# Hermann AVA
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{{Short description|American Viticultural Area in Missouri}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2026}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox wine region
| name = Hermann
| image = TTB Map Hermann AVA.png
| caption =
| official name =
| other names =
| type = [American Viticultural Area](/source/American_Viticultural_Area)
| year = 1983[{{cite journal |url=https://www.ttb.gov/media/68797/download?inline | title=Establishment of the Hermann Viticultural Area | journal=[Federal Register](/source/Federal_Register) | publisher=[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms](/source/Bureau_of_Alcohol%2C_Tobacco_and_Firearms) (ATF), [Treasury](/source/United_States_Department_of_the_Treasury) |format=27 CFR 9 [T.D. ATF-136; Ref: Notice No. 440] Final Rule |volume=48 | issue=161 | pages=37371–37372 |date=1983-08-18}}{{PD-notice}}]
| wine years = {{years ago|1847}}[{{cite web |title=Frost Dates for Hermann, MO|url=https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates/MO/Hermann| website=Almanac.com|publisher=Yankee Publishing Inc.|date=2025}}]
| climate region = Continental
| heat units =
| precipitation = {{cvt|39.55|in|0}}[{{cite web |title=Climate & Weather Averages in Hermann, Missouri, USA |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/@4390221/climate |website=Time and Date AS |access-date=27 July 2025}}]
| soil = [silt](/source/silt)y [loam](/source/loam) and fertile [loess](/source/loess)[{{cite web |title = Hermann (AVA): Appellation Profile |url= http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Hermann.html| website=Appellation America | date=2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130902164442/http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Hermann.html |archive-date=2013-09-02 | url-status=live}}]
| varietals =
| wineries = 7[{{cite web |title=List of AVAs by Establishment Date |url=https://www.ttb.gov/regulated-commodities/beverage-alcohol/wine/ava-establishment-dates |website=TTB.gov |date=2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250205032450/https://www.ttb.gov/regulated-commodities/beverage-alcohol/wine/ava-establishment-dates|archive-date=2025-02-05|url-status=live|access-date=20 October 2025}}] on August 18, 1983, by the [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms](/source/Bureau_of_Alcohol%2C_Tobacco_and_Firearms) (ATF), [Treasury](/source/United_States_Department_of_the_Treasury) after reviewing the petition submitted by Jim Bias, president of Bias Vineyards & Winery, and Jim Held, president of Stone Hill Wine Co., on behalf of local vintners proposing the viticultural area in central [Missouri](/source/Missouri), along the Missouri River, known as "Hermann."[{{cite web | website=TTB.gov |url=https://www.ttb.gov/media/68798/download?inline|title=Petition to Establish "Hermann Viticultural Area" |author1=Bias, Jim. |author2=Held, Jim|publisher=Bias Vineyards & Winery|date=1982-07-22}}{{PD-notice}}]
The [wine](/source/wine) [appellation](/source/appellation) is named after the town of [Hermann](/source/Hermann%2C_Missouri), about halfway between [St. Louis](/source/St._Louis%2C_Missouri) and [Jefferson City](/source/Jefferson_City%2C_Missouri). The AVA expands across the northernmost hills of the [Ozark Plateau](/source/Ozark_Plateau) with many of the {{cvt|200|acre}} of vineyards planted along south-facing slopes. As of 2007, seven wineries were sourcing grapes in the appellation, including Missouri's largest winery, [Stone Hill Winery](/source/Stone_Hill_Winery).[{{cite book |author1=Dufur, Brett | title=Exploring Missouri Wine Country | pages=[https://archive.org/details/exploringmissour0000dufu/page/68/mode/2up 68–71]| publisher=Pebble Publishing | edition=2nd |isbn=0-9646625-6-6|url=https://archive.org/details/exploringmissour0000dufu |location=Columbia, MO|date=1999| ref=refDurfur1999}}]
