We're Back... And With A Missouri Wine

Thanks for sticking with me folks, it's been a hectic few months with family problems, reorgs at work, and then finishing up my thesis for a master's program. But now I'm back and ready to make up for lost ground.

Tonight's little gem hails from my home state of Missouri. Yes, wine from Missouri, and if you've read any of my past posts about Missouri wines you'll know that they turn out some pretty danged good stuff (why, a Missouri wine won the "Judgment of Ocean Beach" contest we had earlier). Montelle Winery lies in the area that was was the first AVA (America's way of denoting geographic locations of grape growing), Augusta. If you've never been I highly recommend a trip to and through the Missouri wine region that hugs the banks of the Missouri River, it is both charming and breathtaking in it's beauty.

This wine is made with the Chambourcin grape, a hybrid that has shown to be particularly resistant to fungus infections. It has a fairly wide growing area in the midwest and eastern United States was well as some areas in France and Australia. The wine I poured tonight was of a deep cherry red color. After a few swirls around the glass I was greeted by the aroma of blackberries, a touch of cherry, a little "woody vanilla", and I would swear just a hint of smoke (though that could just be the pollutants of LA County burning but since it's pleasant I'll attribute it to the wine). The wine is medium bodied and dry but not puckeringly so. There is a good acid/fruit balance with enough tannin to support but not overwhelm. On the tongue I get red fruits (cherries prominent) and spice. There is a certain overall "rustic-ness" to the wine which is pleasant, all coming together in a medium length finish. If you're looking for something different to have with your BBQ I would say give this wine a shot.

Wines reviewed in 2009: 205

A "Kiss" From Missouri - Montelle Winery 2007 Dry Vignoles

My first shipment of Missouri wine finally arrived. I had ordered wine from Montelle Winery and Westphalia Vineyards. The Westphalia wines have not yet arrived but yesterday I received my bottles from Montelle. As today was a hot day I decided to try my chilled 2007 Dry Vignoles. I had high hopes since this wine was the 2008 Governor's Cup winner for best Missouri wine.

First, what the heck is Vignoles? For those of you who have not expanded your palate beyond what Andrea Robinson calls the "Big Six" grapes, let me do the introductions. Vignoles is a hybrid white grape popular in the Midwest and Northeast (particularly Missouri and the Finger Lakes area of New York). For Missouri it appears to be one of the "work horse" grapes, producing wine that made my beau think it was a Riesling and in fact most literature will tell you that in fact the wines do tend to be reminiscent of German Rieslings. The wines produced can be anywhere from dry to sweet (like a Riesling).

OK, enough talk... now the wine. Even though this pretty little wine is called "dry" to me it seemed a bit more "off-dry", just a touch of residual sugar remaining. The wine has the beautiful straw coloring that would mark a nice Chardonnay. The bouquet brought fruit and flowers, primarily a floral rendition of strawberry and citrus (pineapple?). The taste was like a natural fruit salad of apricot, citrus and pineapple (picked up from the nose perhaps) with a touch of natural sweetness. Nice mouth feel, enough acid that the sweetness doesn't seem cloying in the mouth and a nice medium-length finish.

If this enjoyable wine is any indication of what Missouri has been doing with its wine in the almost 20 years since I last sampled some I will be a happy "amant de vin" indeed! Thanks Tim for turning me onto Montelle's offerings... now if I can only get my Westphalia shipment!!!

Watch for more reviews of "Show Me" State wines.