Hermann, MO

My first post was a bit serious. My main point was that I will try to explore a variety of topics, many of them 'serious.' But what is life if we don't enjoy the simple things, like a great afternoon with my wonderful wife, seeing the beautiful Missouri countryside and indulging in some great food and wine.

We went to Hermann, MO, a very picturesque little town with some historical buildings and several wineries in the vicinity. The drive down was quite enjoyable; both my wife and I really love the green: trees, fields, hills, valleys - all soothingly green. Our first stop, at my wife's suggestion, was at Stone Hill Winery. The food was very good. We had a German sampler with schnitzel, sauerbaten, and knackwurst (I hope I spelled those correctly). The sauerbaten had a unique flavor and was good. The knackwurst was by no means bad, but not exceptional. The schnitzel - simply superb. I highly recommend it. I also had a glass of their Norton wine. Very strong, but a crisp finish, and tasty.

Maybe the best thing about Stone Hill is the view of the town and the hills around it. Definitely worth the drive.

We also went by Hermannhof Winery, in downtown Hermann. The wines were pretty good there, the Chambourcin being my favorite. Our last stop was the Oakglenn Winery. Their wines had some interesting flavors, and they also had a very good Norton. The view there, however, outdid the Stone Hill. Oakglenn has a nice porch where we sat and looked out over the hills and the Missouri River. Hard to top that. They also have a stage and and offer beer and food. We did not have time to stay for the band, but hopefully we will get to go back soon.

The best part of the day was just experiencing all these things with my wife. Days like this are what I cherish most in this life. What a day.