 Fence Stile Rosé Dinner Feat. Fair Share Farm & Austin Farms
Sunday, June 2, 2019 at 4 PM – 6 PM Please join us for a five-course dinner featuring seasonal ingredients from Fair Share Farm and Austin Farm. We will highlight two vintages of Fence Stile's rosé (including the release of our 2016 rosé), plus blackberry lemon sangria, and a rosé wine cocktail. $39 per person (does not include tax or gratuity). Limited seating. RSVP today by calling 816-500-6465 or email events@fencestile.com. MENU Welcome drink - Blackberry lemon sangria Deviled eggs with wild chives, garlic scapes, and pickled rhubarb 2014 Rosé Strawberry-tomato gazpacho with ginger and fennel 2016 Rosé - Debut Release Thai green papaya salad with farm-fresh lettuce Backpack Red Field burger, shiitake mushrooms, and Chinese broccoli (gai lan) served with caramelized onion jam and red wine reduction sauce Rosé Wine Cocktail Hibiscus-blackberry semifreddo with crispy spring roll skin and drizzled with Austin Farms honey
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  Fence Stile invites you to Choose Your Own Wine Adventure! We have
re-opened our self-serve wine bar in the Tasting Room. Here's how it works. Guests purchase a pre-paid card for use at the wine bar. Cards are loaded with a minimum of $5 or a custom amount can be added. Selected wines are stored in the wine bar, such as premium 57 White, 57 Red, and popular red and white wines. Guests insert their card in the slot above their wine of choice. You have the option of selecting Sip, Swirl, or Savor which offers varying amounts by the ounce. Position your wine glass below the spout, select your wine, and choose a Sip, Swirl, or Savor option. The dollar amount is deducted from the pre-paid card. The wine bar is a fun way to Choose Your Own Wine Adventure. Sample various wines before deciding on a full glass or bottle. Soon we will add wines from past vintages stored in our library in the wine caves to the wine bar. We will make these limited-edition wines as well as a rotation of country-specific wines available to explore via the wine bar. Ask us about the self-serve wine bar so you can Choose Your Own Wine Adventure on your next visit. 4/16/2019 0 Comments Presenting TramontoFence Stile Vineyards and Winery is excited to announce the release of 2018 Tramonto, a late harvest dry Vidal Blanc craft wine. Tramonto was produced as a small-batch, limited-release wine in 375-ml. bottles. As a perk for Wine Club members, Tramonto will be available by the glass and for advance purchase by Wine Club members through May 18, 2019. Club members may pick up bottles/cases of the wine at the pickup party on May 18th or afterward. After this wine release event, Tramonto will be available for purchase by the glass, bottle, and case to all of our guests. Due to the limited quantity and exclusive nature of this craft wine, the Tasting Room will not offer sample tastes to Wine Club members or guests. Origin of Tramonto Meaning sunset in Italian, Tramonto's origin was inspired by the characteristics of hand-selected Vidal Blanc grapes harvested from the vine in late November 2018. Fence Stile's team and volunteers conducted our regular fall harvest of Vidal Blanc grapes on September 16, 2018. Owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton designated six rows of Vidal Blanc to be reserved for late harvest. Two days later, we stretched bird netting over the six rows of sweet, ripe grapes to protect them from birds and other predators. Late harvest grapes were plucked from the vines, crushed, and pressed two months later in November mere days before Thanksgiving on a brisk, frosty morning. Late harvest grapes receive more sun exposure. Sugar levels remain stable in the grapes while the water content reduces, typically producing a sweet wine with a higher alcohol content. The flavor and aroma deepen in complexity as the grapes are affected by noble rot, a beneficial fungus with the scientific name Bortrytis cinerea. Green grape skins turn color, ranging from old gold to bronze to dark purplish black. Typically, juice from late harvest Vidal Blanc exhibits caramel and golden raisin flavors. Most of the late harvest Vidal Blanc became the 2018 vintage of Ishq, our sweet dessert wine that will be packaged in 375-ml. bottles for the first time. During the late harvest, we noticed that darker, more dehydrated late harvest Vidal Blanc grapes possessed even more intense, concentrated flavors of fig, baked apple, molasses, honey, and bourbon before oaking. Inspiration was born to attempt something different from past late harvest wines. We separated dark- and light bronze-colored late harvest Vidal Blanc grapes. Each batch was crushed and pressed separately. Using a basket press, we pressed the darker Vidal Blanc grapes with its skins and blackberries harvested from Fence Stile's patch in summer 2018. Shriti developed the sweeter Ishq and the darker test batch of Vidal Blanc juice in separate tanks over winter 2018 and early 2019. After both wines were racked and refined, we bottled them in March 2019. Tramonto's pale orange hue, reminiscent of a sunset draping color over Italian hills or Fence Stile's vineyards, differed from the soft gold of Ishq. We allowed the wines to rest for a month before sampling them.  Presenting Tramonto Tramonto is truly a small-batch craft wine produced in limited quantity. These select Vidal Blanc grapes, affected by noble rot and matured to a near-raisin state, have been transformed into an extraordinary wine with a pale orange tint. Produced as a dry late harvest wine, Tramonto exhibits characteristics of a skin-contact wine (white wine fermented with its skin) also known as orange wine. Tramonto's nose deceptively hints that the wine is sweet, but an initial sip clearly establishes its complex, dry nature. The aroma suggests notes of beeswax, raw almonds, and orange rind. Its bold taste unfolds with waves of fig, dried orange peel, almonds, and nuttiness with a clean tannic finish. After a sip, allow the wine to linger and wash over the tongue. The well-rounded mouthfeel seems similar to a sweet dessert wine, honeyed and succulent, with a medium-heavy feel. After swallowing, inhale through the mouth and note Tramonto's exceptionally long luxurious finish that lingers on the palate. Tramonto is absolutely not to be rushed as an experience. Allow it to unfold with additional sips over several minutes to explore its full range. About Tramonto's Wine Label The label's peach-gold color is a nod to sunsets at Fence Stile during the harvest season. Fading sunlight is soft with orange and burnished gold hues. Twelve boxes on the label's face represent the twelve months of the year. A near full moon is positioned in the eleventh month, November, when the Vidal Blanc grapes were harvested for this wine. The boxes contain colors of woody grapevines, grape skins in earthy tones and purplish-bronze hues, gossamer sunlight, and even the hats and coats worn by Shriti, vineyard manager Shawna Mull, chef Pete Dulin, and harvest volunteers, such as Karen Joiner and Megan James, on a brisk morning.   As part of our 10th anniversary weekend celebration, Fence Stile Vineyards & Winery will have a weekly raffle through April.
