Fence Stile offers food and wine events in July that use plentiful summer vegetables, fruits and herbs. You can make a reservation by emailing events@fencestile.com. Please specify the event, the number of people in your party and a phone number where you can be reached to finalize your reservation. 

Dinner and a Movie 
Friday, July 13
6 PM Dinner. 
8 PM (dusk) - Guests are welcome to stay for a screening of the featured movie, The Hundred-Foot Journey, at dusk.  
$20/person (not including tax and gratuity). Wine sold separate. Suggested wines: Kaiscape, Reserve Vidal, Rosé, Becca Blend.

Menu
Peruvian causa (chilled potato casserole) stuffed with avocado and topped with sauce of creamy bell pepper puree
Tower of zucchini, rosemary, and tomato with cheddar polenta served Napoleon-style
Wedge of watermelon with fresh lavender flowers, basil, and smoked salt

Small Bites 
Sunday, July 22. Two seatings: 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM 
$35/person (not including tax and gratuity) ​​

This wine and food event features four small bites (heavy appetizers) paired with four wines. The food is plated and served as one course with matching wines. We'll discuss sensory notes of the food and wine. You can make a reservation by emailing events@fencestile.com. Please specify the event, the number of people in your party, the desired seating time and phone number you can be reached at.

Salad of jicama, cucumber, and mandarin orange with citrus dressing paired with Kaiscape.

Strawberry lemon balm tomato jam on bruschetta served with rosé.

Mushroom fried olive onion tart served with Chambourcin.

Caramelized peach with honey and spiced granola crumble served with Vidal Blanc.

A small team of researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia arrived at Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery in early June to conduct a field test. Fence Stile welcomed the team and volunteered several rows of its grapes for a test that involved evaluating the growth and reproductive effects of broad-spectrum herbicide Dicamba on Missouri grapes. Sarah Dixon, a graduate research assistant and master’s candidate in the Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, led the field team on behalf of the project's principal investigator Dr. Reid J. Smeda; Professor, Weed Science.

About Dicamba
Soybean farmers that use Dicamba on their crops have been able to combat increasing populations of glyphosate (Roundup)-resistant weeds. According to a summary of the research project, adoption of Dicamba is expected to be widespread on more than five million acres of Missouri soybean. Labeled use of Dicamba can occur between early spring through initial soybean flowering.  

Dicamba regulates growth and causes significant damage to broadleaf plants, including grapes, at concentrations measured in parts per million. The risk for damage to vineyards from Dicamba can occur through both particle and vapor drift with impacts possible for up to several years. The goal of the research is to conduct field-based experiments to determine the initial and long-term (two years) impact of Dicamba on grape growth and reproduction. 

Research at Fence Stile
Research is being conducted on established grapes at two Missouri vineyards, including Fence Stile, with effects of Dicamba followed for two years at each location. Current available research on the impact of Dicamba in wine grapes is based off of greenhouse studies with rooted grape cuttings. Much less is known about the response of field-grown grapes to accidental exposure of Dicamba.

During the test at Fence Stile, grapevines were exposed to Dicamba during initial growth and flowering, which coincide with early and mid-season application timings on soybean. Selected rows of grapes were covered by plastic field tunnels to isolate them from other rows in the vineyard. The effect of particle and vapor drift will be determined independently and results can serve as a baseline to understand expected losses from off-target movement of Dicamba. 

The treated rows of grapes will be compared to an untreated control group to evaluate any level of plant injury, grapevine development, BRIX sugar content during veraison, and berry development. Grapes will be hand-harvested and grape yield per plant will be recorded. 50 random grape berries placed in sealed containers and frozen for laboratory analysis of important berry characteristics.

The research team received funding for the second year from the Grape and Wine Institute to continue this research.  

Photographs courtesy of ​Sarah Dixon.

​Summer officially begins on June 21 but we're already celebrating the season with rosé, the perfect summer sipper for hot, humid days. 

Celebrate Rosé Day on Saturday, June 9
Visit Fence Stile and celebrate Rosé Day! Try a flight of all three of our estate rosé wines. Purchase the 2014, 2015 and 2016 vintages by the bottle as a three-pack and receive 10-percent off your purchase. This is a rare opportunity to sample and purchase the limited-release 2016 rosé vintage at the Tasting Room today only. Bottles of the 2016 rosé are also available at Whole Foods Market (more details below). Drop in, sample the rosés, and compare the flavors and aromas between these vintages.

