West side story

When it comes to Missouri wines, many of us seem to take a “the world is flat” approach, assuming that anything west of Rocheport is the land of fire and dragons. Granted, historically, vineyards in our state were once pretty much limited to the regions surrounding Augusta, Hermann and St. James. But that’s not the case anymore; Missouri’s wine industry has seen a statewide expansion that goes from St. Louis all the way to Kansas City. Here are just a few viticultural venues on the left side of Missouri worth keeping an eye on: Odessa Country Winery, Odessa My first exposure to Odessa Country Winery was at a recent Missouri wine tasting, where I tasted my first Diamond. My research told me that Diamond (aka Moore’s Diamond) is a 19th-century native American hybrid developed in New York. The flavor was very similar to Niagara: very grapey, fruity, heavy and sweet. When I asked winery owner Janice Putnam what her wine-making style is, she told me that she is not trying to make anything resembling West Coast or European wines, but is focusing on traditional sweet-style fruit and American grape varieties. I also tasted Odessa’s Old Fashion Elderberry Wine, which was obviously very sweet but loaded with health benefits. (It’s even thought to ward off witches and evil spirits!) Baltimore Bend Vineyard, Waverly Owned by the Livingston family, Baltimore Bend is a bit more than an hour east of Kansas City. French and American hybrids are the focus here, with some Cynthiana thrown into the mix. Sarah Livingston Schmidt has been very active in marketing her family’s wines by entering Midwest wine competitions. I tasted the winery’s Trey Blanc and found it light and very refreshing for summer sipping. Sarah told me that it was “a blend of Chardonel, Seyval Blanc and Vignoles, and it won an award at the International Eastern Wine Competition.” Jowler Creek Vineyard and Winery, Platte City I first heard of Jowler Creek Vineyard and Winery, located north of Kansas City, when its Butterfly Blush won three honors at the Mid-American Wine Competition in Des Moines in July, including Best of Class; though I’d never heard of it, I was certainly very encouraged by the award. So it was nice to meet Jason Gerke recently, who co-owns Jowler Creek with his wife, Colleen Gerke. Their seven acres are planted with a variety of grapes, including Norton, Traminette, Vignoles and Cabernet Franc. Their first harvest was 250 cases in 2006, followed by 500 cases in 2007. They expect to produce 1,000 cases in 2008. Riverwood Winery, Rushville North of Kansas City, near Weston, Mo., Riverwood Winery makes wine from only Missouri-grown grapes, including Norton, Seyval, Cayuga White, Vidal and Concord – well, except for some Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc purchased last year after the freeze. When I asked owner David Naatz about his wine-making style, he said, “Are you kidding? Juice in the tank, lid on, hands over ears, eyes squeezed shut, hope for the best!” I am always interested to hear winemakers’ food and wine pairing favorites; David’s is Alaska king crab with his apple wine, a very interesting use of fruit wine, which is often overlooked for table use. Grey Bear Vineyards and Winery, Stover I’ve vacationed at the Lake of the Ozarks since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until last year that I discovered the Grey Bear winery on the west side of the lake. Marschall and David Fansler bought the property, which included eight acres of vines, in 2003 and opened the winery in 2004, with a current annual production of about 2,500 cases. David attended the University of California at Davis, one of the two great wine and grape schools in California. We tasted 15 wines, several of which blend Marechal Foch (vines planted in 1998) with berries. Nearly all of the wines have proprietary names to allow for maximum use of blending. Buckskin is Grey Bear’s dry white, which is currently made from Cayuga White, but it could be anything next year. Ol’ B.O.B. was a fun blend of “bottom of the barrel” leftovers, which will change from bottling to bottling. The Fanslers are also in the process of opening a brewpub and bistro, which will welcome diners primarily on weekends and for special events. The Black Canyon Ale House will be managed by brewer and assistant winemaker Dino Diaz. All of Black Canyon’s current beers are ales, with a delicious and very hoppy Honey Wheat. This list is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg: There are more than a dozen wineries west of Rocheport, and at least seven more in the southwestern part of the state, near Springfield. It’s proof that the commitment to producing quality wine continues to expand in Missouri. Certified sommelier Glenn Bardgett has overseen Annie Gunn’s award-winning wine list for the last seven years.