The area is a [flood plain](/source/flood_plain) with [alluvial](/source/alluvial) soil deposits up to {{convert|30|ft}} deep. Growing conditions have been compared to those in southern and eastern [Germany](/source/German_wine). The [USDA](/source/USDA) plant [hardiness zone](/source/hardiness_zone) is 6a.[{{cite web |url=https://www.plantmaps.com/en/wine-region-maps/united-states/hermann| title=Hermann - American Viticultural Area (AVA)|website=Plantmaps.com |publisher=[United States Department of Agriculture](/source/United_States_Department_of_Agriculture) |date=2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240724115509/https://www.plantmaps.com/en/wine-region-maps/united-states/hermann | archive-date=2024-07-24 |url-status=live}}] A wide variety of grapes are grown in Hermann, including ''[Vitis vinifera](/source/Vitis_vinifera)'', ''[Vitis labrusca](/source/Vitis_labrusca)'', and [French hybrid](/source/French_hybrid)s.[Dufer (1999), pp.[https://archive.org/details/exploringmissour0000dufu/page/19/mode/2up 19],[https://archive.org/details/exploringmissour0000dufu/page/56/mode/2up 56]]
[Winemaking](/source/Winemaking) and [viticulture](/source/viticulture) were quickly established in Hermann and by 1852 there were more than {{cvt|470|acre}} planted to grape vines. Several modern Hermann wineries can trace their origins to this period. Stone Hill's cellars were constructed in 1847, the [Hermanhoff Winery](/source/Hermanhoff_Winery) was founded in 1852 and [Adam Puchta Winery](/source/Adam_Puchta_Winery), in 1855, was founded by immigrants from [Oberkotzau](/source/Oberkotzau), [Bavaria](/source/Bavaria) who had struck gold during the [California Gold Rush](/source/California_Gold_Rush) before returning to Hermann. At the turn of the 20th century, Stone Hill Winery was the third largest winery in the world, producing over {{convert|1250000|usgal|L}} of wine and achieving favorable results at international [wine competitions](/source/wine_competitions).[{{cite book | author=Gordon, Jim | title=Opus Vino|url=https://archive.org/details/opusvino0000unse | page=[https://archive.org/details/opusvino0000unse/page/122/mode/2up 123] | publisher=DK Publishing | location=New York | date=2010-10-18 | isbn=978-0-7566-6751-1|ref=refGordon2010 }}][{{cite book | author= Pfister, Fred | url= https://archive.org/details/insidersguidetob00pfis | title=Insiders' Guide to Branson and the Ozark Mountains| page=[https://archive.org/details/insidersguidetob00pfis/page/127/mode/2up 127] | publisher= Globe Pequot Press |edition=5th | date=2004-07-01 | isbn=978-0-7627-2998-2 |access-date=2011-01-15}}][{{cite web | website=Missouri River Communities Network | url=http://www.moriver.org/bicentennial/tour3osage/x27hermanntext.html | title=History of Hermann | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110727092758/http://www.moriver.org/bicentennial/tour3osage/x27hermanntext.html | archive-date=2011-07-27 | access-date=2011-01-15}}]
[Prohibition in the United States](/source/Prohibition_in_the_United_States) completely wiped out the commercial wine industry in Hermann. The large underground cellars of Stone Hill Winery were converted to [mushroom](/source/mushroom) farms and most of the vineyards were uprooted and planted with [corn](/source/corn), [oat](/source/oat), [wheat](/source/wheat) and [barley](/source/barley). After the [Repeal of Prohibition](/source/Twenty-first_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution) in 1933, the [Great Depression](/source/Great_Depression) and [World War II](/source/World_War_II), it was several decades until the Hermann wine industry recovered when the original wineries reopened: Stone Hill in 1965, Hermannhof in 1974 and Adam Puchta in 1989. Today, there is around {{cvt|200|acre}} under vine with the Hermann Wine Trail as the primer enotourism guide of the [Missouri Rhineland](/source/Missouri_Rhineland).[{{cite web |title=About |url=https://www.ghusmannwine.com/about |website=G. Husmann Wine Co |access-date=27 July 2025}}] The vines are now cultivated by [https://oakglenn.com/ OakGlenn Winery] of Hermann and still produces fruit.]]
A wide variety of grapes are grown in Hermann, including the ''[Vitis vinifera](/source/Vitis_vinifera)'' [Riesling](/source/Riesling) and [Cabernet Sauvignon](/source/Cabernet_Sauvignon), the ''[Vitis labrusca](/source/Vitis_labrusca)'' [Concord](/source/Concord_(grape)) and [Catawba](/source/Catawba_(grape)), the ''[Vitis aestivalis](/source/Vitis_aestivalis)'' variety [Norton](/source/Norton_(grape)) (Cynthiana), and several [hybrid varieties](/source/hybrid_varieties) including [Chambourcin](/source/Chambourcin), [Seyval blanc](/source/Seyval_blanc), [St. Vincent](/source/St._Vincent_grape), [Steuben](/source/Steuben_(grape)), [Traminette](/source/Traminette), [Vidal blanc](/source/Vidal_blanc), [Vignoles](/source/Vignoles_(grape)), [Chardonel](/source/Chardonel), [Cayuga](/source/Cayuga_(grape)), [Edelweiss](/source/Edelweiss_(grape)) and [De Chaunac](/source/De_Chaunac).