Missouri Wine & Grape Board Newsletter
January, 2010
tour of MO
Missouri Wine in the 21st Century 
 
The Missouri Wine Industry has thrived during the first decade of the 21st century. Check out the cool statistics below:
 
93 wineries in 2009 - up from 50 in 2005 and 31 in 2000
 
Estimated 701.2 million dollar economic impact on the Missouri economy in 2007
 
Five active wine trails in 2009 - up from 0 in 2000
 
Wine production in the state is up over 70% since 2001 
 
Over one million visitors a year to Missouri's wineries  
 
 www.Missouriwine.org
 
Site-See
 
Check out these Missouri wine blogs for all the latest on what's happening in the world of MO wine:
 
 
Quick Links
 
 
Frozen Vines?
The recent extreme cold has sent farmers throughout the midwest and south scrambling to protect their crops. Fruit trees have taken a huge hit from the icy cold...what about Missouri's grapevines?
 
Grapevines are rated according to their hardiness: here in Missouri most of the grapevines we grow are rated for cold weather and can survive winters with temperatures below zero.
 
While lately it's been cold, really cold, we have not had extremely rapid fluctuations in the temperature (extreme cold to warm and back again to frigid) which is what harms the vines. For the most part, the hardy hybrid and native American varieties of grapes that grow throughout Missouri are able to handle the low temperatures that Mother Nature throws at us, however, areas that experienced lows of -11 degrees F or lower may see some bud injury. At this point it will probably be early spring before vine damage, if there is any, is evident.
Ahoy Norton!
Looking for something really different to do on a Friday night? Head over to the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks and join Norton and Norton winemakers on a luxury cruise Friday, February 5, 6:00 to 9:00pm. Cruise the Lake in style while sipping gold medal award-winning Norton wines and noshing on tasty hors d'oeuvres. While on board each participant will receive their own newly released Riedel Norton wine glass, designed especially for Norton. Tickets are limited so reserve yours today by contacting Rozanna Benz, rozannabenz@centurytel.net    
 
Savor the Date
The St. Louis Food & Wine Experience returns to the Chase Park Plaza Hotel, January 30 -31, 2010. Great food, excellent wine...what's not to love? Experience live culinary demonstrations by celebrity chefs and catch the Missouri Minute where Missouri wines will be paired with each chefs' creations. Visit the Norton table in the Reserve room for tasty samples of award-winning Norton wines and check out the new Norton Riedel glasses for sale. For ticket info visit www.repstl.org or call 314-968-4925. 
MIZZOU Makes Wine
The University of Missouri has opened an experimental winery to test grape varieties and help enhance grape growing practices in the Show-Me state.
 
The experimental wines will be made from Missouri grown grapes and undergo chemical and sensory analysis as well as tasting by industry professionals. Grape varieties and viticultural practices are being tested for adaptation to Missouri's growing conditions: varieties must be able to endure cold winters, hot summers, heavy rains and drought.
 
"Providing information on which varieties perform best in Missouri from the vineyard to the cellar is important," said Keith Striegler, director of the Institute for Continental Climate Viticulture and Enology (ICCVE), which runs the experimental winery. "Our goal is to provide information on varieties to grow and cultural practices that will enhance efficiency and profitability for the industry."
 
The small-scale winery, which opened last Fall, is equipped with a stemmer, crusher, press, bottling equipment and refrigeration to maintain proper temperatures during fermentations. Striegler said long-term plans include obtaining a commercial license and developing a wine label specifically for MU.
 
 For more information on ICCVE visit http://iccve.missouri.edu/
Romancing the Grape
Roses are red, violets are blue, the Route Du Vin wine trail has something special for you! February 13 and 14 romance your Valentine on the Route du Vin with an afternoon, or an entire weekend, in Ste. Genevieve enjoying fine wines paired with decadent foods. To take a peek at the menu and purchase tickets visit
https://secures7.brinkster.com/twinoaks/details.asp?id=9242008110138287  or call 1-800-398-1298.
 
Chocolate Wine Trail
Spend a romantic weekend February 20-21 sipping and sampling chocolate and wine pairings at six wineries on the Hermann Wine Trail. Get your tickets today; advance purchase is required for this very popular event. For tickets and more info visit