Our state is home to seven great wine trails, but with 121 wineries in the state, there are other wine regions worth putting on your radar. With summer in full swing, we're featuring a different winery itinerary every month. So, grab some friends, and go explore Missouri Wine Country!

Take in this gorgeous view at Seven Springs Winery. Photo courtesy of Seven Springs' website. 

Central Region 

The Lake of the Ozarks is a popular summer vacation destination among Missourians and Midwesterners alike. Along with boating, fishing and golfing, the Lake is now known as one of Missouri's wine spots. Driving along Highway 54 you'll find five wineries awaiting your arrival.

Starting at the northern most point is Shawnee Bluff Winery. You can't get any closer to the water as this newly renovated 1931 resort is on Bagnell Dam and offers a panoramic view of the main channel of Lake Ozark. Seven Springs Winery and Vineyards sits atop 160 acres of rolling Missouri foothills between Camdenton and Osage Beach in Linn Creek and offers a light menu to pair with your wine.

Camdenton is home to two wineries. Golden Rock Winery is both a winery and a restaurant offering complimentary tastings and lunch and dinner specials. Casa De Loco, also in Camdenton, is on the National Register of Historic Sites and offers lodging and accommodations if you are looking for a place to stay.

Continuing along Hwy 50, you'll find Crane Creek Winery in the town of Preston. This family-owned vineyard and winery focuses on fruit wines, perfect for a hot summer day!

Dwight Crevelt of 7C's Winery in Walnut Grove, Mo., took the time to answer a few questions for our latest installment of the Winemaker's Connection.

How long have you been making wine?

"I have been making wine for three years professionally, and five years before that as an amateur."

How and where did you learn to make wine?

"When we decided to open a winery, we bought a winemaking kit and started. We read books, took virtually all the classes at Vesta-USA, and attended the Missouri Wine and Grape Conference every year to get to know everyone in the region. During our travels, we visited wineries from coast to coast to see how they operated, handled events, what wines they made and most importantly what the wines tasted like. I also used wine competitions to see how our wines compared."

What did you do before becoming a winemaker (if anything)?

"I spent 35-plus years in the gaming industry in Las Vegas. I designed Slot Machines, Poker Machines and Player Club Systems."

Describe yourself in three words.

"An eclectic mix."

What is your favorite wine to make?

"I don't have a favorite wine per se, but Vidal Blanc is my favorite grape. You can do anything with it from dry to sweet and everything in between as well as sparkling and ice wine."

What is the toughest challenge about winemaking in Missouri?

"Our biggest challenge has been keeping up with demand without overreaching. The economy is hard enough to deal with without trying to grow too fast and getting into trouble."

Is winemaking an art or a science? Or both? 

"Winemaking is a combination of art, science and luck. You can follow all the protocols; do all the testing you want and no matter what the numbers say it all boils down to how the wine tastes." 

What is your favorite food and wine pairing?

"I don't have a favorite paring, I drink wine with everything. I have yet to find anything that won't go with wine."

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

"I would probably still be in the gaming industry."