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A Glassful of MissouriExploring the WeinstrasseBy Christine ParmaThink of the world’s greatest wine regions and Champagne, Burgundy, Napa and perhaps Chile come to mind. But hidden in the Mid-West is a lesser known, but equally fruitful gem: Missouri. Yes, Missouri. Replete with over 30 wineries, many of them award winning, Missouri is producing some world-class vintages. But whether from lack of marketing or elegant-sounding names, Missouri wines remains virtually unknown to “outsiders”. This was not always the case, however. Prior to prohibition, Missouri was second only to New York in wine production. Settled by German immigrants, the Missouri River Valley with its lush, rolling hills reminded them of their homeland. Therefore, it was there that they put down roots…of the viney kind.
During my visit to Sugar Creek, I tried the Seyval Blanc, Chardonel, Cynthiana, Michael’s Signature Red and their Signature Port. The Seyval Blanc, a dry white, was very light and crisp on the palate—a definite refresher from the summer heat. Created by hybridizing Chardonnay and Seyval varietals, Chardonel was a bit heavier than a pure Seyval, which I liken to a Pinot Grigio, but not as overpowering as many Chardonnays can be. I very much liked the berry and oak overtones of this full-bodied white wine. The Cynthiana (often called Norton) grape produces big, fat-with-flavor Merlot-type wines. Sugar Creek’s version was heavy on oak and black cherry flavors and quite dry. I found the Michael’s Signature Red to be smoother and less heavy than the Cynthiana, while still featuring the oak and fruit flavors I love in good wines. I am a real fan of ports, the perfect after-dinner drinks. Sugar Creek’s Signature Port was a clean, not-too-sweet version. Still under development, I would like to see more nuttiness and body in the future vintages. Unfortunately for those outside of Missouri, Sugar Creek currently produces only enough to satisfy their throngs of visitors, and thus their excellent wines can only be had at the vineyard itself (or perhaps by special order).
I had the chance to taste several of Mount Pleasant’s stellar wines. First was the stainless steel tank-aged 2001 Villagio. Similar to a Pinot Grigio but stronger in flavor, the Villagio is a smooth, pleasantly fruity dry white that has proven very popular among the winery’s customers. The 1999 award-winning Norton that followed came on strong with a heavy, full-bodied dry red flavor that reminded me a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon. Mount Pleasant’s Vidal Blanc wine, or Ice Wine (2000), has a very powerful, unique flavor. Although Ice Wines are very popular in Europe, especially Germany, I found it to have an almost antiseptic flavor; however, others in our group thoroughly enjoyed the digression from the expected. And, lastly, to my favorites: the Ports. The Tawny Port, Volume VII, is a blend of many different vintages, including the Munch grape. It had great clarity, a slightly nutty flavor and a very smooth finish. The Vintage Port was a rich caramel color, heavier than the Tawny Port, and had more of a wine, rather than brandy, taste to it. The White Port, a variety new to me, is a mix of Chardonel and Trimenet, which results in a simple, light flavor deserving of its silver medal. {place picture 5 about here}. Missouri, with its spectacular landscapes and incredible wines, offers the wine enthusiast new hunting grounds. The Weinstrasse is an easy day trip from St. Louis; or, for those looking for a bit more adventure, you can bike along the Katy Trail and drink and dine your way through the region. With the superb wines being produced here, it may not be long before Missouri’s vineyards are as well-known as California’s. Sugar Creek Winery Mount Pleasant Winery Recommended Books:Exploring Missouri Wine Country and Katy
Trail Guidebook by Brett Dufur Images by Christine Parma |
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Missouri’s “Weinstrasse” stretches from Defiance (just
outside of St. Louis/St. Charles) to Augusta along Highway 94 (and Katy
Trail), although wineries can be found in all areas of the state.
Concentrated along this “wine road” are some of Missouri’s top stars, a
couple of which I had a chance to visit. Situated on a hill overlooking the
beautiful Missouri River Valley, Sugar Creek winery is a small, family-run
operation, producing 8,000 gallons of wines per year. Its owners, Ken and Becky Miller, warmly invite visitors to tour their
9 acres of Norton, Chardonel, Cambourcin, Cynthiana, Vidal Blanc and Seyval
vineyards and taste the fruits of their labors.
Sit outside on the terrace on a Friday summer night and enjoy music along
with wine, cheeses and other delectables. 
On June 20, 1980, Augusta, Missouri became the first
recognized American Viticultural Area (Napa was second). Sprawling across
the Augusta landscape, Mount Pleasant Winery with over 60,000 vines is the
dominant grower in the August Appellation. As large as Mount Pleasant Winery
is today, at one time it played an even more pivotal economic role in the
region. Two German brothers, George & Frederick Muench arrived in
Augusta in 1859 and immediately recognized the wine-growing potential of
Missouri’s glacier-dust soil and microclimate. Built along
the Missouri River, Muench created a premier winery producing over 4
million gallons of wine each year, which was shipped all over the world.
Compare that to the vineyard’s current 500,000 gallons per year, and you
realize the magnitude of the previous incarnation of Mount Pleasant. The
enactment of Prohibition in 1920 abruptly halted all of Missouri’s wine
production as over 100 vineyards were burned and uprooted and wine barrels
smashed. The state’s wine industry lay dormant for the next 40 years.
Mount Pleasant Winery reopened in 1966 under the care
of Lucian and Eva Dressel and quickly grew into an industry leader in
Missouri and the Midwest. The winery uses a mix of modern technology and Old
World tradition to produce its many varieties of wines, which include
Villagio, Norton, Vidal Blanc, Chardonel (a hybrid of Seyval Blanc and
Chardonnay) and 3 different Ports. The original limestone cellars built in
1881 house many of the award winning, estate-bottled wines and ports. In
fact, Mount Pleasant Winery uses only grapes grown in its own vineyards;
this gives them exact control over the quality of grape, when it was picked,
how it was stored and so on. The results of this quality control are
exhibited in the main building’s display cases: numerous medals won in wine
competitions, including the Gold Medal for their Chambourcin and Silver for
the 1999 vintage Norton in the 2002 Taster’s Guild International wine
judging, and the Wine Literary Award’s Best New Discovery of 2002 again for
the 1999 vintage Norton.