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Off the Beaten Weinstrasse: Chandler Hill Vineyards
by By Tony Carosella
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The rolling hills of central Missouri are home to historic vineyards and wineries dating back 150 years. It is popular to tour the numerous wineries along the Weinstrasse in the Augusta, Missouri area. However, a stop at Chandler Hill Vineyards before you get to Augusta will make it seem that you have been transported to Napa Valley – and you may not want to continue on the rest of the tour.
Chandler Hill Vineyards houses a French nouveau chateau-style tasting room, restaurant and meeting venue that will captivate the most discriminating wine connoisseur or the casual visitor. The architecture and ambiance are understated elegance. The food, facilities and view are superb compared to some of the top wineries in the country. The best part is that this enchanting setting is only a half hour’s drive from Saint Louis.
Upon arriving at Chandler Hill, you’ll notice the original two-story wood frame farmhouse with a meandering drive that winds past rows of Chambourcin and Vignoles grapes. If you have scheduled an event and are transporting your guests by private motor coach, the winery welcomes and accommodates plenty of buses and cars.
When your guests enter the 5,000-square-foot tasting room and restaurant, they will be in awe of the expansive vaulted ceilings and massive fireplace. The tasting room also serves as a banquet hall, dining room and corporate meeting and special event facility. The Tasting Room features relaxing chairs and couches and a hidden flat-screen media center complete with Wi-Fi access for corporate presentations.
CHANDLER'S LITTLE BIT OF PARADISE
Chandler Hill Vineyards gets its name from a former slave, Joseph Chandler, who traveled north after the Civil War and settled near Defiance, Missouri. Befriended by a family who lived next to the family of Daniel Boone, Chandler worked on their farm for many years and married in the 1880s. Eventually, the family deeded him 40 acres of their land including a hill overlooking the beautiful Femme Osage Valley. Chandler died in 1952 at the age of 103 and Chandler Hill Vineyards operates on the same property he once owned. The tasting room and winery stand on the site of Chandler’s modest cabin. Artifacts are on display, and the stones from the long-abandoned cabin are now part of the water feature in the steps to the winery.
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
Before venturing into the winery business, CEO, Chuck Gillentine and marketing director Peter Rexford visited the Napa and Sonoma wine regions in California so they could recreate that quality wine experience in Defiance. It is a young vineyard of only two years, and the grapevines usually take two to three years to produce a vintage. The current offerings of Missouri and California wines are products of Missouri grapes and a close association with California and Washington state vineyards. Gillentine says, “We have planted Chambourcin and Vignoles grapes on the property that will yield 5,000 cases a year down the road. This year, we’ll harvest 65 to 70 percent of that.”
Chandler Hill’s list of Missouri varietals includes Norton, Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin, Chardonnel and Vignoles, while California vintages include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. The wines are also named for features of the vineyard. The Savage Norton Dry was named for a Savage rifle found onsite, and the Great Heron Vidal Blanc is named for a bird that has nested on the small island in the lake.
Wine clubs are popular with wine lovers who appreciate a more personal experience with a variety of vintages. Chandler Hill has about 200 members who receive a quarterly submission and members are also invited to special tastings and events. Wine lovers can sign up for the free Legacy Club, or for $250, they can join the Proprietor’s Club through Chandler Hill’s Web site.
BOTTLED POETRY
The tasting bar is tended by knowledgeable staff ready to pour samples for you and your guests from a list of Missouri and California vintages. If you settle on a bottle, you can pair it with sandwiches, salads or shared plate specialties. Cheeses, meats and wine-related gifts are also available.
Across the Tasting Room is a wall of windows looking out to the 4,500-square-foot deck. Guests may choose to sit under an umbrella and take in the spectacular view of the valley, vineyards and the lake that is home to abundant wildlife.