Guests get a ticket with every purchase at the winery, Thursday-Sunday. Additional tickets are $1 a ticket, $5 for 6 tickets. Enter the raffle by writing your name, phone number and email legibly on the ticket. Fence Stile will draw winning tickets at the end of each weekend in April. Winners will be notified by email. We'll also post the winners on our Facebook page and weekly newsletter. Gift certificates may be picked up at the winery during operating hours at their convenience. WINNERS Raffle Prizes for April 5th – 7th • Vineyard, Winery and Wine Cave tour and select barrel tasting for two ($108 value) - Stacie Orr • Wine tasting for two (regular, sparkling and premium) ($30 value) - Lisa Meyer • Two tickets to Fence Stile wine dinner (April 26th) at Willow Springs Mercantile ($120 value) - Bernadette Hodge • One night stay at The Elms (value based on date of reservation) - Ron Cline • A membership to our wine club, a scented candle of your choice, a set of four Vineyard LifeStile greeting cards and a set of two Vineyard LifeStile coasters (total value $88) - William Gear Raffle Prizes for April 11th – 14th • Private party rental of the Cellar 57 club and wine caves {seats 30} ($400 value) - Tim Spillane • Barrel-aged wine tasting for two ($38 value) - Christy Rumore • $50 gift certificate for Inn at Crescent Lake with a handcrafted mug ($60 value) - Grace Koehler • Food and Beverage credit at the 88 Restaurant ($50 value) - Margee Williams Raffle Prizes for April 18th – 20th • Private party rental of the Cellar Garden {seats 30} ($400 value) - Gwen Devonshire • Vineyard, winery and wine cave tour and tasting for 2 ($70 value) - Mauntell Ford • Set of four VLS label coasters ($20 value) - Jane Tullis • One night stay at The Elms (value based on date of reservation) - Jai Vaughn Raffle Prizes for April 25th – April 28th • Private party rental of the Assemblage Room and deck {seats 40} ($480 value) - Robert Overbaugh • Wine club membership ($50 value) - Sarah Bryden • Pair of Wine Xenos glasses ($10 value) - Jenna Fine • Food and Beverage credit at the 88 Restaurant ($50 value) - Zach Rauer   Rick Lally - Fence Stile Wine Cave 2019 Acoustic Music Series
Fan favorite Rick Lally kicks off our 2019 Acoustic Music Series in Fence Stile's Wine Cave on Sunday, May 12, 1-3 PM. The two-hour performance with intermission includes a glass of wine. Tickets: $15. Additional wine available for purchase with private bar service in the Cellar 57 club room. Seating limited to 22 guests. RSVP by calling 816-500-6465 or email events@fencestile.com. 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." Read the full profile of Rick Lally on our blog. The series continues with a slate of familiar names and new artists performing at Fence Stile including Joy Zimmerman, Bob Morrison, newcomer Taylor Cullen, and Laura Lisbeth. Watch the Wine and Stile blog for additional profiles of these artists throughout the year.  Winter in the Winery While the vineyards endure freezing temperature and wind chill, Fence Stile's winery is a hub of activity when we bottle wine. Owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton and vineyard manager Shawna Mull work as a team to bottle wine throughout the year. Before we discuss these bottling photos in detail, let's back up a few months. Harvest Crush and Press Fall grape harvest runs from late August through early October. Each weekend, a specific variety of grape such as Seyval is harvested by Fence Stile's crew and volunteers. After the morning harvest, volunteers head to the Tasting Room for well-deserved wine, sangria, and harvest lunch. Meanwhile, Shriti leads a small team on the crush pad to weigh bins of harvested grapes, crush and press fruit, and transfer into tanks in the winery. Winemaker's Craft After fresh-pressed juice settles in the tank for one to two days, Shriti inoculates sugary juice with yeast to initiate fermentation. Simply put, yeast feeds on sugar and produces alcohol. Shriti oversees the temperature-controlled liquid in the tanks. Dryness or sweetness of wine is controlled by managing yeast activity so that a target percentage of residual sugar remains. Less sugar results in a drier wine. Shriti repeats this process weekly for each grape varietal harvested, crushed, and pressed. She monitors and manages these crucial steps to convert juice into wine. Over the following months, she evaluates the progress of each wine's development and aging in the tanks. Utilizing lab tests, experience, and team feedback from tasting trials, Shriti crafts the wine's color, taste, aroma, and body to her satisfaction. Only then is the wine ready to be bottled. The entire process may take four to eighteen months on average, depending on the timeline and necessity for bottling the previous year's vintage. Did you know that the year of a wine, such as 2017 Seyval, refers to the year when the grapes were harvested rather than the bottling date? The winemaking process detailed above is greatly simplified. This summary provides Fence Stile's guests a peek into what occurs behind-the-scenes prior to bottling. For more information and a firsthand look, sign up for our winery and wine cave tour (with wine tasting) that takes place each Saturday afternoon. RSVP and email events@fencestile.com for more details or check our events calendar for dates and times. Bottling and Bottle Shock Shriti assigns bottling days throughout the year to transfer wine from the tanks to bottles for storage and sales. [Barrel-aged wines undergo a different process that we can explore in a future post.] Typically, bottling takes place in early winter through early spring. Once bottled, the wine is stored for a minimum of 30 days in the wine caves before it is sold. This grace period enables the wine to adjust to its new bottled environment and storage in the wine cave to avoid bottle shock. Bottle shock refers to a temporary condition where wine may exhibit off or atypical flavor after bottling. A wine's phenolics, tannins, and compounds may be altered by heat and motion during the bottling process. These elements in the wine continue to evolve in the bottle. Storage for at least 30 days reduces the likelihood of bottle shock prior to opening the bottle and tasting the wine.     Bottling Set-up Any equipment that will touch harvested grapes, fresh-pressed juice, or wine is thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before and after use. To set up for bottling, hoses are attached between the tank, filter machine, and bottle filler. Clamps and gaskets are tightly secured at each end of hose connections. Pre-work involved for cleaning, sterilization, and setup is time-consuming, physical, and wet work but necessary to ensure quality and safety. Once setup is complete, wine is pumped from a storage tank through filters to the bottle filler. The four-head filler releases wine into each bottle at a pre-set level. Next, the corking machine deposits a cork into the neck of the bottle. Lastly, a foil cap is placed over the neck and pressure-sealed into place by a capper. Twelve bottles are inserted into a case and stacked on a pallet. Bottling represents a major stage in the lifespan of our wine that is part of an annual cycle. The work involved is physical and labor-intensive. Each bottle is handled by two to three people during the process to ensure quality and consistency. While some of the machinery is automated, bottling is still completed very much by hand. Teamwork, communication, and music help the long hours pass. Pallets of freshly-bottled wine are rolled into the wine cave for storage. They are physical indicators of the work that went into producing wine for our guests.    