Back when my wife was a kid they had this term they used for driving around and exploring.  They called it “diddy-boppin”.   Well we did a little diddy-boppin today in Hermann Missouri checking out wineries.  We planned a more complete day.  Get up early.  Get to St. Charles to pick up the package for the Lewis and Clark Marathon tomorrow.  (No, I am not running in the marathon, my wife Jodi was doing 13.1.)  Get down to Hermann to watch the start of the next leg for the Tour of Missouri bike race,  hit the wineries and get home early enough for our little runner to grab a good nights sleep. 

Well, we started late, stopped for lunch at a sportsbar, had a cheeseburger with a bunch of Mizzou fans while wearing my Illinois Football shirt, got to Hermann well after the race start but still managed to still hit a couple of wineries.   

If you leave St. Charles and head out West on Highway 94 and head towards Hermann you drive right by some great wineries where on weekends you can enjoy tastings, tours and entertainment.  There are both large and micro-wineries along the highway that thrive on this weekend tourism and put out barbecues, music and specials.  Each has it’s own personality. All in all, spending the afternoon looking at the hills of Missouri, drinking a great cheap wine, listening to live music and talking to friends sure beats raking leaves.

If you can afford the gas right now, Fall is the peak of the season.  The small towns are as wide open for business as the wineries.  You’ll find B&Bs, antique stores and special weekend events all in play from now until the end of October. 

We started off at Stone Hill Winery.  Stone Hill is a real success story and probably the best known Missouri winery.  The wine tour is one of the most popular attractions in wine country.  It’s not unusual to see tour buses unloading for the tour, the tastings or their great little restaurant.  We hit the tasting bar and met some really great people who had made a weekend out of the wineries and the Tour of Missouri, and sampled the award winning Norton, Vidal Blanc and Vignoles before deciding to move on.  I liked both the whites, especially the sweeter Vignoles,  but just can’t seem to get my taste buds wrapped around a Norton. 

 We knew we would be pressed for time but just the same stopped by the lesser known Adam Puchta winery also in Hermann.  This facility is not near as touristy as Stone Hill but equally rewarding for a visit.  The winery is nestled back off the road in a more intimate setting than Stone Hill. 

What the summer outdoor tasting room lacked in decor it made it up with personality.  We had a great time tasting with Mary on the other side of the bar serving wine, wisdom and crackers.  Mary would have us try different cracker flavors and then sample the proper wine for that taste.  (I would say, “Thats a little dry.”  and Mary would say “No, it’s not dry, it’s the oak.”).  Key lime crackers, for example, (which are so good they could be addictive) are great with the Vignoles that Adam Puchta bottles and the asiago was great with the Hunters Red. We had a super time.   Much to my surprise, after Mary’s insistence, we sampled the Norton but only after putting a bit of chocolate in our mouths.  Wow, I liked a Norton.  Not being a total stooge I cleansed my palate and tried it again.  I still liked the Adam Puchta Norton!  Amazed at the discovery we had to buy a bottle.  We also bought some Hunters Red and the Vignoles.  I’ll do wine quests on those soon. 

Missouri Wine Country, we are putting you on notice.  We’ll be back!

Cheers from the wine oaf. 

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