As an avid wine lover, when I first moved to Columbia, Missouri 3 years ago, the word Winery on a billboard along I-70 caught my eye. As I kept driving, I saw the large inviting establishment and beautiful vineyard right from the highway, and I knew this was a place I needed to pay a visit to!

Located in the cute, historic town of Rocheport in Central Missouri, Les Bourgeois Vineyards has 

 made a name for itself with its incredible atmosphere and award-winning wine. Being just 20 minutes from the University of Missouri, this lovely, family owned and operated winery is the way to go when my friends and I are looking for a lively way to spend our day.  

Les Bourgeois Vineyards boasts 3 different facilities which I love to visit collectively or individually as each is a full experience on its own!

Visible right off highway I-70, the tasting room draws you in with its beautiful vineyard. The tasting room offers different tasting packages, which include a wine glass to take home to remember your visit. I have about 6 of these glasses at home as I always do a tasting when they make a new wine. I receive their monthly newsletter and follow them on social media to stay up to date on their new wine releases, events and exclusive offers! The wine connoisseur providing each tasting experience presents a detailed description of what flavors to expect from each wine you choose to taste. My palate has expanded and matured as I have explored many different wines over the past few years. I used to love the sweets, but now have found a love for the dryer variety. A tasting experience makes a perfect date night for my fiancé and I, but is also the perfect climate to enjoy an evening with my friends filled with tipsy laughter. My fiancé wasn’t a wine lover at first, so our first couple trips, he enjoyed their few local brandies and brews on tap. Now he has taken a liking to wine, and I couldn’t be more proud! After deciding our favorite of the considerable wine list, we buy two bottles, one to split between us in their enchanting tasting room and one to take home for later. Attached is a gift shop where you can buy crackers and cheeses to pair with your beverages of choice as well as neat apparel and other souvenirs related to Les Bourgeois wine! After finishing our wine one visit, we took a tour through their wine-making facility. Tours are available daily with a reservation, but luckily, they had a staff member available that was more than willing to give us a tour even though we forgot to plan ahead. A knowledgeable guide walked us through the impressive factory and explained the fascinating behind the scenes process from grape to glass. He was then nice enough to take our picture for us in front of the winery.

Just down the road from the tasting room is the LBV Bistro. This small-town gem offers a menu full of delicious appetizers and entrees that pair well with whichever type of wine you prefer. They have delectable brunch, lunch and dinner services daily, and the bar serves wine by the bottle or the glass as well as multiple craft beers and cocktails. My friends and I prefer to sample at the tasting room and then come to the Bistro for an upscale snack and a bottle of wine… or two. We split a diverse charcuterie board that has something each of us enjoys. The charming outdoor patio offers a jaw dropping view of the Missouri river. During the cooler months, or when it’s too sticky for outdoor seating in the summer, we sit inside, the natural lighting and beautiful views can still be appreciated thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows covering all the bistro walls. The LBV Bistro offers a premier dining experience perfect for any special occasion or just because!

Last, and by far not least, the third attraction of Les Bourgeois Vineyards is the A-Frame. This popular outdoor wine patio sits on a bluff that overlooks the mighty Missouri River. The scenic view of the surrounding waters and nature is breathtaking, and my personal favorite time to visit is at sunset. Watching the sun slowly lower over the river as its pink and orange hues reflect off the water is an amazing sight.  The A-frame offers wine by the bottle or the glass and on select summer days has tasty wine slushes too. They also have a small variety of picnic inspired snacks available for purchase to enjoy with your wine. Similar to both of the other attractions the A-frame can be romantic with a significant other, or it can be a fun place to gather with friends and family. My friends and I often bring a deck of cards, or our favorite board game, Catan, and play games for hours on the patio while drinking wine together. The A-frame is dog friendly so we bring our pups to enjoy some fresh air on the patio with us. The beautiful scenery makes a perfect backdrop for an Instagram-worthy picture!

If you prefer a private gathering, you can reserve and rent out the covered private deck which is sure to impress and provide the ultimate wine experience for your guests. I attended a graduation party for one of my friends here, and it was so fun to take advantage of this space that is tucked away off to the side of the patio. We got multiple bottles to split and were even able to bring a speaker to play our own music and dance!

If you plan to be a frequent visitor of Les Bourgeois, like I am, you can also join their rewards program from their webpage. You can earn points to get discounts on their delicious wines. My friends and I have collectively earned about 2 free bottles of wine over the past 3 years. Les Bourgeois Vineyards hosts regular events during every season. From Mother’s Day brunch at the Bistro to wine and painting nights in collaboration with Columbia’s Paint the Town, there is always an event going on to pair with wine!  My favorite events are when they have live music on the A-frame patio. The band plays on a central stage and the multi-tiered patio allows everyone to be able to hear, see and feel involved in the entertainment. You can stay up-to-date on the scheduled activities by checking out the calendar on their webpage and social media.

The establishment is currently implementing guidelines to keep its visitors safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. You do have to wear a mask anytime when standing, but once seated with your group you can remove it for the duration of your stay. I personally prefer the open-air atmosphere of the A-frame as is allows for appropriate social distancing from other groups, yet everyone is still so friendly and will talk to you from tables away.

Between the three venues associated with Les Bourgeois, you can personalize your experience whether that includes a winery tour, a guided tasting or a magnificent view of the Missouri River. Be sure not to miss out on this amazing endeavor. I have made countless visits with my friends and family, and let me assure you, Les Bourgeois Vineyards does not disappoint!

Amanda Wharton is a student at the University of Missouri in veterinary studies.  Her love of local wineries, and breweries, and a penchant to travel the state exploring, led to Amanda checking in with us now and then to share.