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2015 Vignoles Beat Out 308 wines for Missouri Wine Competition’s Top Award

St. James Winery won the prestigious Missouri Governor’s Cup for the second year in a row. Out of seven best-of-class winners, the 2015 Vignoles, a semi-dry white vignoles, took the top award at the Missouri Wine Competition. A total of 308 wines were submitted from vineyards across the state to compete in the premiere competition designed to recognize and promote quality wines made in Missouri.

The winery’s 2015 Dry Vignoles and Friendship School White also won Gold Medals. Additionally, St. James Winery won four Silver Medals and five Bronze Medals for wines entered in other categories.

“We are extremely proud of Andrew Meggitt and his team on this outstanding achievement,” said Peter Hofherr, St. James Winery chairman and CEO. “Over the last three years, the team has won five international wine competitions, two Governor’s Cups and scored a top 14 ranking in the world. These are truly extraordinary accomplishments given the challenging weather patterns we’ve experienced. Without the day-to-day hard work and attention to detail in the vineyards and cellar, these incredible results would not have been achieved.”

2016_governors_cupThe Missouri Wine Competition took place in Columbia, Mo. on July 19 and 20. The competition is judged by the top wine and beverage experts from around the nation. Only Missouri wines are judged in this competition – those that received best-in-class honors were considered for Governor’s Cup.

Missouri’s premier white varietal, the Vignoles, is a French-American hybrid grape. Out of 150 acres of grapes that St. James Winery farms in the Ozark Highlands American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Missouri, 10 percent are Vignoles.

Founded by the Hofherr family in the Meramec Highlands region of Missouri in 1970, St. James Winery, located in St. James, Mo., is celebrating 46 years as a family owned and operated winery. It is Missouri’s largest and most awarded winery. St. James Winery produces 500,000 gallons (225,000 cases) of wine per year and is sold in 18 states and Washington D.C. For more information, visit StJamesWinery.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

St. James Winery and Public House Brewing Company open the doors to The Gardens to kick off summer.

St. James, MO – April 4, 2016 – St. James Winery and Public House Brewing Company in St. James, Missouri are officially kicking off summer with the grand opening of The Gardens on Saturday, April 23, 2016 from 11AM until close. The Gardens is a beautifully landscaped outdoor wine and beer garden, located directly between the winery and brewery. It’s the perfect place to gather, relax, and enjoy St. James Winery wines and Public House Brewing Company beers.

For the grand opening event, The Gardens will offer four wood-fired specialty pizzas highlighting locally-sourced ingredients from Missouri farmers, all designed by Public House Brewing Company’s Chef and Food Director, Alex Giger.

The brewery will feature their summer seasonal, Thorn & Heat Strawberry Wheat Ale, and the winery will pre-release their popular summer seasonal, Peachy Sangria.

There will be live band performances – at 12PM Brian Muench, at 3PM Shakey Deal, and at 7PM The Meanwells. Attendees can enjoy on-site Bocce Ball, life-size Chess, and Bean Bag Toss. Families and pets are welcome at the event.

The Gardens is easily accessible to I-44 (540 State Route B St. James, MO 65559), and abundant parking is available.

For More Information Call 800-280-9463, visit www.stjameswinery.com/the-gardens, or view the Facebook event.

Midwest summers are infamous for being hot, sticky, humid, and — above all — unpredictable.  Andrew Meggitt, St. James Winery’s executive winemaker, learned this very quickly when he first began making wine in Missouri after stints in New Zealand and France.

This summer has been particularly difficult for Midwest winemakers because of its unseasonably cool temperatures, heavy rainfall, and high humidity — the perfect recipe for diseases like downy mildew and black rot.

Missouri’s June rainfall was nearly double that of recent years. Add that to slightly cooler temperatures (averaging a high of 84 degrees Fahrenheit compared to an average of 87 degrees) and above-average humidity, and you can see how the weather has presented some unique challenges for St. James Winery.

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Growing up in New Zealand, the concept of sustainability was ingrained in me as a way of life. Most New Zealand families grow their own food, recycle everything they can, and care deeply about energy conservation. Taking that approach and applying it to a business can be challenging because we all have a bottom line to worry about. However, sustainability falls on the shoulders of all individuals and organizations.

Like those in other industries, winemakers should take conservation issues to heart. After all, we depend on healthy, fertile land to deliver a quality product. But true sustainability involves much more than the environment.

Read the full article here

Winemaking inherently depends on the land and the environment, so it makes sense that we would want to give back as an industry. Plus, the benefits of sustainable wine production aren’t just for the environment. Consumers are increasingly seeking out sustainably produced wine, and saving resources can also keep cash in your coffers.

With the right planning, sustainable practices can be a great boon to winemakers, consumers, and Mother Earth.

Here are six ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle at your winemaking operation, from setting water consumption KPIs to finding your inner artist.

Read the full article here at WinesandVines.com.

Ordering wine at a business engagement can be tricky and more than a little bit stressful!

But rest easy, St. James Winery’s executive winemaker Andrew Meggitt has some helpful tips the next time you’re ordering wine at a business dinner.

Read more at Entrepreneur.com

When I got home last weekend, I could hear the sounds of a lovely summer evening floating in from my backyard: children laughing, glasses clinking, adults murmuring. Happy hour instantly becomes happier hour when cocktails are accompanied by a sunset, family, and friends.

Wine cocktails, in particular, are perfect for summer simply because they’re so refreshing. Winter blues melt away as soon as these fresh blends hit your lips. And as an added bonus, wine cocktails are quick to prepare and easy to reproduce as the night goes on.

As winemakers, my team and I are always crafting new wine cocktails. To get some of our favorite recipes, read the full article on The Daily Meal.

White wine is a summer staple. It’s just not summertime without sipping a refreshing glass of white wine during a backyard cookout or while watching the sunset at the lake.

This year, there are even more white wines on the scene. I’m all for a good Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, but instead of slipping into your same old summer habits, mix things up with newer grape varieties.

Read more at BlogHer

While satisfying your inner wine connoisseur in a tasting room, you’re doing more than indulging in a delightful afternoon at a winery — you’re also playing a crucial role in the winery’s research and development efforts.

There are nearly 8,300 wineries in the U.S., and most don’t distribute their products in all 50 states. This means small wineries must get creative with their marketing techniques, and chief among these is the tasting room.

The tasting room gives wine producers the chance to glean insights from a captive audience of wine consumers. And by communicating directly with wine drinkers themselves, winemakers don’t have to produce wines on a whim. Instead, they can concoct exactly what oenophiles want.

Read the full article on The Daily Meal.

Climate change means a lot more than unseasonably warm days. That glass of wine you look forward to after a hard day of work is fundamentally changing due to erratic weather conditions.

The grapes used for wine are dependent on consistent temperatures and seasons. While you may enjoy popping off your coat on 60-degree days in January, the grapes that decide to awaken from their winter dormancy risk dying because of the fleeting nature of warm winter days.

In this article, Andrew Meggitt discusses the tactics winemakers are using to combat the effects of climate change.