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NPR’s Journeys of Discovery Podcast Visits Missouri’s Wine Region – Episode 1

  • November 18, 2022

Missouri is home to many wineries, distilleries and breweries, and was once the second largest producer of wine in the country. This historical expertise recently caught the attention of award-winning NPR podcast host Tom Wilmer. He spent several days in Missouri’s wine country to learn more about what makes it special and how leaders in the industry are investing in its future.

Among the first people Tom met on his trip were Jerri and David Hoffmann. The couple is working to turn Missouri’s wine country into a world class destination with an initial $150 million economic infusion, including renovations of more than 60 historic homes and commercial enterprises along with ownership of four wineries and more than 1,250 acres of vineyard.

Tom Wilmer, Journeys of Discovery Podcast Host:

We are here in Augusta, so tell us about that.

David Hoffmann, The Hoffmann family:

I think we were drawn to the charm. You know, honestly, we were couped up with COVID, I watched this story of Yellowstone, and we came down here to visit relatives, and we always knew this area was beautiful, and we thought it was just as pretty as Napa. So I said, why can’t we do a kind of Yellowstone deal here, and we saw that vision and started knocking on doors.

Jerri Hoffmann, The Hoffmann family:

It was also a little fortuitous. When we did the drive, the property at the corner actually had a for sale sign on it.

David Hoffmann, The Hoffmann family:

That became the first piece of property, and in a year and a half we have got 51 properties here. Now we are building three hotels, have 1,250 acres and employ 650 people in the area.

Check out the full conversation on the Journeys of Discovery podcast here.

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