Year-round Winery Even now during winter's frigid days and nights, Fence Stile works steadily in the vineyards and winery year-round. By February, Shawna works along dormant rows to prune grapevines. Her work prepares for bud break in spring as the earth warms once again. Of course, the Tasting Room operates each weekend (weather willing) to serve guests and share our story. Meanwhile, Shriti manages the business and plans for growth. Vines produce fruit and mature during summer until fall. The cycle continues from fall harvest to crush and press for each year's vintage. Each bottle of wine represents a journey that involves many hands from volunteers to our Fence Stile team. That journey continues with guests that visit our Tasting Room, sample our wine, and select a favorite to enjoy. Whether sipping a glass of wine or sharing a bottle, our guests are an important part of the story. Transforming grapes from vine to juice to wine begins with the end in mind - sharing wine with friends. Our motto lives on. Good fences make good neighbors, a FENCE STILE makes neighbors, good friends! We hope that our wine, and the labor and craft behind it, inspires friendship and fellowship one sip at a time.   Fence Stile owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton had a vision for many years to create a line of Vineyard LifeStile products. Her first creation is Chambourcin Sugar Scrub, a decadent blend of finely-ground Chambourcin grape skins and seeds, cocoa butter, grape seed oil, turbinado sugar, and essential oils bearing the scent of orange spice. Packaged in four-ounce and eight-ounce jars, opening a container releases a rich, sumptuous aroma that engages the senses. Chambourcin Sugar Scrub is a creamy, mildly gritty exfoliant used for rejuvenating and enhancing skin (for external use only). Antioxidant-rich Chambourcin grape skins and seeds are saved from the fall harvest. While juice from the grapes will be transformed into wine, the remaining pomace is saved, dried, stored, and ground into a fine powder. Combined with sugar, the mixture of skins and seeds forms the base of an all-natural treatment that can gently loosen and exfoliate dead and rough skin. Cocoa butter soothes and replenishes moisture. Essential oils add a pleasant aroma and luxurious oils to skin. Visit our Tasting Room to learn more about Vineyard LifeStile Chambourcin Sugar Scrub. Pick up a four-ounce jar or an eight-ounce jar as a treat for yourself or others. Also available, lavender-scented Chambourcin Salt Scrub in both sizes.  Fence Stile's dessert wine Ishq (pronounced Ishk) is made from late harvest Vidal Blanc grapes. The primary harvest of Fence Stile's French-American hybrid grapes are completed late August through late September. Owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton decided to leave six rows of Vidal Blanc grapes on the vines for a late 2018 harvest. These grapes were picked, crushed, and pressed in mid-November. Harvest involved methods that included "birdnetting" the rows of vines. Vineyard manager Shawna Mull also fashioned some "hammocks" to catch fallen grapes trapped in the folds of the netting. The juice from these grapes will become Ishq and another limited-release dessert wine that will be available in late winter. These late harvest dessert wines are not considered ice wines. Ice wine is a dessert wine produced from grapes that are frozen while still on the vine. This low-yield method concentrates the sugar in the grape juice and produces an extremely sweet wine. Unpredictable winter weather and temperatures make it challenging, time-consuming, and expensive to ensure grapes on the vine are frozen for a sufficient period to yield the desired sugary juice. Watch the video above to learn more about the process of harvesting, crushing, and pressing these late harvest grapes. The gallery below has additional behind-the-scenes photos not included in the video. 11/14/2018 0 Comments Smoke Signals: Farm and Market Dinner You cannot touch smoke. Smoke touches you. The scent of smoke from wild plum, oak, grapevine, and lavender clings to my skin, my hair, and my clothes. Smoke hangs on with persistence, a wild spirit that lingers, an intangible presence that is most certainly there. As the chef and brand/event manager at Fence Stile Vineyard and Winery, I spent the afternoon preparing ingredients for a farm and market-themed wine and small plates dinner. The dinner takes place in the Tasting Room on Sunday, November 18th (Call 816-500-6465 to RSVP). Farmers will attend the dinner and bring goods for a pop-up market so guests may meet them and buy items for the holiday. The Tasting Room will remain open to the public during the dinner so everyone is encouraged to visit, sip on wine, and shop. Near a pond with a slushy iced surface, I built a small fire to grill radishes and smoke leeks sourced from farmers Tom Ruggieri and Rebecca Graff at Fair Share Farm, based in Kearney, Missouri. I used wild plum wood obtained from farmer Linda Hezel at Prairie Birthday Farm, also based in Kearney, and oak and grapevine from the winery estate. A single piece of oak formed the foundation of the fire. Smaller pieces of wood tilted at angles on both sides of the oak like church rafters. Brisk November wind blew across the pond and fanned the flame. Kindling shriveled into glowing orange threads and ash. Soon the fire roared as wood crackled and hissed.
The wine and food dinner highlights ingredients and products from Fair Share Farm and Prairie Birthday Farm. Also, Dr. Janet Smith of Borgman's Dairy Farm, based in Holden, Missouri, supplied milk, cheese, yogurt and other products made from goat milk. Several varieties of French-American hybrid grapes grow along ten hilly acres that surround the tasting room at Fence Stile. Owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton launched the winery and vineyards nearly ten years ago. The winery is known for its dry and semi-dry wines, but has a wide range for those with sweeter palates. The upcoming dinner offers a showcase for how three wines produced onsite – Vignoles, Backpack Red, and Vidal Blanc – pair with seasonal farm ingredients prepared to their utmost flavor. Vineyard manager Shawna Mull tends to the vines year-round. Sometimes, a section of vine runs its course. Cut into small segments, this particular piece of dry, dead grapevine that smolders in the heart of the fire had no more life to give as a lifeline for grape clusters. Smoke from burning vine and wood enveloped the bulbs of radishes with leafy greens still attached and a cluster of leeks thick as metal pipes. You cannot touch smoke. Smoke touches you. The wind shifted and smoke blew past my face, prompting my eyes to water. The smoke sent a signal, a reminder. Smoke and fire heeds its own whims and acts as its own master. I coaxed the smoke to lend its scent to vegetables on the grill. I tried to tame orange licks of flame to do by bidding. I poked and prodded and fed the fire's appetite. Flames subsided into coals and smoke wafted at a steady pace, dancing around the radishes and leeks. Slowly, the bright magenta skin of the radishes dulled and charred with black flakes. Most of the greens had burned away. Removed from the grill, the radishes more closely resembled baby red potatoes cooked directly in a fire. Grilling the radishes mellows its sharp peppery bite and introduces a soft sweetness. The subtle taste and aroma of smoke will interplay with the sweetness, a tart dash of lemon juice, creamy butter, and a dash of salt to unite the flavors. The leeks grilled until they softened and charred at the edges. Once the coals were ready, I added stalks of dried lavender from Fence Stile's flower bed to further perfume the smoke dancing around the leeks. After sufficient smoking, I plucked the leeks from the grill, doused the coals, and headed to the kitchen.  The leeks and radishes are only some of the produce received from Fair Share Farm. They also provided pristine small salad turnips with ivory skin and lush plumes of green leaves. I trimmed the greens and set them aside. They will be sauteed in a pan with Chinese broccoli and served with spelt, a rustic grain similar to farro. Salted and buttered grilled radishes will accompany the greens and spelt. I roasted the trimmed turnips with garlic cloves in the oven until they were tender sweet gems.
