The states of Kansas and Missouri have hundreds of wineries - today I visited and sampled the wines of 2, Jowler Creek and Pirtle Winery.
Jowler Creek owners, Jason and Colleen, started making wine in their basement as a hobby and later bought property by historic Jowler Creek. They now have thousands of Norton (the state grape of Missouri), Vignoles, Traminette, and Cabernet Franc vines on 8 acres.
Pirtle Winery in Weston, Missouri, is housed in the former Lutheran Evangelical Church which was built in 1867. Wine production takes place in the press house on the bottom floor, and the tasting room and store are on the 2nd floor. Pirtle produces Honey Wine, or mead, which was the original wine in history. Mead was being enjoyed before grapes were cultivated. The Norsemen and Vikings are well known for their drinking of Mead, but when the English were introduced to honey wine, they called it "Love Potion." It was an English tradition that a bride and groom drink honey wine from "moon to moon" (one month) and that is how the word "honeymoon" originated.
The McCormick Distilling Company, also located near Weston, is the oldest distillery in the United States operating on its original site. In 1976 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Lewis and Clark discovered natural limestone springs in the rolling hills of Missouri. By 1830, these pure springs were supplying water to wagon trains heading west. Years later, Ben Holladay saw these limestone springs as the ingredient for great whiskey. In 1856 he started the distillery. Unfortunately, tours were discontinued in 1995.
