Blumenhof winery

Our visit to Blumenhof Vineyards in Dutzow, Missouri - July 2002
(From our August, 2002 Newsletter)

Our Blumenhof Pictorial
The Missouri Wine Country (A short history of the area)

http://www.blumenhof.com/

Blumenhof's vineyards were established in 1979. Beginning with the first vintage in 1986, Blumenhof has been dedicated to producing and bottling an unsurpassed selection of Missouri-grown varietal wines. Over the years, these wines have won scores of awards at prominent wine competitions, including gold medals at the Florida State Fair, International Eastern Wine Competition, Los Angeles County Fair, Missouri State Fair, National Orange Show, New World International Wine Competition, and San Diego National Wine Competition.

Our visit there was very rewarding, tasting many of the wines from the same varieties of grapes that we grow at our farm. We really enjoyed their Seyval, Chardonnel, Norton & Vignoles.

Click on small picture to view their wine list.

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	Some of the Blumenhof Vineyards


A very large membrane press.	I just have to "inspect" the vines!

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The Missouri Wine Country

The glacier-dust soil following the Missouri River, together with a favorable climate, makes it possible to grow remarkable wine grapes. And from these grapes come remarkable wines. Indeed, the wines are so unique that, in 1979, this region was certified as America's very first Viticultural Area.

This area, about 60 minutes west of St. Louis has been known as "Duden Country." Many German settlers emigrated to this area where Gottfried Duden, the German researcher/explorer, lived from 1824 to 1827. The region was earlier referred to as the "Duden Settlement."

Not many of the German immigrants were vintners or had specialized experience with grape growing. Most of them turned to grape-growing as a sideline to farming. They had to experiment for many years to find domestic grape varieties that would grow well in Missouri's climate and make good wine. But they persvered and a Missouri Wine Industry was born.

Most of the grapes grown during the 1860 - 1900 were Catawba, Concord, Virginia Seedling, Elvira, Nortons' Virginia, and Herbemont.

In the 1920's the long-feared prohibition of production and sale of alcoholic beverages became fact, and the 19th Amendment ended wine-making in Duden Country for half a century.

Then in the 1960's the wine industry was re-established, and they got Augusta, Missouri recognised as the nation's first wine district. There are now more than 40 wineries in the Area.