VINEYARDS OF MISSOURI

On a recent beautiful, cold 40 degree day, I took the opportunity
to visit Missouri's wine country, even though I am no wine connoisseur.
We took highway 40 West to a small, two lane, hilly road to Augusta.

I wasn't disappointed.  The trees were beginning to show and
weeping willows gave us a royal bow as we passed them.

Our road followed the Missouri River and we were soon passing
rich farm land and historical markers. We passed quickly but
we passed one that marked Daniel Boone's home and
museum. Near by the Bush Wildlife Preserve which once housed an
ammunition center is said to have bomb shelters hidden in the ground.
Signs for gun and fishing clubs popped up every so often. 

Defiance, one of the towns we came through had small houses with
white picket fences and signs that the Katy Trail ran through it.
Bicyclists,  families and walkers were using the path.  As we came
close to our destination, Balducci Vineyards, we passed row after
row of the vineyards of other farms.

To my surprise I learned there are more than 120
wineries in Missouri located in nine different sections of the state.
 A brochure with all this information is available at the
Missouri Wine & Grape Board, missouriwine.org

Any one of the nine wine trails of Missouri is worth a day's trip for the
scenery alone.  I did taste a red and white and found them pleasant.