Drinking Local is…

More than likely, your local store has endless rows of foreign wine and a small section labeled Local. What makes the Local section special? Why should you purchase a bottle from a smaller named winery when you can buy a recognized brand like Kendall Jackson or Robert Mondavi?

As a novice wine connoisseur, it is intimidating to purchase a bottle from an unknown winery. My wine adventure began with a bottle of Velvet Red from St. James Winery. Through one glass, the wine transported me to St. James, Missouri where I could experience the history of the Hofherr family. One sip, that was it, I was hooked on drinking local.

Drinking local is story telling

At local wineries you learn the stories of not only who created the winery but why. Every bottle of wine allows you to listen and find inspiration from the vitner’s passion. It can teach you that Jim and Pat Hofherr of St. James Winery created their business to drink and share wines with their friends. Stories share the good times but also the struggles. The story of Stone Hill Winery, tells that Michael Poeschel turned to mushroom production in the historic cellars for 45 years during Prohibition. Through the local wineries, you have the chance to share your story. Every time you open a bottle, you reminisce on the first time you discovered the wine and the experiences gained visiting the winery.

Historic Lutheran Evangelical Church built by German Immigrants. Used at Pirtle Winery as a tasting room and indoor wine garden. Source: Pirtle Winery

A Little Taste of Missouri Wine

Last weekend, I took a detour on my road trip and stopped in Hermann, Missouri. Hermann is a beautiful valley town famous for a very popular agricultural product, wine. Wine has been around since approximately 4100 BC and was considered religious within Greeks, Jews, and Christians. Wine was brought to North America through Spanish Conquistadors to perform religious duties. Wine in North America is often associated with Argentina, California, and Chili regions and common grapes like Zinfandel and Malbec.

California is normally thought as a top wine producer in the United States. However, Missouri has been producing wine since entering statehood. Missouri has a strong German influence which explains how Missouri became prominent in the wine industry. In 1836, the German Settlement Society pursued new lands, traveling the Ohio and the Missouri Rivers to settle around St. Louis and Hermann. Missouri wine flourished because of its close proximity to the transcontinental railroad.

Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, Missouri

Before Prohibition, Missouri ranked 2nd in United States wine production behind California. Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, Missouri greatly influenced Missouri wine production. Michael Poeschel founded Stone Hill Winery 1847. Before prohibition, Stone Hill Winery was the 3rd largest winery in the world (2nd in the United States), produced over a million gallons of wine each year, and won medals for its wines at the world fairs.

In 2013, Missouri produced 1.25 million gallons of wine. The wine industry contributed over 1.3 trillion dollars. Wine production in Missouri from 2001 to 2009 grew by 156%! According to Statista.com, Missouri ranks 11th based on number of wineries in the United States with 139 wineries. However, Missouri is ranked 9th in the country based on wine acreage size and production.