Over the River, Beyond the Ridge…

*Disclaimer: This content is not paid or sponsored in any way. It is written as an informational guide for readers to explore and experience the winery mentioned in the post.

Over the river, beyond the ridge, to River Ridge Winery we go!  The drive to this winery is like something out of an enchanted forest.  Carefully take the curves through the woods and you wind up at one of the most charming wineries with a nice relaxing atmosphere.  Surrounded by tall trees which filter the sunlight beautifully and the vineyards behind it, River Ridge Winery is a place of quiet magic.  

The Wine:

River Ridge grows a grape unique to the area which is the Vinifera grape.  In addition, they grow other grapes unusual to see in the area such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes.  Due to the climate and unique geography, these grapes grow well near  River Ridge.  This all makes for some really stellar wines. 

One of which is the Frostbite White.  One word for this wine is ‘soft’.  It sits so delicately on the palate to have such complex flavors.  It has a sprightly note of citrus fruit that seems to lightly dance on the tongue.  It would be great with a mild cheese sandwich (River Ridge’s “Fancy” Grilled Cheese is delicious and would pair well with this wine.)

A couple of the wines were surprisingly interesting.  Two of those were the Sugar Magnolia and the Sweet Begonia.  I loved the names of these wines because they both invoked the sweet scents and memories of childhood summers in the south for me.  I can hear the southern drawl as grandma says, “Over by that Magnolia tree” or “Get that mutt outta my Begonias”.  When I tasted each of them, they were nostalgic in their own ways.  The Sugar Magnolia being a semi-sweet being a semi-sweet white blended of Chardonnay and Muscat grapes, was light and tart, kind of dewey in the mouth.  The Sweet Begonia was a sweet red that was very lightly jammy and reminded me of morning biscuits and homemade jam.

Another that I enjoyed tasting was the Moon Water. This one is what River Ridge calls a ‘Missouri Moscato’.  For me, most moscatos tend to be sweet and artificial tasting.  The flavor and extra sugar seem to be added to them in order to appeal to more buyers.  This Moon Water, however, tasted ethereal.  It had a beautiful haunting quality, like the moon’s glow off of a still lake.  Not heavy at all, it didn’t linger, but left a good memory with each sip.  

Unfortunately, I don’t see it listed on their website but be sure to inquire about it when you visit.  

The Experience:

The atmosphere of River Ridge Winery makes the experience what it is.  The tasting room is in an old farmhouse, which houses a front room, tasting room, dining area and kitchen, to where you can actually get a peek.  It feels like home inside.  Outside is just alluring and enchanting, I was meeting a friend and her children there, whom I haven’t seen in a while.  The outdoor area was so serene, that we all were just relaxed.  There’s plenty of seating and terraced areas where you can hang for hours.  This is a nice place to gather with friends or for a date.  I could even see having a business luncheon at River Ridge during the months of nicer weather.  In fact, it was summer when I met with friends and the evening under the canopy of the trees felt like transitioning into winter, when you don’t need a jacket, but shorts are just right.  

I was served at the tasting bar by none other than half of the owner-couple Rob Bullock and he was great at his job.  Laid-back, knowledgeable and open, Bob made great suggestions based on the questions he asked me.  He allowed me to save each tasting and did not at all seem bothered by my many questions.  I also found it endearing that one of the wines was named after a dearly departed friend of his with an amazing drawing on its bottle, the 2018 Mr. Riley’s Red.  I briefly met the other half of the couple Denise with whom he purchased the winery in 2016.  They have grown it into what it is today.  She took our order at the table and was very kind to my friend’s young daughter.   The couple’s son also brought out our food, which was very tasty, and had a warm and kind demeanor as well.  

Tastings:

Tastings at River Ridge Winery are free and you can taste as many as you like.  (Please monitor yourself to remain coherent and kind.)  There are many options and the tasting bar is open daily.  See website for details (linked below)

My Takeaway:

River Ridge Winery is definitely a place to slow-down and soak in the atmosphere and time you are spending there.  If I lived nearby, it would be a place I would go to sit and read and/or write.  It is relaxing enough to get that kind of work done without dozing off.  Though if you did, they’d probably let you sleep and maybe you’d have a dream about wine fairies tending the grapevines.  Ooh, sounds like my next novel 😉  

For more info go to: https://www.riverridgewinery.com