What exactly does the Missouri Wine and Grape Board do? Recent Columbia appointee explains

Cory Bomgaar, the Les Bourgeois vice president of winery operations, has a longstanding connection to the Missouri Wine and Grape Board. This connection was made official late last month when Gov. Mike Parson appointed him to the board.

The Missouri Wine and Grape Board is the state oversight body that both works to promote Missouri wines and the funding of research into improving Missouri wines.

"I have been the president of the Missouri Vintners Association of and on for many years, and even back when it was an advisory board to the director of agriculture, I was on that board," Bomgaar said.

His connections to the Missouri wine industry date back roughly 30 years and his connections to the board dates back 25.

"The governor was interested in appointing some positions, and so I volunteered to be appointed," Boomgaar said.

He was among three Parson recently added to the Wine and Grape Board. Other appointees were Joan Daleo, president and CEO of Ole Tyme Produce Inc. in O'Fallon, and John LaRocca from St. Louis, Missouri ProStart coordinator with the Missouri Restaurant Association.

"Our role is basically to work with research and promotion of the Missouri wine and grape industry. We work on marketing campaigns, agritourism campaigns and we work with the University of Missouri where we help with some positioning and research for the University of Missouri Grape and Wine Institute," Bomgaar said, adding work is about a 50-50 split on marketing and research.

Board meetings involve both the vintner and grape grower associations and can bring in other or adjacent industry members who can provide some education, such as the Missouri Director of Tourism, Bomgaar said.

"We look for ways to take the resources we have and partner with other organizations, whether private or public, to help develop the wine industry," he said, noting this can include MU or the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Research into Missouri wine improvements can include sustainability — economic or environmental — and wine making techniques.

The Missouri wine industry continues to grow. While Bomgaar does not think there is yet a winery or vineyard in every county, Missouri is home to around 130 wineries and vineyards, such as Les Bourgeois in Rocheport.

"There are different geographical regions for each of our wineries and they each have their own flair, whether that is cultural or styles of wines. It is such a robust industry. We have been a strong industry since the 1960s. We keep on growing and making better wines," he said.

Bomgaar got involved in the wine industry at Les Bourgeois. He was an employee there while studying biology and related sciences at the University of Missouri.

"Les Bourgeois needed a winemaker, so I took the opportunity to to go out to California and study winemaking and grape growing. I returned here in 1995 as head winemaker. I've had a few different roles, but mostly on the production side," he said.

More: Les Bourgeois Vineyards brings these Missouri Wine Competition honors home to Rocheport

It is harvest season at Les Bourgeois so it is an exciting time for the winery. Even though harvest is light this year, what is coming in has good flavor development and grape quality, Bomgaar said.

"Our vignole is looking really promising this year. It is one of the earlier varieties we got in and it is smelling really good in the tank," he said, adding the restaurant menu may see some slight changes after bringing in a new chef last year. "I'm really getting excited about our sparkling wines right now. We're doing a few more things with them."

From 2021: Rocheport's Les Bourgeois Vineyards among big winners at Missouri Wine Competition

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Les Bourgeois Winery VP appointed to Missouri grape, wine board