Everything you need to plan a daytrip or weekend getaway ... including a complete listing of wineries, towns, services, B & Bs, people, places, history, local attractions and nearby state parks.

Nina Furstenau has taken to the hills to explore verdant rolling land, winding rivers, good people, and good food. Savor Missouri is a food and travel temptation-- come along for the ride to the river hills for tasty food finds, beautiful vistas, and historic and quaint communities. Our great rivers, the Missouri, the Mississippi, and the Meramec, are agri-tourism magnets with visitors coming to follow wine trails, pick peaches, buy fresh honey, smoked meats, and more.

Welcome to an exciting journey through the heart of America, through beautiful Missouri. This state in the Midwest of the United States is a place steeped in diversity, history, and a vibrant cultural life. From the vibrant cities of St. Louis and Kansas City to the scenic natural wonders and historic sites, Missouri offers an astonishing range of experiences. In this book, we invite you to discover Missouri's hidden gems and fascinating stories, whether it's by exploring its rich culture and history, enjoying its diverse culinary delights, or immersing yourself in the world of art, music, and literature. Missouri is a state that preserves the spirit of the Wild West while looking to the future. Join us on this exciting journey through Missouri, the heart of America, a place full of stories, traditions and visions of the future. We will unearth the treasures of this state and explore its turbulent history, cultural diversity and natural beauty. Missouri is a place that begs to be discovered, and we can't wait to take you on this journey. Immerse yourself in the beauty and diversity of Missouri and be enchanted by its uniqueness.

Inspired by Jules Verne’s classic adventure tale, celebrated editor-in-chief of The Wine Economist Mike Veseth takes his readers Around the World in Eighty Wines. The journey starts in London, Phileas Fogg’s home base, and follows Fogg’s itinerary to France and Italy before veering off in search of compelling wine stories in Syria, Georgia, and Lebanon. Every glass of wine tells a story, and so each of the eighty wines must tell an important tale. We head back across Northern Africa to Algeria, once the world’s leading wine exporter, before hopping across the sea to Spain and Portugal. We follow Portuguese trade routes to Madeira and then South Africa with a short detour to taste Kenya’s most famous Pinot Noir. Kenya? Pinot Noir? Really! The route loops around, visiting Bali, Thailand, and India before heading north to China to visit Shangri-La. Shangri-La? Does that even exist? It does, and there is wine there. Then it is off to Australia, with a detour in Tasmania, which is so cool that it is hot. The stars of the Southern Cross (and the title of a familiar song) guide us to New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina. We ride a wine train in California and rendezvous with Planet Riesling in Seattle before getting into fast cars for a race across North America, collecting more wine as we go. Pause for lunch in Virginia to honor Thomas Jefferson, then it’s time to jet back to London to tally our wines and see what we have learned. Why these particular places? What are the eighty wines and what do they reveal? And what is the surprise plot twist that guarantees a happy ending for every wine lover? Come with us on a journey of discovery that will inspire, inform, and entertain anyone who loves travel, adventure, or wine.

Before prohibition, Missouri was the second largest wine-producing state in the union, and for a short time during the Civil War, it was number one. Today the state's lush green area overlooking the Missouri River is officially recognized as America's first wine district. Parts of this district have produced wine since the 1830s, when German immigrants from the Rhine River Valley settled in Missouri. The historic towns of Augusta and Defiance, home of pioneer Daniel Boone, are part of this district. Other towns along the river include Dutzow, the first permanent German settlement in Missouri; Washington, which holds the state record for the most buildings on the National Register of Historic Places; and Hermann, recognized by its settlers as a German utopia.