Buck Mountain Winery & Vineyard

Buck Mountain Winery & Vineyard
700 Oelsen Rd
Doe Run
USA 63637
Phone: 573-760-0458
http://www.buckmountainwinery.com/

Contact: Gary Carmichael
Email: [email protected]

Licensed first in 2009, Buck Mountain is located in the St. Francois Knobs area of the Ozark Mountain Region. We grow Bianca, Catawba, Cayuga white, Chambourcin, Concord, DeChaunac, Kozma, Marechal Foch, Niagara, Norton, Seyval blanc, Traminette, Vidal blanc, Generosa, & Vignoles grapes.

Buck Mountain Winery and Vineyard began with an eighty-acre farm and move to Missouri in 2002. Gary Carmichael grew up in Nebraska and Melissa Ring grew up in Missouri. We met at St. Louis University, have been married since 1983, and have lived in Texas, Arizona, Mississippi and New Mexico. Gary has a doctorate in biology and worked for the U. S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior (Fish and Wildlife Service). Melissa has a doctorate in psychology and worked in public service in state hospitals, tribal and county community mental health, and Indian Health Service settings. We reached a crossroads when Gary retired and Melissa wanted to move back to Missouri. We found the farm before a job, but we were certain it would be our destiny!

Original parts of the farm date to the early 1900s and include a hand-dug, granite-lined well and spring house. Gary spent the first two years clearing the neglected fields and tearing down wire cross-fences. He discovered 8 very old, neglected, Concord and Niagara grape vines and felt compelled to save them. Around the same time, we reconnected with a SLU friend who had worked at another friend's vineyard and winery and found a cousin who worked at Chaumette winery nearby. These events led our current endeavors.

We began producing limited private stock wines in 2005. Chaumette winery allowed us, as part of the St. Louis Amateur Winemaking Society, to pick grapes and produce wine from their Concord vines and experimental vineyard. These vines had been planted as part of a Missouri State University project evaluating cultivars from Eastern Europe. In the Society's annual contest, we won silver medals for our Concord and Bianca wines- we were hooked!

We began planting and started with several varietals. As the Eastern European vines became available, we also planted them. Then, we expanded further based on the interests and tastes of our loyal friends and helpers. We produced a few cases of wine off our estate vines in 2007 and 2008. Our goal is to make small amounts of the finest wines we can.

Winemaker Terry Werner has a doctorate in biology and teaches at Meramec Community College and retired from Harris Stowe State University in St. Louis. Winemaker Theodore Ring, is a computer security specialist. He also is a hot air balloon pilot, among the original participants in the Forest Park Balloon Race, and has flown over Crown Valley and Robller wineries. Winemaker Wayne Munkel is retired from Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center where he was a supervisor in the Social Services department. Winetaster Virginia Werner has a degree in Architecture from the University of Kansas and lends her accomplished palate to assuring quality taste. Numerous friends and volunteers help us plant vines, set trellis wires, prune and pick, and process grapes. We love to share our wines with them.

Winemaker: Terry Werner

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