Our Traditions
A century ago "American wine" usually meant Missouri wine,
and St. Louis was the nation's
center for world-class quality.
In
1837, German settlers established the town of Hermann on the southern banks
of the Missouri River, west of St. Louis.
The ground around Hermann, although too rocky for many crops, was well
suited to growing wine grapes.
Our dramatic four-season climate presented a considerable challenge. Typical European wine varietals like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon were too delicate for our cold winters and hot summers. The settlers, determined to produce quality wine in their new home, began systematically experimenting with hardy local vines, and developing techniques for grafting our local stock with European vines.
That spirit of persistent,
hands-on experimentation is one reason Missouri wines have become so richly
varied.
It continues today and is visible in the highly disciplined and scientific
approach of our vintners, and in The Grape & Wine Program sponsored
research at Southwest Missouri State University's station at Mountain Grove,
where the quest for better, hardier grapevines is ongoing.