German settlers in the 1800s discovered that Missouri's rich, fertile soil was well-suited to growing grapes, and by the mid-1800s Missouri had become one of the top wine producing regions in the country, second only to California. The Norton grape, Missouri's state grape, thrives in Missouri soil and produces wines with unique floral attributes. In addition, Missouri soil and rootstocks helped save the French wine industry when rootstocks resistant to phylloxera louse were sent to France in the 19th century. Today, Missouri has over 50 wineries concentrated in the Hermann and Augusta areas, and its wine tourism industry contributes over $175 million annually to the state's economy.

1. MO WINE HISTORY – ROUND ONE – MAY 20, 2015
Although it has rapidly expanded in the past 50 years, the wine scene in Missouri is nothing
new. German settlers in the 1800s found that the rich, fertile soil lends itself to growing grapes, and in
1846, the first Missouri wine was produced. Only a few years later, Missouri's wine production was
among the top in the country, second only to California. By 1900, Missouri was home to the second
largest winery in the United States, and the third largest in the world. However, Missouri's wines
weren't just about quantity. The quality and unique attributes of Missouri's soil produced wines that
were cherished all over the world. Our long summers, rocky Ozark soil, and temperate climate made
Missouri an excellent place to grow grapes. Towns like Hermann and Augusta soon became hot-spots
for growing the grapes that would become Missouri's first award winning wines.
The most common wine grape grown in Missouri is the Norton, which happens to be the State
grape. Norton wines are what Missouri is most well known for, as this particular strain seems to thrive
in Missouri's soil. Norton grapes are cherished for their fantastic deep blue and purple pigmentation,
and produce a lovely dry wine. Norton wine from Missouri is highly sought after across the world for
its unique floral attributes not usually associated with Norton grapes, an attribute gifted to the grape
from the special characteristics of Missouri soil. Missouri is not limited by one kind of wine, however,
as the soil is also home to Concord, Vignoles, Chambourcin, and many other grape varieties.
It's not just the grapes grown here that have Missouri's soil to thank; without Missouri wine
culture, we might not have French wines today. In the middle of the 19th
century, the phylloxera louse
was destroying a sizable amount of the grape crops in France. A state entomologist in Missouri found
that American rootstocks were resistant to the louse, and sent millions of them to France to be grafted
to their grapes. Without this effort, France may very well have lost their crops forever. Montpelier even
has statues commemorating this event in history. Wine production continued in Missouri until the
prohibition in the 1920's, and everything shut down. When the alcohol ban was lifted, many were
deterred from coming back due to alcohol taxes and fees from the US Government. However, in the
1960's, wine industry returned to Missouri, and a new era of Midwest wine making began. Since then,
B&B's and wineries in the St. Charles region have thrived and continue to grow. Missouri's Wine and
Grape Board estimated the number of cases of Missouri wine produced in 2009 to be around 500,000 in
total, with the wine industry accounting for over $175 million in tourism expenditures.
The scenic rolling hills, agrestic countryside, and meandering pastoral roads make Missouri's
wine country a truly unique experience in the Midwest, if not the entire United States. People from all
over the world visit Missouri to experience our land's beauty, culture, and wines. The wineries and soil
of Missouri's wine county were seen as such a national asset that Augusta, Missouri was the first in the
county to be designated by the government as an American Viticultural Area in 1980. Presently, there
are only 230 such areas in the whole of the United States. No matter the designation, Missouri's wine
country has been something to be experienced and celebrated for nearly 200 years, and still continues
to evolve and improve. Whether it is the snow lined sidewalks of Augusta in winter or the oranges and
reds of the Defiance hills in fall, Missouri's wine country has always had plenty to offer visitors and
residents of all ages.