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Missouri Wineries Do Themselves Proud
• by Joe Pollack
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Missouri wineries did themselves proud at the recent International Eastern Wine Competition, which drew thousands of entrants from across the natiion to Corning, N.Y.
Stone Hill won a pair of double golds for wines that were unanimous choices for a gold medal in the final round of judging, and three other state wineries – Blumenhof, Mount Pleasant and St. James – took home medals. In all, Missouri wineries earned 28 medals in 14 different categories.
Stone Hill won top honors for its 2001 Norton in the Norton/Cynthiana division, and for its 2002 late Vignoles, a late harvest, extremely sweet wine with apricot and melon overtones, a splendid dessert wine. The Mount Pleasant ‘01 and the Stone Hill ‘02 earned bronze medals in the Norton category, and the St. James and Stone Hill ‘03 vintages won silver in the Vignoles competition. Stone Hill also won a gold medal for its pink Catawba wine.
Norton, a native American grape that has amazing resistance to disease, has been a primary Missouri wine for many years, and just about all Missouri wineries produce it. Stone Hill has been winning medals with its Norton for almost 30 years; the Mount Pleasant and St. James versions also have plenty of honors. For a long time, winemakers thought that Norton and Cynthiana were different grapes, though DNA testing a dozen years ago proved they were the same. But in a marketing move, wineries north of the Missouri River have used the Cynthiana designation, while those south of the river preferred Norton. Most call it North these days, as do growers in Virginia, where there's a potential, but unproven common ancestor named Virginia Seedling.
The Stone Hill Norton has been my favorite Missouri red wine for more than 20 years. It's big and rich, with a dark, blackberry flavor that is almost like some of the French wines from the Rhone Valley. But it's expensive, because it takes time to age and a lot of money sits in the barrels in wineries all over the state, waiting to mature enough to be released. Even then, however, they are not really ready for drinking. Hold them a year or two after purchase. They'll get rounder, and richer, and the flavor of oak will disappear. The Norton is a great wine with a hearty dinner featuring roast beef, or a strip sirloin, or a thick, properly cooked rib eye.
Missouri weather does not permit the growing of Chardonnay without taking extreme pains and adding to the cost. Many wine fans will breathe a sigh of relief at that news. Some is grown here, but conditions are difficult, labor is arduous and the results are expensive and not as good as their California competitors. But Missouri has splendid white wines – light and fruity and delicate. Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc and Vignoles have established roots (pun intended!) in the state and a fourth hybrid, Chardonel, is joining the group.
Vignoles can be made sweet or dry. This usually depends on the preference of the winemaker or the marketing manager, but sometimes is forced upon the winemaker by weather conditions during the growing season. The 2003 Vignoles, winning medals for both St. James and Stone Hill, is semi-sweet, which would make it a splendid accompaniment to spicy Asian meals, or just for sipping during an afternoon with some fresh, ripe Missouri peaches.
Blumenhof, Mount Pleasant and Stone Hill all make crisp, elegant Vidals, and St. James excels with its Vignoles and Chardonel wines. They drink well when they're young, and a crisp, dry Vignoles or Seyval is almost like a good French Pouilly-Fuisse when oysters or a freshly caught, freshly grilled trout are being served.
Other Missouri medalists:
PORT: Silver, Mount Pleasant 2000; Bronze, Stone Hill 2001
CHARDONEL: Silver, St. James 2002; Bronze, St. James 2003.
SEYVAL: Silver, Stone Hill 2003.
HYBRID RED BLENDS: Silver, Mount Pleasant 2003 Highland; Bronze, Mount Pleasant 2003 Claret; Stone Hill 2002 Steinberg red.
HYBRID WHITE BLENDS: Silver, Stone Hilll 2003 Steinberg White; Bronze, Mount Pleasant 2003 Rhineland, 2003 Villagio.
HYBRID SPARKLING: Silver, Stone Hill 1999 Missouri Champagne.
VIDAL BLANC: Silver, Blumenhof 2003; Bronze, Mount Pleasant 2003; Stone Hill 2003.
CHAMBOURCIN: Silver, Blumemhof 2001; Bronze, Mount Pleasanb 2002.
LABRUSCA WHITE: Bronze, Stone Hill Golden Rhine.
LABRUSCA RED: Silver, Stone Hill Rose Montaigne.
CONCORD: Silver, St. James Velvet Red; Bronze, Stone Hill Concord.
DELAWARE/PINK CATAWBA: Gold, Stone Hill pink Catawba.
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