Stone Hill Winery: A Cultural Staple in Hermann
In Gasconade County, MO lives a historic entity and cultural gem in the form of the Stone Hill Winery located in Hermann, MO. The Stone Hill Wine Company, established in 1847 by German immigrant, Michael Poeschel, is one of the largest and oldest wineries in the state of Missouri. The vineyard sits among a stretch of green, rolling hills. The property spans 13 acres and contains the actual vineyards where grapes are grown as well as facilities to make, store, and enjoy the wine produced.
The Stone Hill vineyards and cellars are a physical reminder of the roots of the Germans who migrated to the area and the cultural environment they developed as they made Missouri their new home. As German migrants settled in Missouri they found land similar to the Rhineland of Germany and decided to utilize plots of land as vineyards. They had to follow nature's lead in order to learn which grape varieties were best suited to the area and they had to learn how to preserve the grapes and fields in a different climate. Three years after the first grape variety, the Isabella, was introduced to Hermann, the first local wine was produced. As time went on and the population in the area grew, the wine got better and wine would become one of the central cultural elements related to leisure in Hermann, MO. In 1848, Stone Hill Founder Poeschel would host the first Winefest in Hermann.
Stone Hill would continue to be a well-awarded and monetarily successful vineyard until the Prohibition Era of the 20th century. As Prohibition policies were enacted into law, vineyards and breweries were forced to shut down or had to be repurposed. The owners of Stone Hill repurposed the cellars for mushroom propagation and the vineyard and property were able to survive until the end of the Temperance era.
The anti-German sentiment that helped fuel the temperance movement also helped to squash the German cultural identity related to viniculture and brewing in Missouri. The Prohibition movement which began in the early 1800s originally had an anti-immigrant sentiment because of the differing drinking habits in Europe as opposed to America. By the time America entered World War I over twenty states had Prohibition policies enacted. Following the war, anti-German sentiments had been exasperated and Prohibition policies passed in more and more states, fueled by the belief that alcohol consumption was excessive by certain populations and that drinking was detrimental to society. These policies would be overturned by the mid-20th century but now before they could damage the economic sector related to producing and selling wine, beer, and spirits.
Following prohibition, the Stone Hill Winery was purchased and restored by Jim and Betty Held in 1965. The vineyard has since remained under the ownership of the Held Family and they have made the effort to honor the German American roots of the vineyard by offering a mix of German and American dishes at the restored carriage house turned restaurant on the property. The winery has returned to being a commercial success and is a staple in the landscape of Gasconade County. The Stone Hill Winery lives as a standing reminder of the heritage and cultural development of Hermann Missouri and it continues to stand out as a meaningful attraction in the area.
