Ken Flesch, co-owner of Lake Creek Winery, is in awe of his “great grape location.” To the north, he sees the historic Boone site at Marthasville. To the south, he
Missouri First
Did you know that Missouri was the first state to take the wine industry seriously? Although Native Americans have been cultivating grapes since the beginning of time, the wine industry in America is relatively new and can be tracked to German migration to Missouri. The first wine from locally cultivated grapes was introduced in 1846 and two years later the local wineries produced 1000 gallons. By 1855, 500 acres of vineyard were in production and wine was shipped to St. Louis and other nearby locales. The next immigration wave brought Italians to the state and they contributed their expertise to the industry. By the mid-19th century this state was producing more wines (by volume), than any other state in the USA.