Missouri wineries are among the oldest wineries in the country, and the Missouri Winery district is actually the first official wine district in the country. Missouri wineries are popular for locals looking to do some local wine tasting, as well as travelers who want to make a day trip or weekend out of touring Missouri wineries. Located just west of the city of St. Louis, Missouri wineries are popular among travelers of all kinds.

There are between 20 and 30 wineries in Missouri located in the Missouri winery district. To take a tour of some of the most popular wineries in Missouri, it is possible to book a chartered bus or shuttle with an independent tour company in order to tour the wineries in Missouri. This is a good idea for any travelers who plan to tour more than one Missouri winery in a day and would like to do some wine tasting at more than one winery.

Within the state of Missouri, there is a Wine and Grape Board that is responsible for the quality of wine in Missouri and many of the rules and regulations that surround the growth of wines in Missouri. Funded by a 12 cent-per-gallon tax on all wine that is sold in Missouri, the Wine and Grape Board works closely with wine growers and winery owners in the area to make sure that tours and the wine itself is closely monitored.

Missouri Map

Missouri wines are grown in soil that may seem harsh to vegetables and other plants. Much of the soil that Missouri wines are grown in is full of gravel, sand and slate. Although this may seem unusual, this is often the best sort of soil for growing wine grapes. It is thought by some wine growers that wine grapes increase in taste and value the more they are forced to work to stay alive and survive. The Missouri wines also profit from the warm weather found much of the year in Missouri. Warm weather is needed to grow wine grapes, and in particular at least 100 days of sunshine are needed to grow good wine grapes.

Different types of specific Missouri wines include a variety of grapes, including the Cayuga, Catawba, Chambourcin, Chardonel, Condord, Cynthiana, St. Vincent, Seyval, Vidal and Vignoles. These grapes tend to grow best in Missouri soil and climate and make for the unique flavors found in Missouri wines. To take a Missouri winery tour of your own, book your tour online in advance. Or, if you are staying at a hotel in the area, you can often find a discounted price on Missouri winery tours by booking a tour through your hotel.