Riverwood Winery Review
Address: 22200 Highway 45 North Rushville,Missouri 64484.
Phone Number: 816-579-9797
Tasting Hours: Wed-Sat 11:00-5:00, Sun 12:00-5:00
Region: Missouri
Reviewer: Mark and Sonja
Review Date: 10/19/2014
Reviewer: Mark and Sonja
Rating: 3
The Review
Off the beaten path, about a fifteen-minute drive through rolling hills from Westin, Missouri, Riverwood Winery sits just off the highway in a repurposed, old school building. The hallways, once full of children, are now lined with rustic lamps and barrels which presumably contain wine. Inside a massive room that must once have been a cafeteria are two separate tasting bars and a vast expanse of a gift shop, selling everything from wine and mulling spices to racks, corkscrews, and more. And out back, where children no doubt once had recess, today patrons can sit underneath the beautiful old trees, drinking locally made wine.
Officially opened in 2007, Riverwood Winery boasts an eclectic spattering of wines upon their list. The eight wines listed include three white (two of which are fruit wines, apple and pear), two red (one of which is blueberry), and three port-style/dessert wines as well. The white wine that isnt made of fruit is made of a hybrid grape known as Chardonel (a cross between Chardonnay and Seyval commonly grown in the Midwest) while the red was Norton, as ubiquitous to Missouri wineries as glasses, corkscrews, or customers. Both were fairly well done, though neither jumped out at either one of us as being particularly special.
Not featured on the menu, but available the day we visited, was also a mulled gluwein-style red, with supple oranges bobbing in the crockpot that our sample was fished out of. Not bottled, though sold as a mix with instructions, the gluwein was probably our favorite of all. By far the most surprising wine we tried at Riverwood was the Riverwood White Eminence, a white port-style wine made of Chardonel and fortified with grape spirits did they dump grapa in the barrel? Possibly. The high alcohol content was noticeable to the taste, though overshadowed by rich notes of butterscotch and caramel. For the port-lover who enjoys trying new things, this is one you ought to try.
The staff at Riverwood were pleasant; they seemed to enjoy their work, and they seemed to want us there. Nothing over the top, but pleasant people who enjoy what they do always tend to make the tasting experience enjoyable.
Overall, our experience at Riverwood Winery was an enjoyable one. If not smitten by the wines, we enjoyed the service and the relaxed atmosphere of the old school cafeteria. Had we had more time, we might have taken a glass of the White Eminence, or on a colder day the mulled wine, out back to sit beneath the trees. Close enough to be considered a brief detour, Riverwood Winery is a place to visit on a casual drive down I-29.