What happens when Leawood, Ks. home owners discovers a passion for wine?  Well, usually they would build a wine cellar and fill it with great wines.  But not Michael and Kerry Amigoni.  They began growing grapes in his back yard.  Eventually they bought land in Centerview, Missouri, just 45 minutes East of Kansas City to grow more and better grapes.  Mike selects traditional French grapes which are grafted on  vines that are sturdy enough to withstand Missouri’s extreme temperatures.

But they don’t stop there.  After they grow and harvest the grapes, they turn them into wine.  Amazingly good wine by Missouri standards.  But the Amigionis didn’t stop there.  They restored a building in the bottoms across from the Livestock Exchange Building, and opened an urban winery.

The building is now inviting and offers Amigoni wines, Boulevard beers and Roasterie coffees. There is even a “barrel room” stocked with wines aging in Missouri made oak barrels.

When Terry was the successful bidder on a wine tasting at Amigioni’s, we had never heard of the place.  But, we found it at 1505 Gennessee, in the Bottoms.  We visited on a cold weekend afternoon.  It was a great experience. The owners are gracious and accommodating.

As a friend of mine would say: “Definitely a repeat!”