After paring the charred tough outer skin of the leeks, I cut them into long strips and then chopped them into smaller pieces. The scent and taste of smoke on the leeks seemed too aggressive. Not only would it compete with the other flavors in the dish, it would also overwhelm the wine pairing with Backpack Red. This light-bodied, dry red blend of Chambourcin and Norton offered a hint of pepper and earthiness on the finish. Bold smoke would wrestle and dominate the wine, altering the balance of sweet, salty, earthy and smoky flavors. I packed chopped leek into a food processor and pureed the contents. A light cloud of steam and smoke arose. Perhaps the leeks could become a sauce for oven-roasted turnips? Ransacking the refrigerator, I selected a jar of creamy goat milk yogurt from Borgman's Dairy. Slowly, I spooned dollops of yogurt and sprinkled a bit of salt into the leeks and whipped them further. The leeks transformed into a thick creamy sauce that still bore a hint of smoke. The savory, smoky sauce provide a counterbalance to sweet, earthy turnips. Slowly, the various components of this dish, one of three, were coming together for the dinner. Once assembled, plated and served, this melange of smoked, roasted and sauteed vegetables and grain will work in harmony. The goal is to stimulate the senses, appease the appetite, and illustrate how Backpack Red tastes with a variety of flavors while holding its own. Other small plate dishes for the Farm and Market meal include a sweet potato, ginger, and turmeric samosa with curry goat’s milk yogurt sauce (paired with Vignoles). Dessert will be honey and apple sweet grits, cooked in goat milk, topped with Fence Stile blackberry compote and goat’s milk caramel sauce (paired with Vidal Blanc). Smoking is one technique used to impart flavor and aroma to food. Its scent and taste connect with the primal parts of our brain and ancient appetites. Our ancestors learned how smoke added character and depth to food and drink. Now, when curls of smoke dissipate, the aroma of smoke is an ephemeral remnant of wood and vine that grew over years, served its purpose, and continued on its journey. Smoke is ethereal yet real like the memory of a remarkable meal or bottle of wine that makes a lasting impression long after the last bite and sip. You cannot touch smoke. Smoke touches you. Smoke sends a signal from past to present before gliding onward. Through food, wine and experiences, we may receive that signal of seasons passing and life progressing and remember how vital it is to share in the moment before it drifts away. 11/7/2018 0 Comments Chef's Special: November 9-11 Pumpkin pear soup with cardamom and pepitas (pumpkin seeds): Slightly sweet with a touch of cardamom for a pop of flavor. Roasted pepitas add crunch to this silky soup – perfect for the fall season. Enjoy with a glass of Reserve Vidal Blanc, Becca Blend, or Loft Red. Parmesan-rosemary vegetable risotto: This rich creamy risotto is packed with the flavor of Parmesan and rosemary. Kale, carrot, red bell pepper, and yellow squash add fresh flavor and a rainbow of color to this warm dish. Try the risotto with Seyval, Becca Blend, KAIscape, or even a crisp rosé. Watch our Facebook page for weekly postings of upcoming Chef Specials.    Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery is highlighting the farmers featured in our upcoming Farm + Market Local Food and Wine Experience. Tickets are still available for this exciting new wine and food event on Sunday, November 18th, 3:30-5:30 PM. $35 per person. RSVP at events@fencestile.com or call 816-500-6465. Limited seating available. Reserve a seat today! This week, meet Rebecca Graff and Tom Ruggieri of Fair Share Farm. "In 2003, we began growing organic fruits and vegetables on Rebecca’s family farm in rural, northeastern Clay County, Missouri,' Ruggieri says. "She is the fourth generation to farm this land. We focus on building the soil through biological farming methods, including extensive cover cropping, animal rotations, mineral additions, mulching and composting." The farm is home to two farmers, three cats, 160 laying hens, two roosters and countless frogs, butterflies, birds and insects. The remaining 200-plus acres of family farm is planted in native grasses, good habitat for deer, turkey, quail, coyotes, and many other species of wildlife. "At the heart of Fair Share Farm are the 100 families that join us in our efforts through Community Supported Agriculture," Graff says. "Each family contributes between 4 to 16 hours per year to the CSA. They either help at the farm during the weekly harvests or on the Core Group which guides decision-making, holds member events, conducts the annual survey, coordinates the distribution sites and keeps the CSA running smoothly." In 2016, Ruggieri and Graff completed the construction of an on-farm commercial kitchen and began producing fermented vegetables. Ruggieri says, "At Fair Share Farm, we are the ones that harvest the vegetables that go into our ferments. This short distance of travel from field to jar has the inherent benefits of freshness and product control. As farmers and fermenters we are a part of a continuum from seed to jar. We are thus able to maintain product quality and control through our growing and handling practices. Just as a vineyard raises grapes and ferments them on-site to produce a product reflecting the terroir of the soil, our soil building and on-farm processing brings out the health, nutrition and umami of our land." Ferments are made by hand in small batches. Graff notes, "Over 95 percent of what we put in each jar is raised on the farm. Our on-farm kitchen is a Clay County Health Department Food Establishment. We are permitted to ferment vegetables, in accordance with our HACCP plan." The farm produces more than 20 different vegetables, fruits and herbs that are grown for the CSA. In addition, they grow more than 95 percent of the ingredients that go into the ferments. Fair Share Farm sells fresh vegetables exclusively to its CSA during the growing season and at the Brookside Farmers Market during the winter. Ruggieri says, "Our ferments are sold to our CSA, at the summer Brookside Farmers Market, and at these retail locations http://fairsharefarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ferments-stocklist-for-website1.pdf "Our fundamental farming practice is to focus on feeding the soil to constantly improve its fertility," Graff says. "We plan our work each day with the goal of providing for the health and biological diversity of the farm, as well as reducing the effects of climate change." For example, Graff and Ruggieri implement environmentally-focused practices, such as sequestering carbon at Fair Share Farm. "It is the job of a biological farmer to feed the soil. Just like us, the soil has an appetite and the ability to grow," Ruggieri explains. "The soil is in effect the stomach of the plant. In order to add soil and organic matter to a farm it is necessary to provide a diverse diet, and a substantial amount of organic matter each year. At our farm we do this through a combination of cover cropping, mulching, compost application, chicken rotations, mineral additions, and water management. Since 2008 we have raised over 25,000 pounds per year of organic matter. "The source of the organic matter added to our soil is the carbon in the air. Carbon dioxide is turned into plant matter by photosynthesis. When we grow and turn under a cover crop this carbon is then incorporated into the soil. This removing of carbon from the atmosphere and putting it into the soil is known as sequestering. Since 2008 we have sequestered an average of over 75,000 pounds per year of carbon dioxide." In effect, farmers act as stewards of the land that they farm, ranch, and/or manage. Graff and Ruggieri take an active role in this responsibility. "You are what you eat, so you are what your plants eat," Graff says. "This fact of physics