The muddy water of the mighty Mississippi River doesn't immediately conjure up images of wine. But vineyards in four Midwestern states are trying to get their land designated as an official appellation area called the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Appellation law works so that wineries from a certain geographic region can distinguish themselves from wines of another region. Napa, for example, has more than 300 wineries. Those wineries are technically the only ones allowed to use the words "Nap
The Missouri Wine and Grape Board has a few suggestions for in-state wines you can select when looking for the right complement to your holiday meal. I've added a specific bottle to each recommendation -- all of which are solid, if not world-beating wines. With the first course or even by itself, the MWGB recommends a sparkling wine such as the semi-sweet white Vignole from Stone Hill Winery.
