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Wine of the Week: Blackberry

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A best of show winner for dessert wine, St. James Winery Blackberry fruit wine is this week’s wine of the week!

This luscious wine, made from 100% blackberry juice, took Best of Show Dessert, Best of Class and Triple Gold this year at the prestigious Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition. Needless to say, we are proud of this win.

Our Blackberry wine also received gold medal honors at the following 2018 international competitions: Jerry Mead’s International Wine Competition, Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, Tasters Guild International Wine Judging and at the Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.

This is one of our best-selling fruit wines, and the international awards explain why. The taste of ripe blackberries in a bottle best describe this decadent wine, and it is absolutely delicious when served chilled. Try it in our Blackberry Fruit Wine Cake recipe.

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Wine of the Week: Riesling

This week’s wine of the week is Riesling!

Riesling is one of the most popular white grapes in the world so it’s no wonder why it makes such an incredible tasting wine! Having been around for hundreds of years, Riesling grapes are able to make both a sweet and dry wine. Due to the higher levels of acidity, this wine typically provides a crisp taste.

Looking for a wine with distinctive florals? Try St. James Winery Riesling. It is a beautifully balanced, well-structured and distinctive semi-dry white wine. St. James Winery Riesling features apple-like aromas and flavors of tart green apples, lemon and peach.

St. James Winery Riesling is part of our Frontier collection along with seven other delightful wines. Pick up a bottle or two and check out the rest of the collection at our Tasting Room or a store near you!

 

Looking for a way to cool down in this heat? Try our Riesling Pear Pops recipe.

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Wine of the Week: Blend #43

Our Wine of the Week is Blend #43!

Blend #43 is masterly blended between the best of our Norton 42 barrels and the best of Chambourcin barrels, creating a delicious dry, red wine. When the wine was first created, our Cellar Crew was a bit stumped on what to name the new beverage. When asked how Blend #43 was chosen, Executive Winemaker, Andrew Meggitt said,

“Every name we came up with, that we thought was original, had already been taken. We got a call from the marketing department and they said we need a name now. I said call it 43. We’ve got 42. It’s just one more step in improving wine.”

Blend #43 lives up to its improving standards and has received several international awards this year. Its blackberry and red currant, along with cigar box aromas, fuse together to present an elegant and unassuming aroma profile. The palate begins with an intense burst of berry fruit, followed by silky smooth chocolate cherry flavors.

This red wine is part of the Winemaker Series which features select wines that are carefully crafted by our St. James Winery Cellar Crew. The wines in this series are handmade in small batches from the best-of-the-best varietals and blocks of grapes.

Find Blend #43 and the rest of the Winemaker Series exclusively in our Tasting Room!

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Wine of the Week: Pioneer White

This week’s Wine of the Week is our Pioneer White! This dry white is near and dear to us because it was created as a tribute to our founders, Jim and Pat Hofherr. Their story is a journey of humble beginnings in re-establishing the wine industry in Missouri after Prohibition nearly wiped it out.

Prior to Prohibition, Missouri was the second largest wine producing state in the United States. Once Prohibition went into effect, barring the manufacture and sale of alcohol, many vineyards were destroyed. The Italian immigrants in the Meramec Highlands region predominantly used their grapes for creating juices, jelly and jams. This kept the vineyards alive and well in our area.

As Missouri wines began to comeback in the 1960’s, Jim and Pat Hofherr decided to re-establish the craft of winemaking here in St. James, Missouri. Using the same grapes and similar wines that made the region world famous a half-century before, they created the now famous Velvet Red and Velvet White that remain a hallmark of the St. James Winery lineup. In their inaugural year of 1970, they produced 8,000 gallons of wine. Now, nearly 50 years later, St. James Winery produces more than 500,000 gallons of wine a year in a variety of flavors from sweet to dry.

