Robller Vineyard Winery is a quick trip outside the Hermann Missouri area. Since their first vintage in 1990, Röbller Vineyard has experienced many successes. Their quaint tasting room has become home to an array of awards from local and national wine competitions. They are quite proud of the Best of Show and first ever Governor’s Cup Award we received for our 1991 Norton Reserve.
OUR WINE MAKING HISTORY
We began at our home in Glendale, Missouri. Each fall family and friends gathered in our backyard to crush the newly harvested grapes and sample the previous year’s vintage. Over the years the quality of the wine improved to the point that we decided to establish a winery.
On a sunny December day in 1987, Robert and Lois Mueller took the kids on a drive in the country. The drive which led us to New Haven, Missouri, ended at a beautiful piece of property that showcased the rolling countryside of the region. The property offered south facing slopes with a full east/west exposure along with great soil composition and depth for establishing a vineyard. We had found the perfect location to establish our winery. Over the next several months we designed the layout of the vineyard and planting began in mid-spring. This was the beginning of a great new tradition in Missouri’s wine community. During 1989 and 1990 we built the winery and set up the equipment, preparing for our first crush. Finally everything came together, the grapes we had contracted for were ripe and the bureau of alchohol, tobacco and firearms approved the building.
LET THE CRUSH BEGIN
We had chosen several varieties that we were familiar with, but had no real experience producing. This first vintage included Vidal, Vignoles, Cynthiana and Chancellor. Our challenge was to be able to have wines ready and drinkable in the spring for our planned opening. This caused us to focus on a fermentation style that would create soft wines, rich with fruit qualities. Based on everyone’s reaction, we achieved that goal.
SINCE THAT TIME
we have been able to hone our wine making skills and expand into several new varieties. We have maintained our original approach for producing drinkable young wines. It appeared that our fermentation style had proven itself worthy, since our 1991 Norton Reserve received Best of Show honors in the 1993 Missouri State Wine competition. As it was only our second vintage, we were both blessed and surprised with the honor.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS
Since the original planting, we have expanded grape cultivation to cover 16 acres. The grape varieties include Vidal, Vignoles, Seyval, Traminette, Steuben, Villard Noir, St. Vincent, Chambourcin and Norton. Our experience indicates that we are able to produce between three and six tons per acre, depending on variety.
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