make your Bucket List for 2013, don’t forget to put drinking local wine, beer and spirits on your list. Scoot on over to the local section of your local Missouri, Illinois, [...]
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Mastermind Vodka Tour & Tasting: 100% American made

On December 22, 2012 By Becca
Owner of Mastermind Vodka signed Vodka
Last week we had a chance to visit Mastermind Vodka for a Tour and Tasting in Pontoon Beach, Illinois. Mastermind is 100% American-made, has sold over 12,000 bottles and is in over 600 bars and restaurants in the St. Louis and Chicago area. All within a year of being released in [...]
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Growing the Midwest Wine Industry

On December 19, 2012 By Becca
Missouri grape vines at Indian Hills Winery
The St. Louis Post Dispatch wrote a story called “Is Missouri Wine Industry Tapped Out?” this week. Love that they are covering Midwest wine, but I really don’t agree with the headline’s sentiment. Since 2000, Missouri wine has grown from 31 wineries to 118. [...]
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Wineries, wine production see growth in Missouri and nationwide

On December 18, 2012 By Becca
Missouri Wineries Increase to 118 in 2012
The number of Missouri wineries has increased from 42 to 118 in 10 years, according to Danene Beedle of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board. The number of U.S. wineries in 2012 was about 7,000. The increase has created 14,051 full-time jobs and $42.4 million dollars in revenue. The Missouri Wine and Grape [...]
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What makes a craft beer?

On December 16, 2012 By Becca
St. Louis Craft Beer
This week has been a busy news week when it comes to St. Louis craft beer. The St. Louis Post Dispatch had a great article on craft beer this past week, Craft or Crafty? Consumers deserve to know the truth. It was written [...]
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Top Missouri Wines for your Thanksgiving Feast

On November 20, 2012 By Becca
Thanksgiving day wines around a warm fire
Eat local. Now, drink local. While many of us are striving to eat locally grown ingredients this Thanksgiving, don’t forget to also support the local grape growers of the Midwest and drink local. Along with Thanksgiving comes colder nights, warm fires and for me dry wines. Missouri wine can often be wrongly assumed as only [...]
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Boonville, Missouri’s Hotel Frederick review

On November 16, 2012 By Becca
bed and breakfast on Katy Trail
Three things that are necessary on any trip with me – good food, good wine and a good running route. This girl loves her food and wine, but also loves her running. Hotel Frederick in Boonsville, Missouri offers all three. Hotel Frederck, is a beautifully restored hotel. It was built [...]
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Smith-Berry Winery’s Brother John wine is dry, red and smooth

On November 6, 2012 By Becca
Smith-Berry Winery Brother John Syrah Chambourcin blend
This Kentucky dry red wine combines two of my favorite red grapes – Syrah and Chambourcin. Both my husband and I really loved how this dry red was smooth with a fruity ending. If a dry red could possibly taste like a type of dry jam, this is it. About: We first had [...]
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Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

On October 31, 2012 By Becca
Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
It’s Halloween and time for my favorite types of beer – Pumpkin! Schlafly’s Pumpkin Ale packs in flavors of pumpkin, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Rich, with sweet malt balanced with spices. Time magazine rated it one of “8 Great Pumpkin Beers for Halloween.” A little [...]
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Mount Pleasant Winery receives top ratings from Wine Enthusiast

On October 24, 2012 By Becca
Mount Pleasant Estates in Augusta, Missouri
While, Grapes, Hops and Stops doesn’t normally give our wine reviews numbers, I think its important to note when a Midwest Winery from Missouri even touches the radar of Wine Enthusiast, a national print and online publication for wine lovers.  It recently rated and reviewed ten Mount Pleasant Estates wines. The complete list [...]
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Mount Pleasant Estates Dinner on the Deck

On October 13, 2012 By Becca
Pumpkin Cheese with cinnamon whipped cream
Mount Pleasant Estates, the oldest winery in the first American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Augusta, Missouri, was home to a recent Dinner on the Deck last Saturday, October 6. Mount Pleasant Estates is a pioneer in sustainable viticulture for the Missouri wine industry, and grows 12 grape varieties on 64 acres [...]
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Best of Missouri Market 2012

On October 8, 2012 By Becca
Best of Missouri Market
The Best of Missouri Market was held October 5-7, 2012 at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri.  The event draws 25,000 people annually to one of the best botanical gardens in the U.S. The event featured over 120 Missouri crafters and food producers, including five  Missouri wineries who offered samples and [...]
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Illinois River Winery’s Hallowine is the perfect fall wine

On September 29, 2012 By Becca
Apple mulled wine
Want a warm fall drink that is perfect around the bonfire? Illinois River Winery’s Hallowine is a spiced apple wine that is best served warm. I loved the spiciness to this wine. It reminded me of my favorite black chai tea. I first got to sample their very similar Harvet wine when I [...]
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Midwest wine & food pairing ideas

