Located on the Mountain Grove campus of Missouri State University is the Missouri State Winery and Distillery. This facility is recognized for its award-winning spirits and wines that have steep competition against other wineries and distilleries in years past.
This year, the facility competed in the 2021 New York World International Wine & Spirits competition. This contest was held from August 30th to September 3rd and featured spirits and wine entries from across the world.
The wines presented and received medals in the international contest are as follows:
- 2018 Chambourcin, receiving a silver medal
- White Rum, receiving a silver medal
- 2018 Norton, receiving a bronze medal
The spirits presented and received medals in the international contest are as follows:
- Navy Rum, receiving double gold medals
- White Rum, receiving a silver medal
- Grapeshine, receiving a silver medal
The faculty, the wines and the spirits from Missouri State Winery and Distillery were highly recognized in the contest. The continuous hard work that has been put forth throughout the year paid off after receiving the results of the competition.
Dr. Karl Wilker, Research Professor of Enology and Distillation has been associated with the Missouri State Winery and Distillery for 35 years. When asked how important the awards are for the facility, Wilker said, “It is important to know things in the winery are working”.
Jeremy Emery is the Cellar Technician at the facility and has worked at the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station vineyards for approximately 17 years. When asked about what occurs at the facility, he stated, “As for the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station, there is research conducted on a lot of different fruit plantings. The great thing about the station is we can teach people about a product from planting to a finished bottle of wine or spirit”.
Jeremy then shared the descriptions of the wines and spirits that are produced on site. He also informed us on what each drink is best paired with as well as the best way to drink the spirits.
The Norton wine is a medium-bodied dry, red wine with distinct Norton characteristics that is mingled with aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and cherry. It is paired with barbeque, blackened fish, venison, and dark chocolate.
The Chambourcin wine is a light-bodied red wine with a blackberry character and a hint of oak. It is paired with smoked salmon, hamburgers, roasted asparagus, and mushroom dishes.
The Maroon Blend is a wine blend of Norton and Chambourcin that is filled with aromas of dark berries and a hint of oak. It is paired with beef stew, tomato-based pasta, steak, and chocolate cake. 
The Navy Rum is a premium “sipping” spirit that is hand-selected from our amber rum but finished at a higher proof. It yields bold, rich flavors and aromas of dark molasses, butterscotch, and baked chocolate cookies. Emery recommends the best way to drink this spirit is sipping rum over ice or neat.
The White Rum is a clear, unaged rum that is distilled from molasses to create a clean smooth spirit. It is an ideal ingredient of anyone’s favorite run cocktail or mixed drink. Emery recommends to drink this as a mixer and best enjoyed in run cocktail or mixed drink.
The Grapeshine is an unaged, neutral brandy that is distilled into a smooth sipping or mixing spirit. Emery recommends this spirit to be best enjoyed as a sipping spirit or used in mixed drinks.
Marilyn Odneal is the Clinical Instructor and Vineyard Manager at the winery. When asked to explain the functions of the facility, she stated “The first step is to develop new cultivars. We make and evaluate crosses from our breeding program both in the vineyard and the winery. If a new hybrid is superior, it may be released in a cultivar, like Norton, for use in the industry. We also conduct field research and evaluate how other cultivars grow here in our region”.
The wines that are produced on site are being sold at the front office of the Missouri State Winery and Distillery and can be found at Hyvee and the Brown Derby Wine Center located in Springfield, Mo.