11 places around St. Louis to soak up winery vibes this fall

The beautiful fall weather calls for days spent sipping wine while watching the crisp autumn leaves gently cascade around you. Here are 11 places we recommend visiting this season.

Noboleis Vineyards
Augusta’s Noboleis Vineyards has been one of the gold standards for Missouri wine for almost 20 years. Their wine list features around 20 wines; Chambourcin, Traminette, Vignoles and Norton grapes yield wines like Moscato, dry rosé, Vidal blanc and more. Visitors can enjoy wines by the glass or as flights in Noboleis’ tasting room or under its picturesque Hilltop Pavilion, which features incredible views, a menu full of dips and pizza, and live music on weekends from April to November.
100 Hemsath Road, Augusta, 636.482.4500, noboleisvineyards.com

Chandler Hill Vineyards
Chandler Hill Vineyards offers a skin contact Vignoles, a Chambourcin, a white blend and more. Enjoy your wine in a rented outdoor vineyard cabana; lunch and dinner menus feature elevated bar-fare faves like fried chicken, baked goat cheese, Bavarian pretzels and smoked wings. Guided tastings in Chandler Hill’s Barrel Room take imbibers through wines from Missouri, Napa, Italy and France. For visitors who aren’t as into wine, Perennial Artisan Ales partners with Chandler Hill to offer 16 brews on tap and exclusive beers.
596 Defiance Road, Defiance, 636.798.2675, chandlerhillvineyards.com

Defiance Ridge Vineyards
Get out of the hustle and bustle of St. Louis and spend some time at one of the newest wineries in the state, Defiance Ridge Vineyards, just 30 minutes west of the city in Historic Missouri Wine Country. This gorgeous 42-acre winery (complete with vineyards, lush gardens, a tranquil lake and peaceful verandas surrounding a historic farmhouse) is taking the local scene by storm. “Our winemaker, Tom Murphy, is a Marine that’s been making wine for 25 years, and he’s just incredible at what he does” said owner Chuck Gillentine. Defiance Ridge has won several awards in the Missouri Wine Competition, including Gold for the vignole Best in Class for the chambourcin rosé.
2711 S Missouri 94, Defiance, 636.798.2288, defianceridgevineyards.com

Wild Sun Winery and Brewery
Hillsboro’s Wild Sun Winery and Brewery offers a large selection of beverages: Wines include a cab franc, a cabernet sauvignon and a sparkling rosé , while the beer list features a blonde ale, a red ale, a porter and more. And if making wine and beer wasn’t enough, they also package their own artisan natural spring water. Wild Sun’s 10 acres includes a tasting bar; live music can be heard on weekends from May through October. Visitors can bring their own snacks or order items like pizzas, meats and cheeses, burgers and other snacks.
4830 Pioneer Road, Hillsboro, 636.797.8686, wildsun.com

Cedar Lake Cellars 
Cedar Lake Cellars is basically a large compound – on 400 acres! – geared toward the finer things in life: drinking wine and partying. Their Big Red Barn hosts private weddings, events and meetings, while anybody can visit for live music, bingo, ’80s nights and more. The wine bar and restaurant make it easy to try their wines while enjoying cheese plates, dips, burgers and pastas. Wines include traditional options like chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and malbec, but those feeling more adventurous can check out pomegranate sparkling wine, chocolate port and almond wine.
11008 Schreckengast Road, Wright City, 636.745.9500, cedarlakecellars.com

Wild Crush Wine Bar(n)
Warm nights with a patio full of new and old friends sharing drinks while listening to live music is what co-owners Jay Delsing and Karen Paslawski envisioned when thinking of Wild Crush Wine Bar(n). “We love going to the wineries here in Missouri, but they’re so far out that after you have a couple of glasses of wine, you’re like, ‘How the hell am I gonna drive back home?’” said Delsing. “We want to bring that winery feel into the city.”
The main draw is, of course, the wine. Wild Crush utilizes a wine preservation system called WineStation, which allows bottles of wine to be opened and kept fresh for up to 60 days in a temperature-controlled environment. The system uses argon gas as a seal to keep oxygen from oxidizing the opened wine. The 24-bottle machine is self-dispensing. Customers purchase reloadable cards that act as currency to the machine, and they can can walk up to the machine and choose what wines they want to try.
13360 Clayton Rd Suite 105, St. Louis, 314.392.9594, wildcrushstl.com

