Grape and Wine Research and Outreach Services
State Fruit Experiment Station

Mountain Grove Cellars facilities include the Research Winery and the Fruit Processing Education Building where enology research and education programs are conducted.  The Cellars include a commercially licensed distillery.  Mountain Grove Cellars produces several wines.

The Center for Grapevine Biotechnology runs the Vitis Gene Discovery Program.  The center of operations is located in the Grape Genomics Laboratory in Faurot 200 on the Mountain Grove Campus.  The center is co-directed by Dr. Laszlo Kovacs and Dr. Wenping Qiu.

The Enology Research Program is directed by Dr. Karl Wilker.  Enology is the scientific study of wine.  This program answers enology questions and supports viticulture projects.

The Grape Pathology Research Program is directed by Dr. Laszlo Kovacs.  This program focuses on the development of disease-resistant plants and at present, specifically crown gall.

The Grapevine Certification Program is directed by Dr. Wenping Qiu.  The program mission is to provide certified virus-free nursery stock of Midwestern grape varieties including Norton/Cynthiana, Vignoles, Vidal Blanc, Vivant, Seyval Blanc, Chambourcin, Chardonel and Catawba.

The Grapevine Importation Program is directed by Dr. Wenping Qiu.  The program was established in 1993 when a federal quarantine permit for grapes was issued to the State Fruit Experiment Station.  The need for new grape cultivars, particularly red, adapted to Missouri conditions with good wine quality, disease resistance, and cold hardiness is the focus of the project and the majority of the grape cultivars to this point have been imported from Eastern Europe.

VESTA (Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance) Regional Center of Excellence is a National Science Foundation funded initiative hosted by the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station. VESTA is a partnership of two year schools in mid-America providing online courses leading to a certificate or Associate of Applied Science degree in either enology or viticulture. Online coursework is enriched with hands-on field experiences that provide students classroom and laboratory experiences at an approved vineyard or winery in their local area. Partner schools are currently in Illinois, Iowa, and Oklahoma. Additional partner schools are being identified in Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. education in grape growing and winemaking.  For detailed information about courses, schedules, faculty, etc. please go to www.vesta-usa.org