Courtesy of Noboleis Vineyards
Sunset at Noboleis Vineyards in Augusta, Mo.
Before Napa and Sonoma, Walla Walla and Willamette, there was Hermann. Large-scale wine-production didn’t begin in California or Washington or Oregon—and Missouri was the nation’s second largest wine producer before prohibition decimated the American wine industry. The wild history of Missouri winemaking and the impact that it's had on the global wine industry is profound, and it makes for a fascinating story.
Courtesy of Cat Neville
Cat Neville
The new one-hour documentary Winemaking in Missouri—from Emmy Award winner Cat Neville, producer and host of Nine Networks’ tasteMAKERS, and co-director Chris Roider—tells that story. The film opens with sweeping views of lush rolling hills braided with grapevines. These are the vines that were planted by the Germans who first settled Missouri in the mid 1800s, hoping to create a new utopia in this place that reminded them so much of the Rhineland.
The documentary unfolds 200 years of Missouri wine history through historic photos, documents, and engaging interviews with clever, often funny sommeliers and winemakers. At its heart, it’s a story about the people, the farmers, the growers, and multi-generational families who have contributed to Missouri’s rich wine history.
The documentary will be featured at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, July 15–24. Tickets are available now for the screening on July 17 at Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium.
