Happy 4th! Photo from temeculawines.org. 

If your wine of choice is a smooth Missouri red, try a chilled white like Chardonel - a perfect treat on a hot summer day. If a dry wine is usually found in your glass, ease into a semi-sweet, like a Vignoles (perfect for barbecues!).

Never tried a Rosé? Now is the time. Missouri wineries have perfected the art of this style to bring you a light, yet complex wine. It's as refreshing as it is delicious! 

There are plenty of other wines available that are perfect complements for a hot holiday. Try a sparkling wine, or pick up a Missouri fruit wine and get creative. Combine a berry wine with fresh lemonade or pour any flavor over your ice cream - there is no wrong way to enjoy these sweet treats!

Have a safe, fun holiday. Happy Fourth of July to all from Missouri Wines!

Stone Hill Winery receives the first ever C.V. Riley Award for Best Norton! The award was new to the Missouri Wine Competition in 2011 as a way to recognize the top Norton in the state and honor Missouri's own C.V. Riley.

Stone Hill's 2009 Estate Bottled Norton was chosen as the best Norton at the 2011 Missouri Wine Competition. Established in 1847, Stone Hill Winery embraces its German heritage in the town of Hermann, Mo., with additional locations in Branson and New Florence. In 2011 the winery produced 260,000 gallons of wine.

C.V. Riley was Missouri's first state appointed entomologist and is credited for salvaging the French wine industry with his Phylloxera resistant rootstock in the 1870s.

The award was determined by a panel of nine judges through the process of blind tastings. Throughout the course of the two-day competition, they passed out 38 gold medals, 92 silver medals and 62 bronze medals from the 266 wines that were submitted from 35 wineries.

The director of the Department of Agriculture, Dr. Jon M. Hagler, presented the award to Jim and Betty Held, founders of the winery, and their sons Jon and Thomas Held at the Hermann location.

Our state is home to five great wine trails, but with 120 wineries in the state, there are other wine regions worth putting on your radar. With summer upon us, we're featuring a different winery itinerary every month. So, get your passport, grab some friends and go!

 Get out and enjoy Missouri Wine Country! Photo courtesy of Jacob's Vineyard, located in Kirksville, Mo.  

Northeast Area 

Start your journey at the most northern point of the region, Kirksville. Here you will find Jacob's Vineyard, where you can take in the summer scenery and enjoy a variety of wines while overlooking the vineyard. Next head to West Winery in downtown Macon, and relax in their renovated 1800s tasting room. If you are looking for lunch, pack a picnic! And when you leave be sure to stop by and visit Indian Creek Winery, a small, boutique winery in Monroe City.  Next, on the itinerary is just one of Missouri's newest wineries in Frankford. At Claymalnay Vineyard and Winery you'll enjoy an afternoon secluded in nature, surrounded with beautiful trees and wildlife - and of course wine.

Just in time for dinner, head to historic, downtown Louisiana for mo' wine and dinner at The Eagle's Nest Winery. You'll experience cuisine that reflects a French and Italian influence. The winery also serves as a bed and breakfast, so enjoy the live music on Saturday evenings, and then call it a night.

Several wineries on this itinerary are only open on the weekends, so make this trip a weekend winery getaway!

Don't forget your Missouri Wines iPhone and Android app for easy navigation! And as always, call ahead to confirm winery hours and events.

Welcome to this month's winemaker connection featuring winemaker Mark Baehmann of Chaumette Vineyards and Winery in Ste. Genevieve.

How long have you been making wine?

"Twenty-eight years."

How and where did you learn to make wine?

"I started making wine years ago when Montelle Winery was on the little hill west of Augusta. Clayton Byers who founded the winery and was the owner at the time is who began educating my palate, and he explained to me the importance of blending and mouth feel. He really taught me the love and passion you can have for this business. Bob Slifer began teaching me the basics of winemaking. Then I took several trips to California and completed some UC Davis short courses, too. So, you can say I learned from people who had a lot of passion, science, and true love of wine making."

What did you do before becoming a winemaker?

"The only other real job I had was managing Wendy's restaurants. Right out of high school I became the youngest store manager in St Louis. That experience certainly taught me a lot about sanitation, quality control and hard work."

Describe yourself in three words.

"Faithful, passionate winemaker."

What is your favorite wine to make?

"I have made so many wines from a lot of different grapes. Each of the varietals brings with it certain challenges and rewards. Chambourcin has been one of my favorites lately." 

What is the toughest challenge about winemaking in Missouri?

"Finding great fruit in Missouri can be tough. It's growing quality fruit in Missouri that is the hardest thing in my opinion. My heart goes out to all the growers. If you get great fruit, then the winemaking is easy."

Is winemaking an art or a science? Or both?

"Science certainly helps guide you in making stable wine. But I feel the "art" in winemaking or gut feelings I have when making decisions is what separates my wines from other wines." 

What is your favorite food and wine pairing?

"I have had the honor to host a lot of great wine dinners that paired my wine with some fantastic foods created by awesome chefs. It really is not fair to limit me to just one pairing!"

If you didn't make wine, what would you do?

"I have been trying to figure that out my whole life. I fell into this line of work and never looked back. It has been a true blessing. If I could, I would love to make a living playing music."