Crooked Neck Holly Serving Dish from thesmashedchefs.com.  

Can't decide what to get the wine-lover on your list? Check out the list below for some great ideas on pairing Missouri wines with other locally produced products. Be sure to treat yourself a little, too!     

1. Wine Bottle Serving Dish : The Smashed Chefs, located in Chesterfield, Mo., create one-of-a-kind creations from recycled glass bottles. You can even personalize the present with a special message. Choose from serving dishes, home decor, jewelry and more for a truly unique gift. $10 - $60 

2. Naughty but Nice: Regardless of where you fall on Santa's list, this wine is a must-have! Westphalia Vineyards located in Westphalia, Mo., has united a classic pairing with their Naughty but Nice Chocolate wine. The product combines the Norton grape with pure chocolate to create an irresistible dry dessert wine. $14/bottle   

3. "What to Drink with what you Eat": This book, found easily on  Amazon.com, is perfect for the entertainer on your list, or someone who just likes good food and drink. With advice from U.S. based sommeliers, this book is the quintessential food and beverage pairing resource. It would be great combined with Missouri made chocolate (#4) and goat cheese (#7)!  $17 - $23 

4. Patric Chocolate: They're back! Appearing on our list for the second year in a row, Patric Chocolate was recently mentioned in Forbes magazine as one of the top 10 truly artisanal foods to try right now. Offering delicious, hand-crafted treats that will please any palate, Patric bars are perfect stocking stuffers. Try the top-selling seasonal PBJ OMG bar, or for the coffee lover on your list, the Mocha OMG or Cappuccino OMG bar (both made with Kaldi's espresso) is a perfect fit. These bars are not only delicious but most are gluten free and packed with antioxidants. $5 - $8    

Click here to see the rest of our holiday gift giving essentials!  

Think a case is too much? Think again! A case of wine consists of 12 bottles. Many wineries offer a mix and match option, which means you can have a variety of wines shipped right to your doorstep. It's holiday shopping made easy (super easy). Check out our top 12 reasons you should invest in a case!

1. Host/Hostess gift: Is your calendar filling up with holiday get-togethers? A bottle of wine is a simple, classy way to express gratitude to your host.  

2. Thank you: Give a special thanks to your child's math tutor or show your appreciation to your hair stylist.

3. Unexpected company/last minute gift: Surprise! Great Aunt Helen from Florida has decided to hop a flight home for the holidays. Of course you had a gift waiting for her!

4. Holiday party (planned or unplanned): Need we say more?

5. Cooking with wine: There are so many great options when it comes to cooking with wine. Visit missouriwine.org for some great recipes.

6. Game or movie night: Hanging with friends on a chilly, snowy night? Be prepared by having Missouri wines on hand!

Don't miss the rest of our list: Click here! 

Sparkling wine gets a lot of attention around the holidays as we celebrate family, friends and new beginnings. And while everyone deserves to toast to the new year, sparkling wine should be enjoyed beyond just special occasions. According to the Wine Institute, sparkling wine and champagne consumer sales increased in 2010. That's good news!

Sparkling wines can be made with a single varietal or by blending grapes and will range in residual sugar (for example, Brut is dry and unsweetened). In Missouri, wineries produce a delicious variety of sparkling wines that can be found at pleasantly affordable prices. 

Here is a list of Missouri wineries that currently offer bottles of bubbly:

• Adam Puchta Winery 
• Crown Valley Winery 
• Hermannhof Winery 
• Les Bourgeois Winery and Vineyards 
• Mount Pleasant Winery 
• St. James Winery 
• Stone Hill Winery 

Check the Missouri Wine website for more info on how to find your favorite wines.

And speaking of sparkling wine ...  

Try this winter specialty cocktail: Bleu Bubbles 

Baby, it's cold outside! Warm up with a sparkling delight courtesy of Rich Trippler, Columbia based mixologist and bartender.

Ingredients: 

Any Missouri Brut

1 oz. of blueberry vodka or blueberry liqueur

1 cube of Blue Curacao soaked sugar cube

1 cube of Pama liquor sugar cube

Directions:  

Pour blueberry vodka or liqueur in a champagne flute.  

Then fill it with sparkling wine and add one of each sugar cube.

Enjoy!

To make sugar cubes:

You will need two bowls. Put the desired amount of sugar cubes in each bowl (do not overfill). Add drops of Blue Curacao and Pama liqueur respectively to sugar until desired color is reached. Place cubes on parchment paper until ready to use.

Check out these stories from passport participants who have recently redeemed their level 6 reward for visiting 60 wineries. For collecting 60 stamps, these folks were awarded with a winery dinner for four. So remember, every stamp counts! Next time you head out to explore Missouri wine country, be sure to have your passport handy. Maybe you and your friends will be featured next!   

Photo courtsey of Kelly Tindall.

Kent Fothergill and Kelly Tindall (pictured on right) recently redeemed their Level 6 reward at  Chaumette Vineyards and Winery in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. "It was amazing. They called us celebrities when we came in, and we got the celebrity treatment! They threw in a lot of extras and we enjoyed the whole experience," said Tindall, of the dinner. Fothergill also had good things to say about the Passport Program: " ... visiting the wineries and learning more about Missouri wines was a reward in and of itself. I have become a big fan of the Norton wine and have learned a ton about wines, wineries, and winemakers.

Maryann Napier redeemed her Level 6 reward at Meramec Vineyards with two wine-loving friends. Napier and friends selected the wines Tony's Blend and Celebration White to go with their 6-course dinner, which included a bruschetta medley for an appetizer, smoked bacon wrapped pork ribeye steak as an entree and a poached pear dessert. "My dinner and pairing were both fantastic. Nothing could have made them better," said Napier of her experience. 

Locapair

In fervent support of the locavore movement, each month we will pair a Missouri wine varietal with a local food favorite. Hence: Locapair. Enjoy.

Chambourcin (sham-bor-san) 

Chambourcin is a French-American hybrid grape that produces a medium-bodied red wine with a fruity aroma and earthy, spicy complexities. It's medium to dark red in color and a food-friendly wine, especially during the holidays.

Eat this with: Holiday Ham

The fruity flavors of Chambourcin compliment the saltiness of a holiday ham. The red wine also pairs well with hearty pasta dishes, mushrooms, and warm seasonal spices like nutmeg and clove. Check your local grocery store to find local hams, or check the AgriMissouri website. 

New Winery

Vino Vocab 

Dessert Wine: 1) Fortified wine, where alcohol is added in the form of Brandy or neutral spirits; 2) Sweet or very sweet wines of any alcohol level that are customarily drank with dessert or by themselves and usually in small amounts.   

Out and About

Kristkindl Markt: Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3 and 4, Hermann, Mo.   

Interested in Home Winemaking?

Learn the basics of winemaking while networking with other home winemakers. The class is designed for both the novice and experienced home vintner.

When: Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Where: Missouri State - Mountain Grove

Cost: $25  

For more information and registration, click here or contact Pamela Mayer, Registrar,

PMayer@MissouriState.edu

417-547-7500 or 417-547-7533