Grafton Winery and Brewhaus
Located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, the Grafton Winery & Brewhaus features two large patios with relaxing river views. Watch the boaters go by while sipping award-winning Grafton winery wines. There’s a full menu and live music every Saturday and Sunday, offering a relaxing and memorable experience. They are the only production winery in Grafton and also make their own microbrews downstairs for the avid beer drinker. The winery is within walking distance from many amazing bed and breakfasts in Grafton if you’re looking to enjoy a fun-filled weekend. And the vineyards are just 3 miles away, boasting a 5,000-square-foot pavilion for weddings and corporate events. The vineyard location offers a first-class tasting room with a food menu including shareable and snacking items as well as a handcrafted cocktail menu. Located next to Eckert’s Farm in Grafton, it’s the perfect, quaint wine country experience.
300 W. Main St., Grafton, 618.786.3001, thegraftonwinery.com

Stone Hill Winery
Stone Hill Winery, established in 1847 in Hermann and celebrating its 175th anniversary, is one of the nation’s most acclaimed and historic wineries. Championing American heritage and hybrid grape varieties from 200 acres of vineyards, Stone Hill is a third-generation family business devoted to producing the highest quality wines over a broad range of styles. Their hard work has paid off with wines consistently winning top awards at state, national and international competitions. The winery hosts daily wine tastings and has plenty of outdoor seating perfect for relaxing and enjoying a bottle of wine while overlooking vineyards and the picturesque town. The on-property Vintage 1847 Restaurant is well known for German specialties and American favorites. From May 1 through the end of October, free live music is available every Saturday afternoon.
1110 Stone Hill Hwy., Hermann, 573.486.3479, stonehillwinery.com

Robller Vineyard
Robller Vineyard is a family-owned and -operated estate winery located between Hermann and Augusta, Missouri. The vineyard is uniquely situated in the first river bluff range south of the Missouri River. Its south- and southwest-facing slopes, rich deep soils and Pennsylvanian era limestone formation provides a unique geologic advantage for winegrowing. Their 30-plus year commitment to dry farming creates low fruit yields with great intensity and structure. This translates to complex, structured wines expressing a sense of place and vintage. The team invites you to experience what is possible and change your perception of Missouri wines. No gimmicks, nothing fancy, just amazing wine, a pastoral setting in a vineyard all set to a backdrop of rolling hills that fade into the distant sky.
275 Robller Vineyard Road, New Haven, 573.237.3986, robllerwines.com

Villa Antonio Winery
Take a quick trip away from busy city life and head to Villa Antonio Winery in Hillsboro, only 40 minutes from downtown St. Louis. Headed by owners hailing from Italy, Villa Antonio is Italian-inspired and offers guests a chance to explore gorgeous grounds featuring vineyards and a lake. There’s plenty of seating between a large tent, a pavilion, a patio and the lawn, but guests are welcome to bring chairs or a picnic blanket. All wines and beers are crafted on site, and guests can also indulge in classic Italian or American food with items like burgers, sandwiches, wings, salads and wood-fired pizzas. The winery is open daily with seasonal extended hours, and there’s also live music every weekend.
3660 Linhorst Road, Hillsboro, 636.475.5008, villaantoniowinery.com

St. James Winery
St. James Winery was established in 1970 in the heart of the Missouri Highlands. Since then, the winery has grown to be Missouri's largest and most awarded winery, with nearly 185 acres of grape production. Visitors enjoy wine tastings, wine by the glass, and wine slushies made from the expansive wine list. The winery offers the opportunity to spend your afternoon in The Gardens at St. James, a beautifully landscaped outdoor space that is shared between the Public House Brewing Co. and the winery. The Gardens is the perfect place to gather and relax, and enjoy the locally inspired Public House menu with the best beer and wine that Missouri has to offer.
540 State Route B, St. James, 800.280.9463, stjameswinery.com