For your listening pleasure, crowd favorite Laura Lisbeth will perform live music on Saturday from 2-5 PM on the patio.
​
Pre-Weekend, Two-for-One Deal
Get an early start to the weekend with a visit on Thursday to our Tasting Room. We offer a two-for-one tasting each Thursday. Bring a friend and receive two tastings for the price of one (a $5 value). A tasting includes a sample of five wines of your choosing. We have red, white and rosé wines, ranging from dry to semi-dry to sweet. After you find a wine that speaks to your spirit animal, settle in with a glass or bottle and relax in the Tasting Room, outdoor patio, or Cellar Garden. 

Fence Stile Wines Now at Whole Foods Market - Kansas City
Can't make it to the Tasting Room on Thursday? Visit the new Whole Foods Market (51st St. and Brookside Blvd, just south of the Plaza) on Thursday, June 7, where we will offer wine samples from 4-7 PM. Whole Foods Market now carries seven Fence Stile wines for purchase! Sample, sip and pick up a bottle for the weekend. 

Fence Stile's Friday Night WineIn™
Our WineIn™(movies on the patio) season continues with a Friday, June 8, screening of Mrs. Doubtfire that features this unforgettable scene involving wine. Watch Robin Williams, Sally Field, and a dashing Pierce Brosnan perform in this classic role. Bring food or purchase items from our Nibbles menu to enjoy with wine. Once the sun sets at dusk, the movie begins on our patio. Watch the film under the stars in the countryside while surrounded by vineyards. 

Trivia Time on Sunday, June 10
Make Sunday a fun day with afternoon trivia and wine. Bring a team or we will pair you with other wine pals for a few rounds of trivia from 1-3 PM. 

Let's go to the movies on Friday! Now that the weather is warm once again, Fence Stile's WineIn™ (movies on the patio) season returns. Join us to watch classic feature films on Friday evenings. Arrive early and settle in with a bottle of wine.

Bring food or order light bites from our Nibbles menu, such as bread, pretzel bread, cheese, olives, and savory gourmet nuts from Savory Addiction. New from our kitchen – have you tried our homemade mustard and crackers?! Fence Stile owner Shriti whips up savory mustard from scratch using mustard seed, wine, turmeric powder, and a little sass. Try some on your next visit.  

The movie starts at sunset. Gather at a table under the white canopy on the patio. Enjoy the sunset. When the sky grows dark enough, we'll start the movie on our screen above the stage.  Please dress for the weather, but keep in mind that we do have blankets for any chilly evening. 

Here's the schedule for our May films. 

May 11th - Under the Tuscan Sun
A writer buys a villa in Tuscany in order to change her life. Quote: "Never lose your childish innocence. It's the most important thing."

May 18th - Fried Green Tomatoes
An unhappy housewife befriends an old lady in a nursing home and is enthralled by the tales she tells of people she used to know. Quote: "I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends."
​
May 25th - Casablanca
A cynical nightclub owner protects an old flame and her husband from Nazis in Morocco. Quote: "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."

UPDATE - OUR MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. 


Bring mom to Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery for brunch and wine on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 13, from 11:30 am to 2 pm. Carey Weir of Off the Vine Catering will prepare a fabulous spread of food to complement our selection of white, red, rosé, and sparkling wine.

Mother's Day Brunch Menu
Breakfast sliders with cheddar and herb biscuits filled with smoked ham, cheddar, and Dijon-roasted garlic aioli
Breakfast sliders with cheddar and herb biscuits filled with egg and cheddar
Frittata with potato, bacon, and smoked gouda
Frittata with wild mushroom and herbed goat cheese
Fruit and imported cheese platter with homemade Asiago, sea salt crackers, herb and sun-dried tomato grissini 
Roasted fingerling potatoes flavored with caramelized Vidalia onions, garlic, and fresh thyme topped with chive crème fraiche
Bacon with a brown sugar, cracked black pepper, and rosemary glaze
Brioche French toast bread pudding with blueberry and lemon-infused syrup

Cost (gratuity and tax included) is $38/person, children are $25. Mothers will receive a craft cocktail courtesy of Shriti and Fence Stile. Please make reservations by emailing events@fencestile.com.

Happy Spring! We have a few announcements, reminders, and events planned just around the corner, including a spring bonfire, Mother's Day buffet, and live music. 

Sip N Shop - Saturday, April 21
Pop out to the Tasting Room for wine and fun shopping from local vendors, featuring a wide array of jewelry, apparel, arts and crafts, specialty foods, home furnishings and more. It's a perfect opportunity to shop and find a get for Mother's Day or to treat yourself. 