is an important fundamental issue that defines our farming principles. We feed our soil, plants and animals solid food in the form of cover crops, mulches, minerals and organic feed. Our 16 years of soil building provides nutrition to our produce, eggs and ferments that you can taste." "So-called conventional agriculture feeds plants soluble, synthetically-produced compounds," Ruggieri says. "This bypassing of the soil biology is analogous to feeding a person a strictly liquid diet, treating the plant as infirmed. This synthetic diet is reduced in complexity from a natural system and represents a diminishment of nutrition. When we eat conventional produce we are incorporating these synthetically produced chemicals into our body, making us less that all-natural. We reject this method of agriculture as it damages the both environment and the health of people. We feel it is important to have a livelihood that provides for the farm, farmers and community while tying together the biology of the land, our ferments and our bodies." To attend the Farm + Market event, RSVP to secure a seat today. Meet your local farmers, taste local dairy prepared in several dishes by chef Pete Dulin, learn how Fence Stile owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton paired dishes with wine, and take some some wine and fresh dairy products. Farm + Market: A Fence Stile and Local Farm Food and Wine Experience Featuring Fair Share Farm, Prairie Birthday Farm and Borgman’s Dairy Farm Sunday, November 18th, 3:30-5:30 PM Welcome Glass - Enjoy a glass of apple sangria or mulled wine. First Course Sweet potato, ginger, and turmeric samosa with curry goat’s milk yogurt. Paired with Vignoles. Second Course Leek smoked with wild plum wood and lavender, grilled radish, oven-roasted turnips, and Chinese broccoli with spelt, topped with escabeche and goat’s milk cheese. Paired with Backpack Red. Third Course Honey and apple sweet grits topped with Fence Stile blackberry compote and goat’s milk caramel sauce. Paired with Vidal Blanc.  10/25/2018 0 Comments Sip N Shop Vendor Lineup  Below is a list of vendors lined up for the Sip N Shop on Saturday, October 27, 2-5 pm. Make plans to visit, shop, and enjoy wine in our Tasting Room. Bring friends and family and start the holiday shopping season in style.
SAVE THE DATE: Our next Sip N Shop before the holidays is Saturday, November 17, 1-4 pm. Shellie Jennings will offer card readings during the event. Color Street Scentsy Paparazzi Norwex Sensible Lips with Annie (SeneGence) Pampered Chef Uniquely Leather Chloe and Isabel Young Living Ruby Ribbon Thirty-One Mary Kay Rodan & Fields The Onyx Feather Pure Romance Trades of Hope The Cocoa Exchange DoTerra LuLaRoe The Onyx Feather Pure Romance Magnabilities Lola & Jade Nowlin Yarn Creations Green Utopia 10/24/2018 0 Comments Chef Specials Return for Fall/Winter Visit Fence Stile's Tasting Room for a light meal to accompany your glass or bottle of wine. Starting this weekend, our chef will prepare a seasonal soup, panini or other food special available Friday through Sunday (while supplies last).
Friday, October 26 - Sunday, October 28 Soup: Creamy roast vegetable bisque with sweet-and-spicy green tomato relish, salsa verde and toasted acorn squash seeds Watch our Facebook page for weekly postings of upcoming Chef Specials.   Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery is highlighting the farmers featured in our upcoming Farm + Market Local Food and Wine Experience. Tickets are still available for this exciting new wine and food event on Sunday, November 18th, 3:30-5:30 PM. $35 per person. RSVP at events@fencestile.com or call 816-500-6465. Limited seating available. Reserve a seat today! This week, meet Linda Hezel of Prairie Birthday Farm. "The mission of Prairie Birthday Farm is to inspire and empower others to enjoy, consume, and produce nutritious food and the native ecosystems upon which its production depends," Hezel says. "Efforts to achieve that mission are encompassed in a multifaceted food literacy enterprise involving: 1. Production/demonstration, 2. Education/sharing, 3. Evaluation/research, and 4. Creativity/innovation." Based in Kearney, Missouri, Hezel established Prairie Birthday Farm in 1993 at first to feed her family and then the broader community. "The farmscape and gardens have been designed to mimic nature in food production and reconstruct native ecosystems necessary for the balance and synergy among plants and animals," Hezel says. "Using native plants in food production offers many benefits including adaptability to local soil and climate conditions, maintaining healthy and diverse ecosystem services, the conservation and propagation of local flora types, and creation of aesthetic wealth." The farm's bounty is "produced without synthetic chemicals and sold to dozens of area residents by arrangement and as many as 25 area chefs," says Hezel. Hundreds of pounds of herbs, edible flowers, vegetables, and fruit (including wild and Slow Food Ark of Taste varieties) are available from February through November without the use of season extension structures. Hezel adds, "As a small-scale producer, I focus on the most flavorful and unique herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables." Farm products and experiences include flowers (36+), fruit (25+), herbs (40+), and vegetables (15+); native plants: 140+ (forbs, grasses, bushes, vines, and trees). Together, they yield fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, eggs, honey, and art in the form of photographs and tablescapes, research, classes, aesthetic wealth, and nature immersion experiences. Prairie Birthday Farm has played host to guests from the culinary community, including chef Pete Dulin of Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery. Hezel says, "Hundreds of volunteers and learners as well as chefs and their culinary teams interested in the concepts operationalized by the farm have taken tours, participated in 1-3-day immersion experiences, and taken part in the seasonal and daily rhythms of activities required to steward the complex systems of food production." For the upcoming Farm + Market local food and wine event, our chef will use wild plum wood to smoke leeks, fresh turmeric leaves (pictured below) that will be combined with sweet potato and ginger in samosas, and dried dahlia petals as a garnish for dessert.  At this point in the harvest season, the first killing frost has occurred but some production still continues at the farm. "Many hardy plants remain, some improved greatly with the rain and cold," Hezel says. "Available now: Organic, baby ginger and turmeric tubers and leaves as well as a mix of foraged herbs and greens that require as long as an hour per pound to harvest, and foraged from gardens, fields, and orchard. Foraged herbs and greens may include, but is not limited to Italian parsley, clover, cutting celery, horseradish leaf, hyssop, lemon balm, wild arugula, sorrel (French, wood), dandelion, dead nettle, bronze fennel, chive, bergamot, fava bean leaf, wild chicory, radish leaf, borage, chickweed, thyme and mint." To attend the Farm + Market event, RSVP to secure a seat today. Meet your local farmer, taste local dairy prepared in several dishes, learn how Fence Stile owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton paired dishes with wine, and take home some some wine and fresh dairy products. Farm + Market: A Fence Stile and Local Farm Food and Wine Experience Featuring Fair Share Farm, Prairie Birthday Farm and Borgman’s Dairy Farm Sunday, November 18th, 3:30-5:30 PM Welcome Glass - Enjoy a glass of apple sangria or mulled wine. First Course Sweet potato, ginger, and turmeric samosa with curry goat’s milk yogurt. Paired with Vignoles. Second Course Leek smoked with wild plum wood and lavender, grilled radish, oven-roasted turnips, and Chinese broccoli with spelt, topped with escabeche and goat’s milk cheese. Paired with Backpack Red. Third Course Honey and apple sweet grits topped with Fence Stile blackberry compote and goat’s milk caramel sauce. Paired with Vidal Blanc.    Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery is highlighting the farmers featured in our upcoming Farm + Market Local Food and Wine Experience. Tickets are still available for this exciting new wine and food event on Sunday, November 18th, 3:30-5:30 PM. $35 per person. RSVP at events@fencestile.com or call 816-500-6465. Limited seating available. Reserve a seat today! This week, meet Dr. Janet Smith of Borgman's Dairy Farm. Borgman's Dairy is a Grade A farmstead goat milk dairy located in Johnson County, Missouri. It was established in 1935 by the current owner's grandmother. Current owner Dr. Janet Smith took over operations in 2006. Borgman's Dairy primarily produces goat milk products, but is expanding to include goat meat in 2019. Dr. Smith says, "Our goat milk caramel sauce and goat cheese cheesecakes are customer favorites. We deliver to farmer's markets, grocery stores and restaurants. We have recently started to sell our products at the Black Sheep market by KU Med." Dr. Smith shares her approach to operating a dairy farm and caring for her herd of goats. "We believe that the best way to make great cheese is to start with great milk," Dr. Smith says. "We control the entire process from breeding to delivery of our product. This is the only way we can guarantee what the animals eat and drink and the quality of the finished product." Looking ahead to 2019, Borgman's Dairy Farm will begin selling goat milk cheddar cheese, gouda, while increasing sales of chevre and feta. Dr. Smith will bring goat's milk dairy products for sale at the Farm + Market wine and food event. RSVP to secure a seat today. Meet your local farmer, taste local dairy prepared in several dishes, learn how Fence Stile owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton paired dishes with wine, and take some some wine and fresh dairy products home. Farm + Market: A Fence Stile and Local Farm Food and Wine Experience Featuring Fair Share Farm, Prairie Birthday Farm and Borgman’s Dairy Farm Sunday, November 18th, 3:30-5:30 PM Welcome Glass - Enjoy a glass of apple sangria or mulled wine. First Course Sweet potato, ginger, and turmeric samosa with curry goat’s milk yogurt. Paired with Vignoles. Second Course Leek smoked with wild plum wood and lavender, grilled radish, oven-roasted turnips, and Chinese broccoli with spelt, topped with escabeche and goat’s milk cheese. Paired with Backpack Red. Third Course Honey and apple sweet grits topped with Fence Stile blackberry compote and goat’s milk caramel sauce. Paired with Vidal Blanc.    Farm + Market: A Fence Stile and Local Farm Food and Wine Experience Featuring Fair Share Farm, Prairie Birthday Farm and Borgman’s Dairy Farm Sunday, November 18th, 3:30-5:30 PM Join us for a special event that highlights local Missouri wine and Missouri farmers! Farm + Market is a new food and wine experience from Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery that celebrates the 2018 harvest, the craft of winemaking, and the rich diversity of locally-grown and produced foods. Begin with a glass of apple sangria or mulled wine. Savor three dishes, served small plates-style, prepared using ingredients from Fair Share Farm based in Kearney, Prairie Birthday Farm based in Kearney, and Borgman's Dairy Farm based in Holden. Each dish is paired with a Fence Stile wine. Each farmer will share details about their farm and offer market goods for sale. Fence Stile owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton and chef Pete Dulin will discuss wine and food pairings. $35 per person. RSVP at events@fencestile.com or call 816-500-6465. Limited seating available. Reserve a seat today! Welcome Glass - Enjoy a glass of apple sangria or mulled wine. First Course Sweet potato, ginger, and turmeric samosa with curry goat’s milk yogurt. Paired with Vignoles. Second Course Leek smoked with wild plum wood and lavender, grilled radish, oven-roasted turnips, and Chinese broccoli with spelt, topped with escabeche and goat’s milk cheese. Paired with Backpack Red. Third Course Honey and apple sweet grits topped with Fence Stile blackberry compote and goat’s milk caramel sauce. Paired with Vidal Blanc.  Top row: Tom Ruggieri and Rebecca Graff of Fair Share Farm. Bottom row: Linda Hezel of Prairie Birthday Farm and Dr. Janet Smith of Borgman's Dairy Farm. Below: Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery owner-winemaker Shriti Plimpton.   Fence Stile welcomed a parade of guests to the winery and crush pad for an old-fashioned grape stomping. The annual event is our way of closing out the grape harvest season. We picked Vidal Blanc, Vignoles, Seyval, Chambourcin, and Concord grapes with the help of many harvest volunteers from six acres of vineyards. The juice from this 2018 grape harvest will become future wine vintages. Grape stomping is squishy fun for all ages. Guests rolled up their pant legs and pulled up their skirts, stepped inside a tub filled with Concord grapes, and stomped away, "I Love Lucy" style. Check out the gallery of photos below and some video of grape stompers in action. Thanks to the many guests that came out, participated, and relaxed on the patio and Tasting Room on a balmy Sunday. As always, thanks to our many harvest volunteers that helped us throughout the season. In the background, Shriti's wonder-dog Kai found a playmate, Murphy, as they ran, ran, and ran more all afternoon.  Harvest is a sensory experience much like wine tasting. The wine experience begins in the vineyard and the actual harvest itself is an immersive experience. Harvest days begin early when the pre-dawn sky is still blue-black. The Fence Stile team rises before daybreak, heads to the vineyard, and prepares supplies and equipment for the day's work. Most harvest volunteers are also up and on the way to the vineyard just as the sun rises. Sight is perhaps the first of the senses engaged. The sun emerges over the horizon and pearls of morning dew glisten off the vines. A range of vibrant green hues signal the energy and vitality stored in the vines, canopy of leaves and grapes. The culmination of the season from winter dormancy to bud break in April to summer's lush growth leads to harvest day, when the grapes are finally ready to pick. Volunteers for the harvest party bring their own energy to jump start the day with camaraderie, greetings, and introductions. Participants gather for a glass of juice and instructions on where to pick, how to pick and the harvest plan for the day. Smiling faces of fellow volunteers and the Fence Stile team are evident as we prepare to embark on this communal experience. After all, beautiful clusters of plump, juicy and luscious grapes await on the vines, full, ripe and ready for picking. Specific sounds are part of the experience as harvest commences. Each person takes a pair of clippers and buckets and walks to the end of a row of grapevines. Random bird noises screech and caw in the distance. These recorded predatory bird calls are played on a loop in the weeks leading to and during harvest in order to scare away birds that would feast on ripe grapes. Friendly conversations and banter begins as folks partner up to pick grapes on each side of a row. Everyone is partnered to help each other locate and pick grapes hidden behind leaves. Periodically, the Fence Stile team offer reminders to stay hydrated and work as a group throughout the early morning. Located 2.6 miles from Downtown Excelsior Springs and 40 minutes from Kansas City, the vineyards lack the harsh, abrasive noises of the city. Perhaps a truck from a neighbor might rumble along the gravel road past the winery. For the most part, laughter and stories and perhaps the rustle of leaves in a breeze form the soundtrack to the morning. Conversation includes favorite memories of past harvests, sports