The wine industry in Missouri has more than a 150 year history. Please watch the video on this link and you will see one of the main attractions for us and why we choose Missouri as our home. Keith and I have grown in Missouri in many ways since we first moved here in 1978 and so has the wine industry. I believe we compliment each other and have aged beautifully!
http://www.missouriwine.org/history
Here I am on the main street in downtown Hermann. Grapes are everywhere!
This restaurant is located at the Stone Hill Winery in Hermann. It is well known as having the best German food. Keith had the schnitzel and I had the sauerbraten. We both had sides of red cabbage and Germain potato salad which is a hot dish. OMG it was good! Here is the current menu for Oktoberfest:
http://www.stonehillwinery.com/locations/hermann/restaurant/October2005.aspx
We purchased our favorite wines and staff helped us load to our car in a golf cart. We had a great deal available at this time. Several kinds were sold as 'buy one case get one case free!' We choose the 2011 Vignoles (white semi-sweet) for the two cases. A case of 2009 Norton (dry red) was one third off. What a deal! We always participate in the wine-tasting. This year we went on the tour again for $2.50 each which ends at a more extensive tasting room than if you just walked in without paying for the tour. Generally, they charge $3.00 to sample six different wines or $.50 each for a limited variety. So take the tour and try more!
One wine that was not available for tasting because of the limited quantity available was the 2010 Norton from the local Cross J Vineyard produced and bottled by Stone Hill Winery. The growers had exceptional soil conditions and it was aged in the French oak barrels instead of the local produced oak barrels. The difference is a smoother wine that tastes more like a mature Norton aged at least five years. We had a blind taste test when we got home over the next couple days to see if we could tell any differences between a 2003 Oak Glenn Norton, the 2010 Cross J Norton, and the 2009 Stone Hill Norton. Our conclusion was that the older the Norton, the better, of course, but the 2010 Cross J Norton was almost as good as the 2003 Oak Glenn Norton. We believe the 2009 Stone Hill Norton is very good and it will improve as it ages if we can be disciplined and only drink a bottle once a month for the typical 6 months of the year we drink wine regularly. Like the 2003 Oak Glenn Norton, we will hold back the rest to age and purchase more next year.
Norton is aged for no less than three years before selling. We have a couple bottles of 2003 Oak Glenn Norton in our home cooler bought in 2008 that will be used within the next year as they will be ten years old. We understand that 10-12 years is the best. The white wines are best to have chilled and consumed sooner rather than later. The reds are best at room temperature and should be aged. We did buy one bottle of the Norton from Cross J Vineyard to bring home. It was $10 more per bottle than the regular Norton which is about $25 for 2009 right now. Norton is the highest price wine and definitely the best in our opinion. We were fortunate to have run across this one third off sale for Norton here at Stone Hill!
For more information about Stone Hill Winery: http://www.stonehillwinery.com/default.aspx
There are seven wineries within a few miles of Hermann and there is a shuttle available to take tours. Over the years, Keith and I have checked them all out and also many others in around the state. In addition to Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, we like to visit Oak Glenn Winery which is about 2 1/2 miles outside of Hermann. The scenery is breathtaking and the music is more to our liking most of the time. They also have the very best Norton to drink by the glass or bottle as they do not sell any Norton before aging five years. Yes, it is expensive at $35/bottle or $5 per glass. This trip we had a glass each as we enjoyed the view. In 2008, we bought a case from Oak Glenn and it is from this we have only two bottles left. Another favorite that was already sold out and none available for tasting is Saint Vincent...next time we hope to purchase some. Something to keep in mind for future wine purchases would be the fact that the 2012 drought will likely produce a better wine because of the stress the grapes endured which concentrated the flavors and the limited quantity. A 2012 Norton will be much sought after but will not be available until at least 2015.
We love to sit on the lovely covered porch for the view and music. There was a brief rain shower so the outside areas were wet at this time. This was a Sunday crowd. Every Saturday in October the place is very full and lively!
View from Oak Glenn Winery covered porch
An awesome view of the vineyards and bright fall colors
For more information about Oak Glenn Winery: www.oakglenn.com
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