We stand self-accused of a crime that we loath in others - wine snobbery.
In our many years of writing about wine, we have purposely stayed away from locally made wines because we found them to be, almost universally, garbage. Moving to Missouri, we went out of our way not to be put into a position to write about wines that were made from indigenous grapes that we were not familiar with. There was also no effort to inform us about local wines, so we remained in total ignorance. We knew they were there, but really, who cared?
We were recently contacted by the Missouri Wine and Grape Board to inform us, very politely, that Missouri wines were worthy of mention in our column, and accompanied the letter with four bottles of Missouri wines. As you can probably imagine, we approached the sampling of these wines with trepidation and glasses of water handy to wash out our mouth if the wines were as we expected them to be, garbage. We were wrong.
We now put our reputation as wine columnists on the line and unequivocally declare that Missouri wines are of world-class quality and can rank with the best of them. Not only that, but Missouri wines are made from grapes that are not the same old familiar varieties and thus offer wine enthusiasts an alternative in their choice of varieties.
Stone Hill 2011 Norton ($25)The norton is the official Missouri state grape, and is a native American that has been used for making wine for many years.
Most American grapes have gotten a bad rap because of the odd flavor they often have, which wine experts have dubbed as “foxy." It is usually very obvious and, while not objectionable, takes a little getting used to. Wines made from the norton grape exhibit none of this flavor.
The Stone Hill 2011 Norton is a red wine that can stand with the best from any place in the world. It is a big, dark, full-bodied, dry red wine of great depth and character, with rich berry, spice and coffee flavors up front and a background of chocolate, vanilla and of all things, coconut.
This is really a very interesting and delightful wine that can accompany a wide array of meat and cheese dishes and is an interesting departure from the usual fare.
Montelle 2012 Chardonel ($15)Chardonel does not like or taste like chardonnay, but it's a wine that is capable of standing on its own merits in spite of a similar sounding name. While it does display many of the characteristics of a chardonnay, such as a soft and creamy texture, it also exhibits its own individual nuances.
The aroma presents hints of fresh apple, pear and fig, but unlike the chardonnay, there is no oak, as the wine has been made without the usual barrel aging. It is in the flavor where the differences are truly noticed by displaying sharp, crisp Fuji apples and citrus ending is a soft, creamy, citrus-filled finish.
Augusta 2010 Chambourcin ($12) Chambourcin seems to us like a blend of cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel. The wine has a regal bearing, but there is an impish smile behind it.
A medium ruby-red color announces the flavors and aromas of cherries, cassis, spice and dried fruits, ending in a purely delightful finish.
This wine is not totally dry, but also cannot be called sweet, so it is the perfect accompaniment to spicy Italian or Spanish foods and, when served with chocolate, it is a knockout.
Hermannhof 2010 Vidal Blanc ($15)Unlike the chardonel, this vidal blanc wine tastes and looks like a sauvignon blanc. The wines are very similar, but there is a definite under-taste that says it is not from California.
The Hermannhof 2010 Vidal Blanc is well balanced and bursting with the flavor and aroma of grapefruit and pineapple. This wine is the perfect accompaniment to seafood.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.
