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Passport to MO Wine
Passports are special documents; they offer travelers an opportunity to go from one interesting place to another, collecting stamps along the way. With the new Missouri Winery Passport and Tasting Journal, travelers can do just that as they visit wineries throughout Missouri, plus earn great rewards.
The Missouri Winery Passport program launches this fall as part of a new marketing campaign, "The Country's First Wine Country," developed by the Missouri Wine & Grape Board. Designed to reward the Missouri wine consumer, this tourism-based program offers guests incentives for winery visits. Rewards kick in for travelers who visit as few as four Missouri wineries, but the more winery visits a consumer makes, the more rewards they receive, giving people more reasons to explore Missouri wine country.
"With over 90 wineries now in Missouri, there's plenty of opportunity to enjoy the beauty and diversity of Missouri wine country," said Jim Anderson, Executive Director of the Missouri Wine & Grape Board. "The Country's First Wine Country focuses on the history and heritage of the Missouri wine industry, our great wine country scenery and the excellent quality of Missouri wines."
The Passport program is sponsored by the Missouri Wine & Grape Board and can be accessed by consumers via a newly redesigned website expected to launch in the near future. Missouri Winery Passports will be available at participating wineries or by contacting the Missouri Wine & Grape Board at 1-800-392-9463 or via email missouri.wine@mda.mo.gov. |
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Seasonal Sipping
Kick off the holidays with a specially crafted seasonal Missouri wine. Several Missouri wineries are offering spiced wines, perfect chilled or warmed; fresh, young Nouveau wines to celebrate the Harvest; festive cranberry; and pumpkin wines with a kiss of pumpkin pie spice to sweeten your day.
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Etiquette Check
 Whether you're hosting a holiday meal or having a wine dinner, streamline your tablesetting with this easy guide.
Cutlery: To the left of the dinner plate, from left to right are the salad fork, dinner fork, and dessert fork. To the right of the dinner plate, from left to right are the knife (blade toward the plate), teaspoon, and soupspoon. As a general rule of thumb, start with the utensil the furthest from the plate and work your way in.
Glasses: To the top right of the dinner plate, from left to right are the water glass, the red wine glass, the white wine glass and the liqueur glass (not shown). White wine glasses, for your Missouri Chardonel, Traminette or Vignoles have slightly smaller, less round bowls than red wine glasses. Red wine glasses, like the Missouri Norton Riedel glass, have larger bowls. Liqueur glasses, for your Missouri Ports and Late Harvest wines, are very small.
The bread plate and butter knife belong to the top left of the dinner plate. Napkins can be placed and folded creatively; it's up to you. According to www.EmilyPost.com, if you choose to place your napkin beside the dinner plate, the fold of the napkin should always be next to the plate.
Setting a proper table is easy, especially if you include Missouri wine!
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Side Show
Show off your holiday side dishes by pairing them with Missouri wines. Remember, you don't have to stick to the same wine throughout the entire meal. Mix it up! Experiment! Have fun with Missouri wine at your holiday table!
Cranberry Sauce - Cranberry wine, a direct complement! Sweet Potatoes- A fruity white with a little sweetness, like Vignoles, will pair well, especially if you use marshmallows on the sweet potatoes. Green Bean Casserole - An intensely flavored white such as Chardonel will match the casserole components perfectly, including those savory french fried onion pieces sprinkled on top. Stuffing - A medium bodied red like Chambourcin makes a nice match, especially if there is sausage in the stuffing Mashed Potatoes and Gravy - Try either a Chardonel or a Chambourcin. Both wines are bold and flavorful enough to stand up to and enhance this classic side dish.
Bon Apetit! |
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Top Ten Hermann, Missouri made USA Today's list of Top 10 Great Places for Local Wines. The list, compiled by regional wine champions DrinkLocalWine.com, highlights America's booming regional wine industries.
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Celebrate!
Enjoy holiday entertaining with Missouri wine and these helpful, quick tips:
3-2-1 - An easy way to remember proper serving temperatures for wine is 3-2-1. Before serving, chill sparkling wines in the refrigerator for 3 hours, chill white wines 2 hours and red wines, ports and sherries 1 hour.
By the Numbers - a standard 750ml bottle of wine holds about five generous glasses. You do the math to determine how many bottles of Missouri wine you'll need for your holiday get-together. |
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Hit the Trails
Missouri River Wine Trail, Bounty of the Harvest, November 6-7 - Exquisite wine and food pairings featuring local products from the mid-Missouri area. Click here for more info.
Hermann Wine Trail, Holiday Fare, November 20-21 -
Sip and sample festive fare in this annual celebration of
good food and good wine.
Click here for more info.
Route du Vin, Ste. Genevieve, Wine Diva Weekend, November 20-21 - Fine wines perfectly paired with a delicious "Diva Treat."
Click here for more info.
Hermann Wine Trail, Say Cheese, December 11-12 -
Celebrate the season with delightful pairings of cheese
and wine.
Click here for more info.
To check out all of Missouri's wine trails and events, click here.
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Site See
Check out these Missouri wine blogs for all the latest in what's happening in the world of Missouri wine:
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