Cheers to a monumental year in Missouri

It is difficult to pare down the hundreds of experiences each year, but the following is my list of the 10 most memorable libation moments of 2007. No. 10: Drinking a Seven & Seven during the seventh inning of a Cardinals/Giants game on 7/7/07 What can I say? Numerology just overtook me. No. 9: St. Louis – the city of wine and beer festivals Between The St. Louis Food & Wine Experience at the Chase Park Plaza in January, the St. Louis Brewer’s Heritage Festival in Forest Park in May (which drew a crowd of 15,000) and September’s St. Louis Wine Festival in Forest Park, the KMOX Jazz & Wine Festival in Faust Park and the National Norton Wine Festival at the Missouri History Museum, 2007 was a banner year for grand opportunities to taste the wealth of world-class beverages available and produced in our area. No. 8: Judging the first Mid-American Wine Competition near Des Moines, Iowa Entry to this new competition was limited to wineries in the few states of the upper central region of the U.S., and tasting new (to me) varietals such as Edelweiss, St. Pepin, Frontenac and La Crescent was an extraordinary educational opportunity. The depth of these clean, fresh, solid, well-made wines was exciting to see. I felt like a kid in a candy store when I was able to sit down with and learn from Richard Peterson, a rock-star winemaker from California who has literally helped to form some of the greatest wine brands in the world. No. 7: The first world-class Missouri-grown red vinifera that I have tasted At a winemaker’s dinner at the Millennium Hotel in April, the showstopper wine was the Mount Pleasant Church Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2004. I’ve long said that Missouri really can’t grow great vinifera, but I had to eat my own words that night. This Cab is a very classy wine made from fruit that is patiently grown in St. Charles County. No. 6: The Tour of Missouri bike race sponsorship by the Missouri Wine and Grape Board During the inaugural Tour of Missouri, over 300,000 fans crowded streets across the state to cheer riders from around the world – and Missouri wine logos, posters, shirts and bottles were available at every finish line from Kansas City to St. Louis. Certainly this was one of the most exciting sporting events to ever be held in Missouri, and our wines were a major part of its success. No. 5: Montelle grappa, peach eau de vie and Golden Delicious brandy Just when I thought that we were nearing the end of this year’s Missouri Wine Competition, we were told that we had one flight left, the distilled category. What? I wasn’t aware that anyone had actually produced a high-end distilled product in Missouri. The clear, high-proof spirits were impressive. Distilled spirits are very tricky to produce, often tasting like kerosene. Not these. Montelle’s grappa was one of the finest examples I had ever tasted; kudos to Tony Kooyumjian for a stellar success. No. 4: Wines from the Dierberg family In less than 10 years, Jim and Mary Dierberg (who also own Hermannhof Vineyards) have established a reputation for producing some of the very best California wines from their vineyards near Santa Barbara. I have been very happy about their success, but what impressed me on a recent trip to California wine country was finding these wines at Zazu, a farm and restaurant in the Russian River area of Sonoma County, and at the Bounty Hunter, a wine bar and restaurant in downtown Napa. No. 3: Pouring Stone Hill wines for New Yorkers at a James Beard dinner My employer Annie Gunn’s was invited to prepare a dinner at the famed James Beard House in Manhattan on St. Patrick’s Day, and to say that I was excited would be a major understatement. Popping open bottles of Stone Hill brut and pouring those delicious bubbles into the waiting flutes of thirsty New Yorkers was one of the greatest moments in my entire career. Glasses were emptied and refilled countless times before everyone sat down for dinner. Hermann made an impact on the Big Apple that night. No. 2: Receiving the report that nearly 100 percent of our 2007 grape harvest was lost The heat wave/freeze cycle of the spring resulted in a nearly total crop loss to Missouri’s vineyards. Originally, many in the Missouri wine industry held out hope for the vintage, but it was not to be. Jim Anderson, executive director of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, recently told me that the original estimate of a 95 percent crop loss proved to be accurate. This devastating blow to our wine industry will challenge the talent and creativity of our wineries and winemakers for several years to come. No. 1: Serving St. James wines at my father’s funeral In June, I lost my father at nearly 91 years of age. I wanted to celebrate his life in the way I know best: raising a glass of wine. I persuaded the funeral home to allow me to bring in a tub of Chardonel and Vignoles from St. James Winery. My dad grew up in St. James, and that label had always been special to him. I think those who came to pay their respects were a bit surprised to see the frosted stainless steel tub packed with Missouri wines, but it was a great way for me to make a sad day a bit happier. Cheers, Dad.