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In my neighborhood, there is a restaurant that we like to go to from time to time. On my first trip there, I made it a point to check out the wine list and I was impressed to see a Norton as one of their selections. I was a little shocked and delighted to try it but the maker was one I was unfamiliar with. So I gave it a try and found that it was an outstanding choice. It was on that day that I first learned of Hopewell Winery. As time passed from that day, my curiosity about Hopewell began to grow and I became curious as to what else they had to offer. So it was on a sunny fall day that I set out to find out for myself.
Hopewell winery is in the small town of Rockport, IL which isn’t too far from the town of Louisiana, Missouri. Hopewell is in Pike County and takes up residence in an old 1800’s home. The tasting room is actually housed in what was once the carriage house for the main house. The main house is often used by hunters in the fall as a basecamp. Many of the original timbers were retained in the tasting room as well as the original stone foundation to create a beautiful and rustic visual experience for the guests. You can feel the warmth and love that is poured into this winery by the proprietors.
They offer food and they also have banquet facilities for their patrons to take advantage of. With the relaxing country setting, it is very easy to get swept up in your surroundings as you sip wine at one of the picnic tables scattered in the yard. With all of those things in mind, the fact they have exceptional wine makes them a total package. If I was asked to pick a favorite, I would be hard pressed to make a definitive choice. When I look at dry wine, it would be hard for me to not pick their outstanding Norton as my top choice. It is a smooth and delicious wine with firm tannins and a lovely mouth feel that gives way to a satisfying lasting finish. This wine is the reason I wanted to check out Hopewell in the first place.
The most popular selection that they have at Hopewell is their Bobwhite. This is a lively sweet wine that is full of juicy fruit favor and can satisfy even the biggest sweet tooth. Their Vignoles and their Candy Bar wine are both outstanding as well. My favorite sweet wine though was the Blush. This is a sweet blend of grapes that comes together in a sweet vortex of taste harmony. I had a bottle of this at a recent holiday and everyone had the same response to this beautiful wine.
Hopewell is a quaint country winery, but the owner and staff treated us with genuine kindness and took the time to answer every question that we had. This is a place that may be out of the way for you to visit but it is certainly worth the journey. We spent several hours relaxing in the afternoon sun and we found all the cares of our busy lives were swept up in the fall breeze leaving us in a state of pure happiness. Do yourself a favor and head to Hopewell Winery and get caught in a country state of mind.
