Hermann AVA
| Wine region | |
Hermann AVA in the northern Ozark hills with Stone Hill Winery and vineyards in the lower left corner
|
|
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1983, amended 1987 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | Missouri, Ozark Mountain AVA |
| Climate region | Continental |
| Total area | 51,200 acres (20,720 ha) |
| Grapes produced | Chambourcin, Norton, Seyval blanc, St. Vincent, Steuben, Traminette, Vidal blanc, Vignoles |
The Hermann AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Gasconade County, Missouri, and entirely contained within the larger Ozark Mountain AVA. The wine appellation is located on the southern side of the Missouri River near the town of Hermann, about halfway between St. Louis and Jefferson City. The AVA covers the northern-most hills of the Ozark Plateau with many of the 200 acres (80 hectares) of vineyards planted along hillside locations. As of 2007, seven wineries were producing wine in appellation, including Missouri's largest winery, Stone Hill Winery.
The area is a flood plain with alluvial soil deposits up to 30 feet (9 m) deep. Growing conditions in the area have been compared to those in southern and eastern Germany. The hardiness zone is 6a. A wide variety of grapes are grown in Hermann, including Vitis vinifera, Vitis labrusca, and French hybrids.
The Hermann area was founded in 1836 by settlers from the German Settlement Society of Philadelphia. The location along the southern banks of the Missouri river was selected for its similarities to the Rheingau region that many of the settlers came from. The area was named Hermann after Arminius of Germania, a 1st-century German hero who opposed the Roman empire. The founders wanted the area to be a safe haven for German immigrants in America where they could maintain their culture and heritage despite the pressures to assimilate. The settlers established a and advertised widely throughout the United States and Germany, seeking farmers, laborers, winemakers and artisians to establish what they called a "German Athens of the West".
...
Wikipedia