Bourgeois expanding winery, vineyards

Les Bourgeois Winery and Vineyards plans to more than double the size of its winery, which will feature a tasting room and tours of the winemaking operation, and expand its local vineyards by more than a quarter.

The winery intends to add 12,000 square feet to the 8,000-square-foot winery, which is located at the Interstate 70 Rocheport exit, south of the Les Bourgeois Blufftop Bistro and A-Frame. The family-owned company is in the process of choosing a contractor for the project.

“The design of our whole facility will help facilitate the tours and level of merchandising,” winemaker Cory Bomgaars said. The expansion also will “help with the wine production and get the volume up,” he said.

Les Bourgeois currently has 110,000 gallons of bulk wine, but only keeps enough wine on site for retail sales, Bomgaars said. Le Bourgeois employees drive weekly to Boone Quarries in Columbia, where the company rents underground storage for its wine.

“Forty to 50 percent (of the expansion) is improving the logistics of the wine-making operation,” he said.

Le Bourgeois is also adding seven acres to its 27 acres of vineyards, a 26 percent increase in grape-growing capabilities. The winery also imports grapes for wine production.

The winery planned to start harvesting the Norton grapes on its local vineyards the first week of September.

Keith Moore, a winery manager, said the growing season has been going well, despite a few problems caused by the unusually heavy rainfall this year and a pesky pack of raccoons with a taste for ripening grapes.

“We removed 47 raccoons last week,” Moore said. “The rain and varmints have taken their toll on the crop. With rain comes insects, mold and disease. It’s not hurt us by any means. It is what it is. With any crops, you’re going to have issues with Mother Nature.”