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Meramec Vineyards is in the Ozark Highlands viticultural area, where Maramec Spring spawns its trout and pours fresh water into the Meramec River (Meramec has a few different spellings) as it flows on to join Mark Twain's Mississippi downstream from the St. Louis Arch. Italian settlers with their old world heritage of vines and wines established vineyards on this Ozark plateau around the beginning of the 20th century. In the late 1960's. a resurgence of Missouri's grape and wine industry drew more people to the world of vines and wines. Meramec Vineyards was founded in 1980 with a 15 acres Concord vineyard first planted by the Tessaros, one of the original Italian families. Meramec Vineyards continued to grow this quintessential American grape, the Concord. We sold grapes to home wine and juice makers, supermarkets and even in a roadside grape stand, the traditional way of grape growers in the area. Soon, we began producing our own brand of grape juices from native American varieties, the Concord, Catawba and Niagara. Grape juice with a rich intense varietal flavor, like a fresh grape just popped into your mouth. Meramec Vineyards fostered a dream to produce the full expression of the grapevine - wine. We began a major expansion in 1998 with wine grape plantings and building a tasteful and inviting processing and retail building on Interstate 44 (formerly Route 66's course) three miles from the vineyards. The setting as well as our products attract visitors to stop and enjoy the fruit of the vine and the work of human hands. We present for your enjoyment a selection of wines both in the tradition of the American grapes and in the traditions of the European grapes. Visitors can tour and taste, enjoy the bistro, a gift shop of wine and food related items, purchase original art from local artists and enjoy our garden area and see where Missouri's wine and grape history is celebrated.