Missouri’s wine industry has quite a history! European immigrants, especially from German states in the early to mid-1800s, founded the wine industry in Missouri. Later Italian immigrants also entered wine production. In the mid-1880s, more wine was produced by volume in Missouri than in any other state. Before Prohibition, Missouri was the second-largest wine-producing state!
Missouri’s climate, with its long, hot summers, good sun exposure, and thin rocky Ozarks soil, is excellent for growing grapes. The moderate average temperature allows natural cellaring of wine. The most prominent Missouri-grown variety is Cynthiana/Norton, believed to be a variety of Vitis aestivalis. Other varieties grown include Native American grapes, Concord and Catawba, as well as French-American hybrids like Vignoles, Seyval, and Chambourcin. Recently, there has been more interest in planting Vitis vinifera grapes varieties, especially Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Mourvedre.
Source: Wikipedia | Missouri Wine
Here are some more interesting facts about Missouri’s wine industry:
- There are 74 wineries in Missouri
- About 352,000 cases of Missouri wine are sold each year.
- There are 1,350 acres of land devoted to growing grapes
- More than 800,000 visitors come to Missouri on wine-related trips.
- Winery revenue last year was estimated at $30.6 million
- The retail value of all Missouri wine sold last year was $51 million.
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