scores, updates on kids and work and sometimes tips and tricks on picking are shared. Once in a while, the tractor growls as it rumbles along the row to move a macro bin filled with grapes. Harvesters ask questions about the grape, the kind of wine we plan to make, the season and if this year is better than previous years. We welcome all of the conversation and interest in sharing our passion – the transformation of grapes from the vine into wine in a glass. In fact, picking with our guests is one of our favorite thing to do. We get to know each harvest participant in a more meaningful way and relish the time spent with everyone. We could not complete harvest without each person that helps. Scents of fresh-cut grass and sweet grapes fill the morning air mixed in with sunscreen and perhaps bug spray. As macro bins are filled, the aroma of ripe grapes builds. We can't help but try a few grapes. We taste these grapes throughout the season to see how the flavors are maturing. On the morning of harvest, the flavors explode with the promise of what will be in the glass. We encourage our harvesters to taste the grapes, taste the free-run juice on the crush pad and also taste wine from these same varietals so they can experience the transformation from grape to glass. By late morning, everyone has some grape juice on them mixed in with a little sweat. We have a saying - if you don't want it in your glass, don't put it in your bucket! Everyone is very careful not to put MOG - material other than grape - into their bins. The vineyard team does a quick sort as buckets are emptied into the macro bins and then again when the bins are emptied into the crusher/de-stemmer. Harvesting is a hands-on activity! By late morning, the shared communal experience from the vineyard moves into the tasting room for lunch, wine and more stories. The chef-prepared harvest lunch not only offers well-deserved sustenance after the morning's work, but also another sensory display of color, aroma, taste and texture. We often see phone numbers, pictures and stories exchanged over lunch and overhear plans of the next get together. The morning ends with "thank you" and hugs. No one seems to care that we are all sticky from the morning's labor. Sharing this experience with guests and harvest participants energizes the team during the afternoon. Within hours of picking grapes, the team on the crush pad starts the process of crushing, de-stemming and pressing grapes that will become the next vintage of wines to be shared over more stories. Every vintage has a story. Each harvest is a part of that story reflected in the weather conditions before and during harvest, and the decisions made on harvest day to best preserve the inherent qualities in the juice of freshly-harvested grapes. Anyone who helps harvest has a deeper understanding of the wine when they visit the tasting room again and experience that particular vintage. We cherish having our guests become part of the story and look forward to the shared experience. Shriti Owner-winemaker Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery  The team at Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery has been busy this summer not only tending to the grapevines, but also picking blackberries! We harvested 200 pounds of plump, juicy blackberries from our patch located next to the Concord grapevines. What did we do with the fruit of our labors? Last weekend, we introduced a limited-edition line of Vineyard Lifestile Blackberry Chambourcin Jam, Blackberry Basil Jam, and Blackberry Ginger Chili Chutney. Blackberry Chambourcin Jam is made from our blackberries and Chambourcin grape juice. It's perfect to spread on toast, a bagel or muffin. Try it with some savory goat cheese and slices of baguette. The Blackberry Basil Jam is sweet and savory. Enjoy it with some brie, a topping for ice cream, on granola cereal for breakfast, or pair it with roast lamb or beef tenderloin and a glass of Chambourcin. For the sweet, mildly spicy and savory combination of Blackberry Ginger Chili Chutney, pair it with rich gorgonzola cheese served on a cracker or crostini and some grapes or figs. Enjoy the essence of fresh summer berries through these jams and chutney available exclusively at our Tasting Room. Stop in, try a sample and take some home! They won't last long!  . Join us and help with the harvest! RSVP to reserve a spot today. Our harvest is quickly approaching. Harvest begins on Sunday, August 26th. Participating in the grape harvest is a fun, immersive way to extend your wine experience and education. Our winery team will explain the harvest process and show you how to harvest grapes from the vines. Afterward, join us for a harvest lunch made in-house by our chef and toast the harvest with wine! Space is limited and reservations are required. Email us to get on the harvest list. Please include a phone number, preferred date, and how many spots you would like. Harvest dates: Sunday, August 26th Sunday, September 2nd Sunday, September 9th Sunday, September 16th Sunday, September 23rd Tentative date for our Annual Grape Stomp (I Love Lucy style) - Sunday, September 30th. Details to come. About our Harvest Parties We begin harvest in the cool mornings, starting at 8 am, after a light breakfast. We finish when the grapes are picked but strive to be done by lunchtime. As volunteers harvest, our team brings the macro bins – full of grapes that you helped to pick – to the crush pad. The grapes will be loaded into the crusher/destemmer and prepared for crush. After the harvest, enjoy a hearty lunch with the group. Also, watch the crush process and even taste some of the free run juice! This communal experience of working together to bring in the annual harvest is best shared with family and friends. Sign up with a group or make new friends when you join us. Email us to get details or sign up in the Tasting Room at the winery. Once we're ready to harvest, we'll email you in advance with instructions on what to wear and how to prepare. Hint: It's simple and basic. Preparing for Harvest Below, Shriti holds a refractometer that is used to measure the sugar level in a grape's juices. It's one way that we determine when grapes are ready to harvest. Veraison, a French term that describes the change in grape color, is another visual clue. As red grapes ripen, they begin to develop color as sugar levels develop. The skin of green grapes grow more translucent as they ripen. Below, compare photos of grapes from mid-July to early August. Soon, our grapes will be ready to harvest, full of sweetness and heady aroma. We'll see you in the vineyard and Tasting Room soon! Sign up today to RSVP for our Harvest Party!     For Dinner and a Movie on Friday, August 3, we're offering a delicious spin on our popular WineIn Movies, a Friday night movie-watching party on the patio. Dinner and a Movie guests may reserve dinner from 6 to 8:30 PM. Menu by Chef Pete Dulin. $20/person (not including tax and gratuity). Wine sold separately. 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, August 3 6-8:30 PM - Dinner 8 PMish - Guests are welcome to stay for a screening of the featured movie, Chef, at dusk. Suggested wines: Kaiscape, Vidal Blanc, Rosé, Loft Red, or our newest wine, Backpack Red. MENU Zucchini mushroom goat cheese galette with heirloom tomato corn salsa (Pictured above.) Chilled lentil salad with radish, mint and lemon Peaches and blackberries marinated in Ishq dessert wine  7/18/2018 1 Comment Backpack Red - New Wine Release Backpack Red, Fence Stile's newest semi-dry red wine, is made for adventure. It's perfect for a picnic, an outdoor excursion to the lake or a hike, or indoor indulgence. We've created a Chambourcin-Norton blend that's easy-drinking. The addition of Norton adds body and structure to enhance the fruit-forward flavor of Chambourcin. Visit the Tasting Room for the debut of Backpack Red from August 3rd-5th and try this newly-released wine.
