Texas Tachometer over Missouri Grapes

I guess Missourians have an accent you will never forget, especially if you are flying a plane and the tachometer goes out somewhere over Cape Girardeau, Missouri. 

While touring Cross Timbers Winery in Grapevine, Texas I met the “Texas Wine Man” and while discussing  winemaking and the wine industry he interrupted me to ask me where I was from.  

Not that my accent is that strong, but it apparently stuck out to him.  

Instead of saying “Marble Hill, Missouri” because that is hard to explain, I said two hours south of St Louis, Missouri.  Which he replied “oh I know Cape Girardeau well, I was flying to Ste. Genevieve to look at some wine grapes and my tachometer went out right over Cape Girardeau.   It was a bit of a ride until I got landed.”   

He insisted my friend Megy and I pose for a picture since we were from the “North”…from there it was all wine history.  

Grapevine is home to the Urban Wine Trail in Texas, as well as the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and GrapeFest, the largest wine festival in the Southwest, held annually in September. Texas is the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the U.S., and Grapevine has served as a trendsetter and leader with award-winning wineries and winemakers.

As of 2018 State of Texas was home to 470 wineries (Missouri had 160, California had 4763).  There is approximately 4,280,400 gallons of wine produced a year across the state of Texas bringing in an approximate revenue of 13.1 billion dollars. 

This much wine takes a lot of grapes.  California has the most acres growing grapes accounting for just over four-fifths of the nation's total acreage dedicated to the crop.  California is responsible for over 82% of acres of the crop in the country with approximately 864,831 acres planted in vineyards.  

Washington comes in a distant second with 6% of the nations total with 67,180 acres.  Missouri has 1,367 acres and Illinois has 959 acres planted in vineyards.  Alaska is the only state that does not produce grapes. 

In 2018, the U.S. wine market marked its 25th consecutive year of growth, reaching 348.8 million 9-liter cases.  However, Wine and Beverage experts believe the growth in this industry may slow down, due to aging Baby Boomers drinking less wine and Millennials have not adapted to wine as much as expected.   

A broken tachometer, Missouri grapes, and an unique accent can lead to a new education.  

Read More About Grapevine Texas Here: http://www.themissourimom.com/2012/12/grapevine-texas-and-reasons-to-escape.html?m=1

Disclosure:  The Grapevine Texas CVB sponsored my trip to Grapevine Texas and a big thank you to them for giving me the opportunity to visit, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.