Missouri wineries grow in popularity

“Life is great in the country,” said Beth White, who said business has been good so far at their 16-acre vineyard, 6696 Jasmine Road in Billings. The couple started planting grapes and blackberries in 2002.

Local growth in the wine industry mirrors what’s happening nationally, according to Jim Anderson, executive director of Missouri Wine & Grape Board. Anderson – no relation to Jim Anderson of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce – said the number of wineries in Missouri has increased to 67 from 32 in the last decade. Meanwhile, the number of wineries nationally has increased to about 4,400 from about 2,000 during the same period.

“Well see it continue to grow,” Anderson said, noting that only about 750,000 gallons of the 10 million gallons of wine sold in Missouri last year were produced in Missouri.

Untapped potential

Missouri wineries are concentrated around St. Louis and near the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, but Anderson said southwest Missouri has potential for growth.

Though there are only five wineries currently in this corner of the state, Stone Hill Winery in Branson is the state’s largest retail winery.

Branson’s Stone Hill Winery, established in 1986, had more than 400,000 visitors last year, according to co-owner Thomas Held, who declined to release revenues.

Fran Overboe, co-owner of Springfield’s lone winery, OOVVDA Winery, said its production has nearly tripled to 5,000 bottles since 2005. OOVVDA, which stands for Overboe’s Own Viking Vintners Distinctive Alcohol, specializes in raspberry and cherry wine. OOVVDA sits on five acres at 5448 N. Berry Lane, a couple miles west of Fellows Lake.

“It’s something fun to do,” said Overboe, whose husband, Brian, previously made wine for fun. Le Cave Vineyards’ Larry White also transitioned from making wine as a hobby.

Wine economics

More than 1 million people visited Missouri wineries last year, which the Missouri Wine & Grape Board’s Anderson attributes to increased access to and awareness of wine and the crumbling stereotype of wine as an elitist drink.

Anderson said he’s in the process of collecting data about the economic impact of wineries, and he expects to have information available this summer. He figures the impact is sizeable – in 2003, when there were only about 50 wineries statewide, Missouri wine producers generated more than $26 million in direct sales and $2 million in tax revenues. Anderson said wine tourists spend money at other businesses, including hotels, gas stations and craft shops.

“It’s very much an economic development tool,” he said.[[In-content Ad]]