Pioneer White is a dry, white wine that delivers smoky oak and pineapple aromas with zesty gooseberry and kiwi to the palate. Crisp and balanced acidity with a lively finish make this blend of Chardonel, Seyval and Vignoles grapes special and the perfect tribute to our own Missouri wine pioneers, Jim and Pat Hofherr.

We recommend enjoying this wine with smoked pork, grilled chicken or trout. You can also try our delicious Angel Hair Pasta with Feta and Broccoli recipe.

Our Pioneer White is available in our Tasting Room and in a store near you.

 

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Wine of the Week: Cherry Wine

This week we are featuring our recent 2018 Best of Class winner, at the Pacific Rim International Wine Competition, Cherry fruit wine for wine of the week!

Here’s what Amy Mullally, CS & WSET Diploma, Professional Wine Judge has to say regarding this classic fruit wine, “This is 100% perfectly ripened cherry wine, with no added artificial flavors or colors. The St. James Winery is a historic fixture in the region and is famous for their premium fruit wines. This wine’s aromas are warm and inviting from the glass, like freshly made cherry compote. Cherry jam and a purity of fruit makes one wonder how they captured the essence of cherry so perfectly. Vibrant and fresh on the palate, sweet without being cloying, there is great natural acidity to balance the rich fruit. A fantastic summer aperitif chilled over ice, this would make a great cocktail as well: think vodka, cherry wine, soda water and a lemon wedge. For the more adventurous, float a bit over your classic whisky sour for a delicious twist. This wine pairs seamlessly with roast pork loin and will also make a fantastic reduction sauce from the pan drippings and a dollop of butter. The options for dessert applications are endless: angel food cake, cherry sweet wine drizzle, fresh cherries, and homemade whipped cream is a great start.”

Try this wine as Mullally recipe suggests or in our Cherry Wine Delight recipe!

Available online, in stores or in our Tasting Room.

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Wine of the Week: Country Red

Our wine of the week is Country Red!

Part of our Heritage collection, Country Red is a tribute to the history of the Meramec Highlands region that is home to the St. James Winery. Iconic Route 66, also known as the “Main Street of America,” is a fixture in popular culture and an everyday part of our life since Jim and Pat Hofherr opened the winery here in 1970. The original route runs right past our vineyards and through the town of St. James, Missouri. Our Country Red label celebrates and honors the tradition and heritage of Route 66, as well as our little piece of “The Mother Road” here at St. James Winery.

Country Red is a medium-bodied, ruby-red wine with a brilliant bright hue. This fruity wine is lively and balanced with a delicate fresh berry flavor that is reminiscent of cherries and blackberry flower blossoms. Country Red is refreshing chilled or at room temperature, and is exquisite when paired with red meats and pasta. Try our steak topper mushroom recipe to liven up your next family meal!

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Wine of the Week: Chardonel

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In celebration of April being Chardonel month, our wine of the week is 2015 Chardonel!

From our Podium Series, 2015 Chardonel is soft and creamy, yet extremely rich and complex. Fermented and aged in oak barrels, this golden, dry white wine has depth, texture, richness, integrity and features fragrant aromas of vanilla, pear, pineapple and apricot.

See the handy Chardonel and Food Pairing infographic from Missouri Wines for inspiration on what food goes best with this wine.

Chardonel grapes, a cross between Seyval and Chardonnay, were created in 1953 in the hopes of producing a grape that could withstand the cold like Seyval, but possessed a similar character as Chardonnay. Its high productivity and durability to frigid weather makes Chardonel ideal for growing in Missouri!

The Podium Series is a collection of innovative wines that reflect our winemaking creativity. Handcrafted in small lots, and created in celebration of wine, our 2015 Chardonel is exclusively available in the St. James Winery Tasting Room. You can also reach out to our friendly customer service team at 800-280-9463 for information on ordering a bottle (or two!).

 

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Wine of the Week: The Folly

Our wine of the week is The Folly!

