Toast Missouri Wine Country

B&B's and Hospitality
During our research trip to Missouri wine country for the story in the September 2003 issue of Southern Living, we had the good fortune to stay or visit with four bed-and-breakfasts in the area.

We were welcomed by Bill and Debbie Schaefer at the cozy Lindenhof Bed & Breakfast on the corner of Walnut and Jackson in Augusta. Freshly baked cookies awaited our arrival. The owners provide a couple of common areas for guests to use that include a refrigerator filled with refreshments, round-the-clock hot water for tea and other beverages, and freshly brewed coffee ready for early risers.

Lindenhof offers a nice combination of period charm and modern conveniences. Antiques furnished our comfortable bedroom as well as the parlor. The B&B offers both thick and thin pillows, depending on your preference, and we appreciated the armoire with extra towels and the candy box filled with different kinds of chocolate.

Around back, there's a nicely maintained hot tub for guests to use in a private courtyard setting. Debbie thoughtfully keeps a bottle of insect repellent handy to ward off mosquitoes.

Following a restful night in a lush four-poster bed, we were treated to a breakfast of French toast stuffed with cream cheese and drizzled with orange-butter sauce, a Havarti-and-dill soufflé, fresh strawberries, crisp bacon, and fresh orange juice.

Our room for one night during the week was $110. Look for more information at www.lindenhof-augusta.com.

Just up Walnut Street is the H.S. Clay House and Guest Cottage. Proprietors Alan and Leigh Buehre have fashioned a fanciful Queen Anne-style dreamhouse that's loaded with their quirky collections of all kinds of antiques and old-time household items and knickknacks. It's worth a stop just to see what's inside.

But if you decide to stay the night, Alan and Leigh offer pampering with a capital P. You can choose from any of the main house's comfortable and well-appointed rooms, or select the charming and spacious guest cottage across the street. There is an inviting swimming pool behind the main house with a relaxing sitting area adjacent.

Alan is a gourmet chef, so you can expect the very best from the breakfast portion of your stay. Alan and Leigh love to show off what they have at the H.S. Clay House, so be sure and ask for the grand tour and allow them to tell you the stories behind the history of the house and their collections within. Rates range $135-$210; visit www.hsclayhouse.com for more information.

In Hermann, visitors have many options for B&B selections. A budget choice is Birk's Gasthaus on Goethe Street. Birk's is one of the most impressive architectural examples you'll see in Hermann. It's a three-story, old-world mansion that is a real head turner. Rick and Dianne Pankau are bringing the place back to its former glory, and they are doing a marvelous job. Birk's has a strong appeal to the Katy Trail set, and they even have bikes that guests can use during their stay. They offer Murder Mystery Weekends and special deals for groups. Visit www.birksgasthaus.com for rates and more information.

The cream of the crop in Hermann is Hermann Hill Vineyard & Inn. In the style of European mountain chalets, the four-story inn clings to the edge of one of Hermann's handsome ridges. The inn's own grape-rich vineyard stretches out on the slope below, lending a truly exotic sense to the scene. Hermann Hill is all about pampering and romance. There are only eight rooms here, but they are all very spacious and come with amenities galore. Each bath has a large whirlpool tub and separate shower. There's cable TV, VCR, DVD, CD player, fireplaces, and the view from your room is spectacular. The inn maintains a library of tapes, CDs, and movies for guests' enjoyment. At 10 p.m., Terry and Peggy Hammer, the proprietors, leave cookies at your door.

In the morning, you are served a sumptuous breakfast at the location you selected the previous evening. The choices are your room; your private balcony or patio; or to join other guests in the kitchen, dining room, or outside on the deck. The breakfasts we enjoyed at Hermann Hill included rich cinnamon-nut French toast, egg casserole, cheesy potatoes, fruit, yogurt, orange juice, coffee, and tea.

Terry has a most unusual, but entertaining, request he makes of each couple whom he hosts. Outside under a grape arbor hang an array of heavy, tubular, gold-painted metal gongs. Each is intended to represent a word or phrase that best describes a couple's relationship and is inscribed accordingly. The choices are: "Magic," "Passion," "Silk & Champagne," "Romance," "Strength," "Soul Mates," and "Excitement." You are asked to strike the gong most appropriate for the two of you with a rubber mallet one time for each year you have been together. It's a special and stunning thrill to hear and feel the boom of your chosen gong echoing repeatedly across the valley and to the distant ridge.

Rates vary depending on the day of the week and time of year, but mid-week you can usually arrange to stay for less than $150 per night. For specific rates and more information about Hermann Hill Vineyard & Inn, visit www.hermannhill.com.