Spring Bonfire - Sunday, April 22
Fence Stile will host a spring bonfire on Sunday, April 22nd, behind the Tasting Room building in the area behind the crush pad. Join us on Sunday for the bonfire and wine. We'll have hotdogs and s'mores, plus sweet-and-savory bags of popcorn and our usual Nibbles menu of cheese, sausage, bread, and more.

We've accumulated a mighty pile of deadwood and brush from our service road upgrade last year. Also, vineyard manager Shawna Mull has been busy over the winter pruning the vineyards and adding the clippings to the woodpile. Burning the woodpile is a final goodbye to wintery weather and salute to spring while taking responsibility to properly and safely manage the resources of our land. 

Wine Club Pickup Party - Saturday, May 12
Wine Club members, save the date for the quarterly Wine Club pickup party, wine and tasty bites. Not a Wine Club member yet? Contact Shriti at info@fencestile.com to learn more details. 

Mother's Day - Sunday, May 13
Save the date and make reservations for a Mother's Day buffet on Sunday, May 13, 11:30 am to 2 pm, at Fence Stile. We're finalizing the menu and will announce it early next week, but you (and moms) won't want to miss it. Cost (gratuity and tax included) is $38/person, children are $25. Mothers will receive a craft cocktail courtesy of Shriti and Fence Stile. 

Spring Music
Now that the weather is turning warmer (Right? Right!!), it's a great time to venture out of the house, spend an afternoon at Fence Stile, and enjoy live music on Saturdays. Unless otherwise noted, performances are from 2 to 4 pm. 

April 21st - The Good Sam Club Band (1 pm)
April 28th - Brad Allen
May 5th - Steve Sterner and Sundown
May 12th - Rick Lally
May 19th - 3 Bricks Shy
May 26th - Brad Allen
June 2nd - The Good Sam Club Band
June 9th - Laura Lisbeth
June 16th - David Knopf

Below: (Top row, left to right) - Brad Allen, Good Sam Club Band, Laura Lisbeth. (Bottom Row, left to right) - David Knopf, Rick Lally, Steve Sterner and Sundown.

Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery celebrated its 9th Anniversary on Saturday, April 7, and Sunday, April 8, with many activities including a display of fire-spinning by vineyard manager Shawna Mull. 

She performed a 20-minute set on the front flagstone patio as dusk fell. A crowd of onlookers took a break from celebrating, storytelling, and visiting over wine in the Tasting Room to watch in awe as Shawna wielded various instruments lit with fire and performed carefully choreographed routines. Check out the gallery at the bottom of the post for more photos of her in action. 

The weekend's celebratory activities included live music on Saturday from 2 to 4 pm by David Knopf (above, right). This month, join us in the Tasting Room for a wine tasting, a bottle of wine, and music from other talented musicians.

Enjoy live performances on the following dates: 
Jim Thomas at 2 pm on April 14th,  
The Good Sam Club Band at 1 pm on April 21st 
Brad Allen (above, left) at 2 pm on April 28th.

While at Fence Stile, tour our winery and wine cave. Enjoy a tour of the property, the vineyards and the winery and then conclude with a candlelit tasting in the CELLAR57 club room and the wine caves. Guests keep the tasting glass & enjoy 10-percent off the wines purchased on the tour!  $35/person. To reserve a spot, email events@fencestile.com. 

Upcoming winery and wine cave tour dates 
April 13th - 6:30 pm 
April 14th 12:30 pm & 4:00 pm 
April 21st - 12:30 pm 
April 27th - 6:30 pm

Wine Xenos at Fence Stile
Check out our new Wine Xenos Photo Stand in the Tasting Room. Take a photo with your friends or a loved one. Post the photo on social media and don't forget to tag #FenceStileWinery! We also have Wine Xenos logo wine glassware and T-shirts available.   ​

Spring Wine Savings
Get ready for spring patio downtime. Stock up on our estate white wines and receive 10% off when you purchase a 10-pack (mix-and-match) of wine. Take home a pair of our new Wine Xenos wine glasses as a thank-you gift (while supplies last) with a purchase of 10 bottles or more of estate white wine. Offer runs through April. 

Save the Date
April 20 - Spring Bonfire and Wine Party. Check our Facebook page for details. 

April 21 - 4 pm, Sip N Shop. Enjoy a glass of wine and shop. Local vendors have jewelry, apparel, home furnishings, specialty food and more. 