A blend of Aromella, Valvin Muscat and Vignoles grapes, The Folly is a medium-bodied, white wine with honeyed peach overtones and beautiful tangerine spice flavors. This dry wine is part of our Winemaker Series, which features select wines that are carefully crafted by our St. James Winery Cellar crew. These wines are handmade in small batches and feature the best-of-the-best varietals and blocks of grapes.

In the words of our Executive Winemaker, Andrew Meggitt, “There are many definitions of the word ‘Folly’ – ‘lack of good sense and foresight’ or ‘an extravagant picturesque building erected to suit a fanciful taste.’ Both might define the rationale for attempting to make this wine. After travelling in the Provence region of France where I tasted the dry, full-bodied, fresh and fruity wines, I wanted one of my own to remember my travels. I hope this wine will take you on a journey of your own. Enjoy with good food and good friends.”

Each season, our St. James Winery Cellar Crew selects the best grapes within our vineyards and carefully crafts them into small batches made for wine connoisseurs, as part of the Winemaker Series. The Folly is a limited release wine that is exclusively available at the St. James Winery Tasting Room and online, while supplies last.

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Wine of the Week: Country White

Our wine of the week is our Country White. Part of our Heritage collection, Country White is a tribute to the history of the Meramec Highland(s) region and St. James Winery.

The iconic Route 66, also known as “Main Street of America,” is a fixture in popular culture and an everyday part of our life for us since Jim and Pat Hofherr opened the winery in 1970. The original route runs right past our vineyards and through the town of St. James. Our Country White label celebrates and honors the tradition and heritage of Route 66, as well as our little piece of “The Mother Road” here at St. James Winery.

Get ready for an explosion of fruit flavors! This wine is a sweet treat, with intense floral aromas and flavors of ripe pears, green apple, sweet honey dew melon and a hint of lime zest. Country White has a nice long, smooth finish, and is outstanding paired with spicy foods.

If you are wanting to wow your guests at your next gathering, try this recipe featuring our wine of the week, Country White Fruit Cocktail.

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Wine of the Week: Friendship School Red

Our wine of the week is the highly awarded Friendship School Red! This medium-bodied, semi-dry red is made from our estate-grown Rougeon grapes and comes in a bottle worthy of display. It is rich with the flavors of black cherry and blackberry with a deep purple hue. This versatile wine is great to pair with herbed goat cheese, barbecue pork ribs or even chocolate cheesecake making it a wonderful table wine for any gathering.

In addition to its award-winning taste and beautiful presentation, this wine is a toast to the one-room schoolhouse adjacent to our vineyards. The Friendship School was built in the late 1800s, by Italian families who brought winemaking to our Meramec Highlands region. They used this one-room schoolhouse to educate generations of children in both academics and heritage. This schoolhouse is preserved today in our vineyards and our Friendship School wines were created to reflect the sense of community and heritage represented in that little schoolhouse.  

In fact, we are so inspired by this schoolhouse, we have formed a Friendship School Foundation to continue the work of preserving the cultural and environmental sustainability of our community. Through our partnership with this foundation, we are able to invest in and work to sustain the cultural heritage of our vineyards, our craft and our community. We love the land we work and practice sustainability wherever we are able. A few of our sustainable efforts are:

  • Use of a fine-tuned irrigation and soil monitoring system so we use less water in our vineyards.
  • Creation of energy savings through efficient harvesting equipment and low-energy wine fermentation storage processes.
  • Leadership of a large solar energy investigation project with our local community.
  • Use of recyclable screw tops versus hard-to-recycle cork as our wine closure method.
  • Eco-friendly lighting. Business recycling program.
  • Large composting efforts to create less impact to waste streams.

These are just a few of our sustainability efforts today and with the help of our Foundation, we are always investigating how we can do even more. So, the next time you lift a glass of your favorite St. James Winery selection, especially our Friendship School Red, know you are supporting a Missouri winery, its community and our shared environment. Cheers!

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