German immigrants to the Missouri River valley established vineyards and wineries on both sides of the river. Hermann, Missouri, settled by Germans in 1837, had ideal conditions to grow such grapes. By 1848 winemakers there produced 10,000 US gallons (37,900 l) per year, expanding to 100,000 US gallons (378,500 l) per year by 1856.[citation needed] Overall, the state produced 2,000,000 US gallons (7,570,800 l) per year by the 1880s, the most of any state in the nation.

In the mid-19th century, the phylloxera louse destroyed much of the Vitis vinifera grape crop in France. Missouri’s state entomologist, Charles Riley, encouraged the sending of resistant native Missouri rootstocks to France to combat the epidemic.

Read more