April 21 - 2 to 4 pm. Fence Stile Wine Tasting at Grain to Glass (1611 Swift, North Kansas City). Can't make it to our Tasting Room? Drop by Grain to Glass and taste our wines. Grain to Glass sells Fence Stile wines by the glass and bottle. ​

Fence Stile's winery ambassador Kevin Snedden has been involved with the winery since its 2009 debut. Kevin will share stories of the origins of Fence Stile and treasured memories during the winery's 9th Anniversary Celebration this weekend on Saturday evening, April 7, after 6:30 pm. Winery guests and friends are invited to share stories by the fireplace, play winery trivia, enjoy a bottle of wine, and join in the fun. After dusk, vineyard manager Shawna Mull will perform a fire-spinning demonstration (weather permitting). 

The anniversary celebration continues on Sunday, April 8. See bottom of the post for the full listing of anniversary events.

Kevin and his wife Christine first discovered the winery's original tasting room in the old building (next to the current Tasting Room building) before the winery was officially open. Wine and conversation led to friendship and opportunity. Kevin's relationship with the winery and friendship with owner Shriti Plimpton developed into a role where he became Fence Stile's ambassador, unofficial historian, and storyteller. 

"The anniversary party will be celebrations of monumental moments from the winery's past and present," Kevin said. "I remember an event where a permit was pulled for a small fireworks display at a previous anniversary celebration. We set up the display at the far end of the parking lot, where there was no danger to the crowd on the patio of the Tasting Room."

Well, the fireworks display fell over with exciting results. 

Kevin said, "The display shot balls of fire across the parking lot as some people were getting ready to leave."

No one was harmed, but the fireworks display became a legendary memory. 

Another memory involves an early performance of Pyrosapiens, a fire-spinning troupe consisting of Kevin, vineyard manager Shawna Mull, and Tony McInturff. The trio performed their fire-spinning act at dusk. 

"Pyrosapiens performed for the first time at Fence Stile," Kevin said. "It was a hobby of our performing arts crew. It was fun for us as performers and the audience."

This weekend's events will be a chance to share and capture stories from Kevin and our guests. Fence Stile will have a Wine Xenos photo booth on display, where guests can create a photo to share on social media (tag #FenceStile) and others. See the event listings below for the full schedule. 

​9th Anniversary Celebration Events

Saturday, April 7
Kevin Snedden will lead winery and wine cave tours with a candlelit wine tasting on April 7th at 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm. Tour the property and the winery. Finish with a candlelit tasting in the CELLAR57 club room and the wine caves.  Keep the tasting glass and enjoy 10% off the wines purchased on the tour!  $35/person. To reserve space, email events@fencestile.com.

Take a souvenir photo in our new Wine Xenos photo display. You have to see it in our Tasting Room! Tag #FenceStile when sharing photos on social media.

Listen to live music by David Knopf on Saturday, April 7, from 2 to 4 pm.

Guest chef Pete Dulin will be in the kitchen preparing savory and sweet small plates, while supplies last. The menu includes: 
• Lentil, chickpea, mint, and radish salad with lemon-mint dressing
• Blueberry and blue cheese spread with crostini
• Mushroom leek soup with sauteed asparagus and Parmesan cheese

After 6:30 pm on Saturday, April 7, Kevin will share stories of the winery's history. Guests are also invited to share stories and favorite memories during a fireside gathering. Play winery trivia and board games. Enjoy a bottle of wine for a cozy evening. 

Shawna Mull will perform her fire-spinning display on Saturday, April 7, after dusk (weather permitting). The winery's gates will close at 6:30 pm. Guests are encouraged to arrive early. purchase a bottle of wine, and stay for the performance. 

Fence Stile has new T-shirts with a Wine Xenos logo on the front and the Fence Stile logo on the back. Available for purchase, the shirts come in men's and women's sizes, a variety of styles and colors. Pick up the latest in Fence Stile's Vineyard LifeStiles spring fashion this weekend. ​

Fence Stile also has new glassware that displays the Wine Xenos and Fence Stile logos for our anniversary. To get ready for spring, stock up on our estate white wines and receive 10% off when you purchase a 10-pack (mix-and-match) of wine. Take home a pair of our new Wine Xenos wine glasses as a thank-you gift (while supplies last) with a purchase of 10 bottles or more of estate white wine. 

Sunday, April 8 
Kevin Snedden will lead winery and wine cave tours with a candlelit wine tasting on April 8th at 1:00 pm. Tour the property and the winery. Finish with a candlelit tasting in the CELLAR57 club room and the wine caves.  Keep the tasting glass and enjoy 10% off the wines purchased on the tour!  $35/person. To reserve space, email events@fencestile.com.

Meet winery owner Shriti Plimpton and say hello. Winery dogs Becca and Kai will also make a rare joint appearance at the Tasting Room. Drop by, say hi, and snap a photo of our four-legged friends. 