Fence Stile's owner and winemaker Shriti Plimpton named the wine Backpack Red. Its light body and versatility makes the wine suitable to pair with picnic foods that wouldn't hold up to heavy, full-bodied, more tannic reds. Enjoy Backpack Red on a picnic or camping trip with fresh summer fruit and vegetables with hummus, artisan cheese, whole grain bread and local charcuterie. "Picnics are generally daytime adventures," Plimpton says. "Having a heavy, full-bodied red in the middle of the day isn't always pleasant. Backpack Red offers a lighter, more adventurous option for red wine drinkers. White wine drinkers who want to explore the red side will appreciate the fruit-forward style of this wine. Also, there's no need to chill this wine when you are hitting the trails and lakes." To celebrate the release of Backpack Red, Fence Stile will have a la carte food specials on the wine release weekend, August 3rd-5th. In addition to our regular Nibbles menu, guests may order these French summer picnic-inspired foods. Goat cheese pearls, olives, and grape tomatoes marinated in olive oil and herbs Baguette with olive and spicy chickpea tapenade Chilled lentil salad with radish, mint and lemon Fancy cheese board with mixed nuts, house-made crackers and mustard, olives, and grapes  This year's Fourth of July falls in the middle of the week. Extend your holiday weekend with a visit to Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery. Here are five reasons to visit us this weekend in Excelsior Springs. 1) Freedom tastes great with wine. So does apple pie and barbecue! Bring a picnic and celebrate Independence Day this weekend with a glass of red, white or rosé wine made from French-American hybrid grapes. While at Fence Stile, raise a toast to Missourians that helped save the European wine industry in 1846. You see, phylloxera, an American plant louse, infested European vineyards in the late 18th century. Missouri's first entomologist Charles V. Riley inspected France's ailing grape crop in 1871 at the invitation of the French government. Riley determined that phylloxera was the issue. He also found that some Native American rootstocks were immune to the louse. Missouri grape nurserymen grafted French vines onto native American grapevine rootstocks in order to grow healthy grapes. As a result of the successful trial, millions of cuttings of Missouri rootstock were shipped to save the French wine industry from disaster. Vive Missouri! Today, French-American hybrid grapes are grown and harvested throughout Missouri and Kansas because they grow well in Missouri's soil and climate. Try Fence Stile's Chambourcin, Vidal Blanc, Vignoles and Seyval to experience their taste and aroma.  2) Winery & Wine Cave Tour with Candlelit Tasting on Saturday. Enjoy a tour of the property, the vineyards and the winery. Finish with a candlelit tasting in the CELLAR57 club room and the wine caves. Keep the tasting glass and enjoy 10-percent off the wines purchased on the tour! $35/person. Reservations required. Upcoming tour dates include July 7th - 12:30 pm, July 14th - 12:30 pm, July 21st - 12:30 pm, and July 28th - 12:30 pm. Contact events@fencestile.com to reserve a spot.  3) Wine-In Friday. July 6th - In Eat, Pray, Love, a married woman (Julia Roberts) realizes how unhappy her marriage really is, and that her life needs to go in a different direction. After a painful divorce, she takes off on a round-the-world journey to "find herself." Arrive early and settle in with a bottle of wine. Bring food or order light bites from our Nibbles menu, such as bread, house-made crackers, pretzel bread, cheese, olives, and savory gourmet nuts from Savory Addiction. 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. 4) Fence Stile Vineyards and Winery is dog-friendly. Bring the puppers with you to the countryside. Escape the fireworks and relax. Enjoy our scenic vineyards, patio, cellar garden, shaded picnic tables, and air-conditioned Tasting Room. While Fence Stile's Becca and Kai (pictured above) won't be at the winery to greet you, your dogs are welcome to make new friends as you enjoy wine. We also have a pond for any water-loving pals.  5) Find out why Fence Stile is one of the region's top-rated wineries. Fence Stile vineyards and winery regularly receives top ratings on Trip Advisor, Facebook, and Yelp.
Join us this weekend and make plans to visit us this summer as we get closer to harvest in late August. See you soon.  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 savory potato cake) topped with avocado, aji amarillo pepper sauce, and tomato and garnished with hard-boiled egg and Peruvian botija olive. Tower of zucchini, rosemary, and tomato with cheddar polenta served Napoleon-style Watermelon with lavender blossoms, purple basil and Thai basil from Fence Stile’s herb garden, smoked salt, charred scallions, and basil-infused olive oil SAVE THE DATE - Dinner and a Movie Friday, August 3 6 PM - Dinner (Menu to be announced) 8 PM (dusk) - Guests are welcome to stay for a screening of the featured movie, Chef, at dusk.   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. |
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Thursday: 3 pm - 7 pm Friday: 3 pm - 9 pm Saturday: 11 am - 5 pm Sunday: 11 am-5 pm |
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