On September 21, 2012 By Becca
Midwest wine & food pairings
While more and more of us are trying to eat local fresh ingredients, why not pair them up with local Midwest wine? This helps your local community and the Midwest has a huge variety of cold-climate grapes. As you think of your feasts for this fall, here are a few Missouri and Illinois [...]
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Oliver Winery’s Beanblossom Strawberry Hard Cider

On September 6, 2012 By Becca
Midwest hard cider with strawberry flavor
If you’ve never had a hard cider, they are made up of 100% apples and are becoming the rage across the Midwest. Oliver Winery’s Beanblossom Strawberry Hard Cider is a great alternative to wine or beer and is sold in many local Missouri & Illinois wine shops. About: Oliver Winery is located in [...]
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American Patriot Beer vs. Budweiser

On August 31, 2012 By Becca
Owner of American Patriot Beer, John Beal
“Taking back American . . . One beer at a time” is the slogan for American Patriot Beer, the first beer produced by the St. Louis based All-American Beer Company. A month ago, they released 25,000 cases of their American Patriot lager beer and light beer. The beer has flown off the shelves [...]
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Indiana’s Winzerwald Winery’s Mai Wein is semi-sweet

On August 10, 2012 By Becca
Winzerwald Winery Mai Wein "May Wine"
Winzerwald Winery’s Mai Wein (May Wine) is a traditional German semi-sweet wine with a delicious smokey ending with a hint of strawberry. This wine is named after the German tradition of creating a special white wine flavored with Sweet Woodruff on the first of May to welcome the spring season. Last week my [...]
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Montelle and Augusta wine & appetizer pairing at Eckert’s

On July 24, 2012 By Becca
Belleville, IL store holding Missouri wine tasting and appetizer pairing
Eckert’s Country Store in Belleville, Illinois held a wine and appetizer pairing earlier this month with Missouri based Montelle and Augusta Wineries. If you live in the St. Louis area you know Eckert’s is the place to go to pick-your-own peaches, strawberries, apples [...]
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Make a Midwest Beer and a Wine Lover Happy? Check out Charleville

On July 18, 2012 By Maria
charleville
It’s a familiar debate, at least for me.  You finally agree on a date (no easy task) but then where to go?  Winery or Brewery?  Charleville Vineyard and Microbrewery may be the perfect compromise.  It’s located in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri along the Route du Vin Wine Trail, only an hour and a half from downtown St. Louis. [...]
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Perennial Artisan Ales, Peace Offering . . . It’s not your Dad’s beer

On July 12, 2012 By Melissa
St. Louis craft beer Peace Offering
I had the chance to drink the beer “Peace Offering” by Perennial Artisan Ales this past week and loved the smell of maple syrup and squash, plus its woodsy finish. St. Louis acquired another gem in its craft brewing crown when Perennial Artisan Ales opened its doors in October 2011.  Located in St. [...]
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Looking for a local Midwest dry white wine? Try Illinois Cellars Chardonel

On July 9, 2012 By Becca
Unoaked Chardonnel, similar to Chardonnay
The Illinois Cellars Unoaked Chardonel is very similar in taste and look to America’s favorite white wine, Chardonnay. In fact, they are related. Chardonel is a hybrid grape that is a cross between French American Seyval and the European based Chardonnay. About: Mary Michelle, who grows and produces Illinois Cellars wine, is located [...]
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St. Louis Brewers Heritage Festival Review

On July 3, 2012 By Maria
St. Louis Heritage Beer Festival
Read about our favorite beers at the St. Louis Brewers Heritage Beer Festival and learn more about why the St. Louis beer scene is hopping! We chose to do the Friday night session of the St. Louis Brewers Heritage Festival, after learning from our trip to the Great American Beer Festival in Denver that the [...]
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Blind Tasting: Missouri and Kansas wines vs. California, France & Washington wines

On June 26, 2012 By Becca
Blind tasting of Midwestern wine vs. National and International wine
In the below video, Colleen Gerke, owner of Jowler Creek Vineyard and Winery, and Danny Wood, author of the Regional Wine Taster blog discuss on Kansas City’s The Local Show why many local Kansas City restaurants support locally grown food, but not local wine. Plus, the second half [...]
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Oliver Winery’s Soft White wine is smooth & light

On June 15, 2012 By Becca
Review of Oliver Winery's Soft White Wine
Vintage: 2009 Wine Varietal: Niagara grape Producer: Oliver Winery Price: $7.50 Produced and Bottled: Bloomington, Indiana Alcohol: 11% Unique bottle features: screw cap Website: Oliver Winery Glass used: Vinum XL Riedel Montrachet glass Oliver Winery is located in Bloomington, Indiana and is one of the largest wineries in the [...]
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