Take a souvenir photo in our new Wine Xenos photo display. You have to see it in our Tasting Room! Tag #FenceStile when sharing photos on social media.

Enjoy savory and sweet small plates, while supplies last. The menu includes: 
• Lentil, chickpea, mint, and radish salad with lemon-mint dressing
• Blueberry and blue cheese spread with crostini
• Mushroom leek soup with sauteed asparagus and Parmesan cheese

Pick up a cool new Fence Stile T-shirts with the Wine Xenos logo. 

Stock up on white wine for spring and receive a pair of Wine Xenos logo glasses. Receive 10% off when you purchase a 10-pack (mix-and-match) of Fence Stile white wine. Take home a pair of our new Wine Xenos wine glasses as a thank-you gift (while supplies last) with a purchase of 10 bottles or more of estate white wine. 

Promoting his latest album release, Rick Lally performs a solo show on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery's Tasting Room. Lally will also perform  with the band 3 Bricks Shy on Saturday, May 19, and another act, R2 Alchemy, on July 12.  

Lally's new album, It's High Time, is a reference to the span of time it took to write, record, and release his work. The album is a retrospective of songs he wrote from 1989 to 2017. 

"I've been writing and playing music since I was a teen," Lally said. "I've always done it as a way to make sense of my thoughts or feelings."

"Falcon Hill," a song Lally wrote as a 13-year-old teenager, was inspired by his childhood upbringing. 

"I grew up in Illinois. From 10 to 16 years of age, I lived in a suburban neighborhood," Lally said. "My backyard merged into underdeveloped park that was very much a small forest. In one section there was a clearing with a hill. I spent most of my time playing in nature and every inch of the park. I always saw all kinds of birds from that hill and would frequently see a falcon. My friends and I always called that area Falcon Hill. As I was learning the four chords in my song 'Falcon Hill,' I wrote the lyrics to express how I felt when I was out there in nature."

Lally wrote the album's title song "It's High Time" to himself.

"I have written a lot of songs. I've probably forgotten as many as I remember," Lally said. "'It's High Time' was intended to remind me and push myself to get my unrecorded songs recorded. It was also intended to urge me to pull the songs out of me that I either need to finish or start. In essence, the song was me being a cheerleader for myself!"

True to his muse, Lally writes music at his own pace and his songwriting has developed over time.

"Many of my earliest songs were just a stream of chords. Many lacked a bridge or a reprise. I have progressively improved in that area," Lally said. "I never have forced writing a song. It either happens or it doesn't. Sometimes it can take a song a long time to stew and simmer before it's ready. I have one song I wrote in a half-hour and it never changed. Others that have taken years to complete. I'm definitely a better guitar player now so that helps a lot."

The songs on the new album vary in genre. 

"'No Jive' has a bluesy southern rock feel, while 'I Can't Breathe' has the feel of smooth jazz," Lally said. "'Slippin' Away' is currently playing on a Tropical Rock radio station. 'It's High Time' and 'Paralyzed' were both born to rock. Everything else is either folkie or folk rock."

Lally is also an artist. One of his paintings, "Sun Glass," is displayed in the Tasting Room. 

"I have always been somewhat artistic, but never put much time into it. When I started painting, I dove in head first and began painting a lot," Lally said. "During that time, my band 3 Bricks Shy had a song called 'Screw The Cracker' with a line in the song, 'Polly wants wine.' Somehow, that song got us started with playing at wineries."

Lally's inspiration for "Sun Glass" traced back to performing at Fence Stile during the summer when it was sunny. 

"I really appreciated that we continued to get chances to play at Fence Stile," Lally said. "I decided that Fence Stile would be a good home for a painting it mostly likely inspired."

It's High Time is available at iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify. Visit ricklally.com for more information on his music, art, and performance dates. Check Fence Stile's calendar for upcoming music performance dates from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. 

Below: Rick Lally as a young musician. Right: "Sun Glass" is a painting inspired by Rick Lally's performances at Fence Stile.

Hey friends, Fence Stile has been nominated for the Best Winery category in the Feast Magazine - Midwest 50 Awards.
Please vote for us. Here's how. Clink on the link below. Scroll down and select Fence Stile and enter your email address (required) to vote.
Vote until 5/13 @ 12:00am Central. Feel free to vote for as many or as few categories as you like; you can vote once per category per day.
Enter your email address for a chance to win a pair of tickets to Taste & Toast on Sun., May 6.
Vote daily for us! Thank you.

http://stltoday.secondstreetapp.com/2018-Feast-50-Awards-2/gallery?category=1458268