MIGHTY FINE WINE: MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS WINERIES CONTINUE TO BUILD MARKET SHARE

Great wines may come from France, but some 2,500 miles and an ocean away, Missouri and Illinois are showing the wine market that some pretty good wines also come from the U.S. Heartland.

Vins gris, Villard Blanc, Vidal, Serendipity, Seyval and Chambourcin are familiar names in area wine country.

And sales of Missouri wines have increased six of the past seven years.

Missouri has 35 wineries, including the Ste. Genevieve Winery at Ste. Genevieve and the River Ridge Winery at Commerce.

Illinois has more than a dozen wineries, including three in Union County in Southern Illinois -- Owl Creek Vineyard near Cobden, Alto Vineyard at Alto Pass, operated by Paul Renzaglia, and Pomona Winery, operated by George Majka and Jane Payne.

River Ridge Winery, in its fourth year of production, is Missouri's newest winery.

The winery is "over the meadow and through the woods," say Jerry and Joannie Smith, owners of the winery, the Yule Log Cabin and River Ridge Christmas Tree Farm.

"This year we have expanded the Yule Log Cabin, open during the holiday season," said Joannie Smith. The Cabin offers ornaments, decorations and other Christmas items.

The winery, meanwhile, is in a century-old farm house nearby, and for the first time this year, offers releases of dry reds and 1997 Vignoles dessert wines.

The operation is open daily from noon to 6.

The River Ridge vineyards were established in 1981, with the winery opening more than a decade later, in 1994.

The winery produces 7,500 bottles of wine, and Smith expects the winery to produce 10,000 bottles within the next year. Smith said it is possible the winery could produce 20,000 bottles of wine a year within three to four years, but he doesn't like to count his chickens before they hatch.

River Ridge Winery's signature wine is a dry white wine named "Serendipity," meaning a pleasant surprise, but the winery offers other white, blush and red wines as well throughout the year.

River Ridge Winery produces continental-style wines without the addition of sugar and water.

The Smiths welcome families to visit the winery. Visitors can see the grapes, learn about the winemaking process. go on hikes and have picnics, said Smith. "We have picnic tables and hiking trails up to the vineyard and to the bluffs overlooking the river."

The River Ridge name is derived from two geographical factors: the winery is situated on the north end of Crowley Ridge 1 1/2 miles from Commerce and overlooks the Mississippi River.

"It takes eight to ten years to get a vineyard to the quality that it will produce grapes for quality wine," said Smith. River Ridge wines are available at the winery, but Smith is looking to some retail outlets in the near future.

"Southeast Missouri is great for growing grapes," said Smith. "We have a good climate for it."

Winemaking is on its way to becoming an important agricultural industry in the state. It adds more than $15 million a year to the Missouri economy.

Growing grapes is a long-term venture that requires a large capital investment. But with the rapid growth in wine sales, Missouri growers are virtually guaranteed a market for quality grapes.

The Ste. Genevieve Winery is actually at Weingarten, south of Ste. Genevieve, but the tasting room and retail sales outlet is in a mansion in downtown Ste. Genevieve.

The Ste. Genevieve Winery, which has existed since the mid-1980s, manufactures between 5,000 and 6,000 gallons of wine a year.

Following is a listing of the state's wineries and their locations.

Adams Pachta Winery, Hermann.

Augusta Winery, Augusta.

Bias Vineyard & Winery, Berger.

Blumenhof Vineyards, Butzow.

Bristle Ridge Vineyards, Blue Springs.

Buffalo Creek Vineyards & Winery, Stover.

Bynum Winery, Lone Jack.

Cavern Springs Winery, St. Charles.

Charrette Creek Winery, Marthasville.

Ferrigno Winery, St. James.

4-M Vineyards & Rosati Winery, St. James.

Gloria Winery, Mountain Grove.

Heinrichshaus Vineyard & Winery.

Hermannhoff Winery, Hermann.

Les Bourgeois Winery & Vineyards, Rocheport.

Meramec Vineyards, St. James.

Montelle Winery at Osage Ridge, Augusta.

Mount Pleasant Winery, Augusta.

Mt. Pleasant Winery-Abbey Vineyard, Cuba.

Old Jamestown Winery, St. Louis County.

Peaceful Bend Winery, Steelville.

Pirtle's Weston Vineyard, Weston.

Ponticello Vineyard & Winery, Hermann.

Reis Winery, Licking.

River Ridge Winery, Commerce.

Robller Vineyard Winery, New Haven.

Sainte Genevieve Winery, Ste. Genevieve.

St. James Winery, St. James.

Stonehaus Farms Winery, Lee's Summit.

Stone Hill Winery, Branson.

Stone Hill Winery - Hermann.

Stone Hill Winery - New Florence.

Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery, Defiance.

Thornhill Vineyards, Hartsburg.

Winery of the Little Hills, St. Charles.