Rexford touts the great advantages Chandler Hill Vineyards has for an event or meeting. “The combination of an elegant facility and on-site catering is a hand-in-glove fit. We visited many wineries in Napa and Sonoma and realized that a great facility and staff would sell the space itself.” With an expanding list of events and weddings, Chandler Hill has positioned itself as a wine country destination that’s close to St. Louis and St. Charles. Up to 300 guests can be served in the Tasting Room and deck areas, and smaller parties can be staged upstairs in the Board Room or the intimate Tower Room. “We built the winery with the intention that our visitors would appreciate the full experience of the facility,” says Rexford.
Director of operations Chris LaRocca has seen a burgeoning number of people returning many times to savor the ambiance. Within the last year, there have been 30,000-plus visitors, along with 30 weddings and multiple corporate events. LaRocca’s job has been to match the wine experience with great food provided by on-site catering and banquet facilities. “We’ve modeled our menu on Napa influences and quality; we are here to delight the demands of meeting and event planners. We are not the cheapest, but we are very reasonable for the great quality our guests receive,” LaRocca says.
LET'S PARTY
Located 20 minutes from Spirit of St. Louis Airport and 15 minutes from west St. Louis County, Chandler Hill is an ideal destination. It offers complete audio/visual presentation equipment, satellite television and high-speed DSL Internet access. Food and beverages are tailored to each group’s needs and attendees can dine in for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Smaller meetings of up to 20 people can be held in the Board Room, and the Tower Room, with a commanding view of the vineyards, can be set for eight. Full catering menus are posted online at www.chandlerhillvineyards.com and prices vary per guest for meals and appetizers.
Lorraine Magney, special events coordinator for NOVUS International, says, “Chandler Hill Winery hosted our corporate communications meeting and president’s dinner with exceptional service and hospitality. The staff was very friendly and attentive to every need. The kitchen catered to our every request with excitement and ease. We recommend this venue to any corporation interested in great service, breathtaking views and of course delicious wine and food!”
The Tasting Room is the location for big events. The main room can be configured with theater seating for 160 and banquet seating for 130. Combined with the deck, seating can be set for 300 for large groups and weddings. Tenting also can be arranged for the largest groups, and shuttle service makes it easy on guests parking in the overflow parking lot close to the lake. Both the outdoor deck and the tasting room can be cordoned off for smaller parties while the winery stays open.
A wedding at Chandler Hill affords couples and their guests a magical experience in exquisite surroundings. The on-site event coordinator can work with you or your planner to tailor details for the ceremony and the reception. The outdoor deck overlooking the vineyards and lake can be covered with a large tent to further extend the reception and seating area, depending on weather conditions.
Couples wishing to exchange vows at Chandler Hill can do so inside the facility or on the grounds, including a lakeside ceremony beside the vineyards. Menus vary from full dinners starting at $27 per person to lunch and light appetizers starting at $12. Continental breakfast starting at $9 is also available. All menu items can be paired with award-winning wines and bar service is also available starting at $17.50 per guest.
Jim and Tracy Donahue recently held their wedding reception at Chandler Hill. “After looking at several venues, we finally decided on Chandler Hill Vineyard,” says Jim Donahue. “We couldn’t have made a better selection. Chandler Hill’s event coordinator and the entire winery staff made the night an amazing event. Many of our guests commented that it was one of the most beautiful, memorable receptions they had ever been to.”
Chandler Hill has become a weekend destination for people escaping the urban life for the vineyard’s halcyon grassy slopes. A couple dozen picnic tables dot the landscape around the vineyards. Patrons can stroll amid the vines and enjoy their wine and romantic charm. Combine your visit with the tasting room’s music schedule for satisfying weekend entertainment.
A winery visit in many people’s minds might be the small family-owned facility with a little cheese and bread to compliment bottles of sweet and semi-sweet wines. A visit to Chandler Hill Vineyards will radically change your notion of what to expect from a Missouri winery. No apologies are necessary to wine aficionados and lovers of food paired with wine. Guests will be surprised by the understated elegance of the facility.
Chandler Hill Vineyards is located in a region that was already known for quality in wine more than a hundred years ago. The region also was named America’s First Viticultural Area in 1980. Now it is home to Chandler Hill Vineyards, a winery that can capture the respect of any wine lover, or event coordinator. MM&E
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