Missouri

August is Vignoles Month!

Posted on by whimsicalwinewoman

A perfect wine for summertime just also happens to be celebrated in August! This versatile grape can make award-winning wines for all flavor appreciation types, and the 2026 Missouri Wine Governor’s Cup results prove that!

Missouri Governor’s Cup Vignoles Wine Winners

This years Best of Class winners included:

Dry White: 2025 Dry Vignoles from Adam Puchta Winery

Semi Dry White: 2024 Vignoles from Noboleis Vineyards

Sweet White: 2025 Vignoles from Mathany Family Vineyards

The 2026 Missouri Governor’s Cup winner was the 2025 Dry Vignoles from Adam Puchta Winery.

2026 Missouri Governor’s Cup Winner

If that isn’t proof this is a versatile grape, I’m not sure what will! You can check out the full list of winners on the Missouri Wine website. https://missouriwine.org/news/2026-missouri-governors-cup-wine-competition-results

Vignoles grapes are very hardy in Missouri and are one of the first you may see being harvested. Vignoles wines can feature crisp flavors like pineapple, pear, and peach to fresh citrus and florals making it the perfect wine for summertime sips!

Vignoles wine pairs really well with foods that have a slight kick to them! General Tso’s chicken is my personal favorite Vignoles wine and food pairing! If you’re looking to pair it with something sweet, go for a cheesecake or crème brĂ»lĂ©e type sweet treat.

A plate of General Tso's chicken and white rice paired with a glass of Vignoles Wine
A plate of General Tso’s chicken and white rice paired with a glass of Vignoles Wine

As always though, drink what you want with what you want to eat it with. No one’s judging your personal preferences in my book ever!

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Summertime with a Whimsical Missouri Wine Tasting

Posted on by whimsicalwinewoman

What do you have with twelve bottles of award-winning Missouri wine, food, food, and more food, and a group of people ready to have their pallets put to the test? It must be time for a whimsical award-winning Missouri wine tasting!

Who will be the favorite out of them all?

Ten folks gathered (properly socially distanced) to enjoy an evening of tasting twelve of Missouri’s award-winning wines from eight different Missouri wineries.

Adam Puchta Winery

•Cellar Select Norton(non-vintage)-$20.00

•Dry Vignoles (non-vintage)-$19.00

Augusta Winery

•2017 Estate Bottled Norton-$18.93

Defiance Ridge Vineyards

•2018 La Femme Osage Rosé-$28.00

Le Bourgeois Vineyards and Winery

•Brut Sparkling Wine-$30.00

•2017 St. Vincent Rosé-$18.00

Montelle Winery

•2018 Chardonel-$16.66

Noboleis Vineyards

•2017 Vignoles-$20.00

St. James Winery

•2017 Dry Vignoles-$15.99

•2018 Cynthiana-$12.99

Stone Hill Winery

•2017 Chambourcin-$14.00

•2017 Norton-$21.00

In the end–the overall favorite red wine was the Adam Puchta Winery-Select Cellar Norton, and the favorite white was the Noboleis Vineyards-Vignoles!

There wasn’t a drop left in either of those bottles by the end of the night!

For more information on the amazing world of Missouri Wine and Wine Country, be sure to visit https://missouriwine.org for everything you need to get your Missouri Wine adventures started!

Enjoy Missouri Wines!

The Best Peach Wines of the Season!

Posted on by whimsicalwinewoman

One of the best times of the year in the Midwest is definitely peach season! Whether you’re picking some up from your local farmers market or spending a day picking your own at Eckert’s Family Farms, it’s a great time of the year for all–so it makes sense that peach wine would be so popular here too! 🍑

Here are some of my favorite peach wines made by amazing Midwest wineries!

•Fox Creek Winery Peach Wine (Illinois)

•Lynfred Winery Peach Wine (Illinois)

•Grafton Winery Peach Wine (Illinois)

•Hopewell Winery Peach Wine (Illinois)

•French Lick Winery Just Peachy Wine (Indiana)

•Stone Hill Winery Peach Wine (Missouri)

•St. James Winery Peach Wine (Missouri)

Photos by Megyme Productions

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More Wine for More Good Times-Cedar Lake Cellars Introduces FOUR New Wines!

