Wine Spectator doesn’t hand out its restaurant awards lightly. The publication evaluates wine lists across thousands of venues worldwide each year, and earning even its entry-level Award of Excellence requires a curated list of at least 90 selections with notable depth and breadth. When The Rocheport Winery at Mount Nebo Inn earned that recognition in 2024, it was a milestone for a winery that had been building its reputation since it was founded in 2019.
The winery’s own website notes it was honored in Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Awards two years running — an Award of Excellence in 2024, followed by a step up to the mid-tier Best of Award of Excellence in 2025. For a restaurant-winery in a Missouri river town with fewer than 250 residents, back-to-back Wine Spectator recognition, with the second year a notch higher than the first, is the kind of credential that travels well in travel writing and reservation decisions alike.
The Rocheport Winery focuses on premium sparkling wine production — their own Brut Rosé and Viognier are poured alongside a carefully assembled list of over 350 global selections. The setting is the historic Mount Nebo Inn at 801 First Street, steps from the Katy Trail, with a menu built around wood-fired pizza, seasonal small plates, and Sunday brunch. Monday Pasta Nights run 5–8 PM, and live music fills Friday and Saturday evenings from 7–10 PM, making the winery a destination in its own right, not just a stop on a wine trail.
Founded in 2019, The Rocheport Winery is one of the newest additions to what is quietly becoming one of the Midwest’s most interesting small-scale wine destinations. The Wine Spectator recognition in back-to-back years signals that the broader wine world is beginning to notice what visitors to Rocheport have known for a while: something special is happening here, one pour at a time.
Reserve your table or plan your visit at The Rocheport Winery at Mount Nebo Inn. For more information, visit rocheportwinery.com or explore the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards program at winespectator.com.