Posted on by whimsicalwinewoman

Cedar Lake Cellars, a year-round winery and event venue, recently added four new wines to its existing inventory of 50.

 

3 Swans Chardonnay, Napa Valley Reserve (2016) â€“ Buttered citrus, marmalade, and hints of brioche and white flower nuances are apparent in this full-bodied wine.  The name and label refer to the winery’s three swans that grace the property’s three-acre lake.

 

Pomegranate Sparkling Wine â€“ A semi-dry wine with aromas of cherry, blackberry, and strawberry.

 

Cedar Lake Cellars Moscato (2018) – This wine features sweet aromas of peaches, fresh grapes, orange blossoms, and crisp lemons.

 

Cedar Lake Cellars RosĂ© (2018) – The newest RosĂ© is a versatile crisp, dry wine with bright acidity and structure.

 

The winery currently sells craft and domestic beer, as well as 16 Cedar Lake Cellars California or Paso Robles wines, 3 Swans handcrafted wines from the West Coast, 25 wines of the world, and signature wine slushies.  A mixed drink menu features a wide assortment of liquors and mixes to choose from.

 

Cedar Lake Cellars is open year-round Fri. and Sat. from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for those 21 and older with live music scheduled throughout the weekend. 

 

Cedar Lake Cellars is located at 11008 Schreckengast Rd. in Wright City, Mo.  

For more information, contact Cedar Lake Cellars at (636) 745-9500 or visit www.cedarlakecellars.com.

 

Missouri Wobbles and Wine!

Posted on by whimsicalwinewoman

On October 6, 2018 the annual Missouri Wine Wobble took over Cedar Lake Cellars ! “Will run for wine” is a common phrase in the wine world and with the Missouri Wine Wobble, you really can run(or wobble) and be rewarded with wine! 🙌🍷👟

The Missouri Wine Wobble has a little something for everyone! (Even people like me who can’t stand running🤣) Not up to running an entire 5K? Then sign up for the 1K Taster’s Trot! Feeling like you have some energy to burn? Sign up for both the 5K AND 1K races and get extra wobbly! It really is a blast for everyone!

Once you’ve picked which race is right for you, prepare to “wobble” thru the vineyards stopping every so often for a wine break!

Photography by John Kelly
Photography by John Kelly

Once you’ve finished your race, there is more wine and whiskey (and water) waiting for you to enjoy! Races over? Now it’s time to party! The after party will sure to keep that wobble wobbly!

©BillAverettePhotography

©BillAverettePhotography

You don’t want to miss the next Missouri Wine Wobble! You can keep up with their social media and stay up to date with ticket sales, deals, dates, and more!

Missouri Wine Wobble Website

Missouri Wine Wobble Instagram

Missouri Wine Wobble Facebook

Missouri Vines Save French Wine!

Posted on by whimsicalwinewoman

There was a time in wine making history (1870s) where French vineyards were being wiped out by a nasty American microscopic aphid type insect; grape phylloxera. (The sneaky bug stowed away on cargo ships) The “Great French Wine Blight” was the time everyone feared would be the end of the European wine industry.

Photo from British Satire Magazine “Punch”

Scientists from around the world gathered to try and find a solution to the problem. They had accepted the fact there would be no way to eradicate the insect once established, so they would need to figure out a way to “just live with it.”

Some American rootstock were completely immune to the grape vine root munching insects. By taking French vines and grafting them to the phylloxera immune American rootstock, healthy grapes were able to be produced.

Millions of rootstock were sent from Missouri to France and the French wine industry started its slow climb back to its full wine power!

Photo from experiencehermann.com

In honor of the success, a statue of a young woman cradling an older woman in her arms was built in Montpellier, France to signify “the new world saving the old world.”

Young Woman Cradling an Older Woman Statue in Montpellier Photo from winetravelstories.com

Besides listening to stories from the amazing people who call Hermann, MO home as I explored the wine trail, here are the websites I got more of my information from

http://www.winetravelstories.com/2008/04/?m=1

http://missouriwinecountry.com/articles/history/

http://winefolly.com/review/no-cure-for-grape-phylloxera/

https://hermannwinetrail.com/event-calender/about-missouri-wine/

Missouri Wine