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Editor’s Note: this is the sixth installment of a summer-long series on affordable things to do in or near Kearney — a “staycation” rather than a vacation.

You don’t have to go to wine country to enjoy swishing and spitting.

Missouri has a plethora of vineyards, including a few that are a short drive from Kearney. Kearney is even home to a wine club with a permanent location coming soon.

Fence Stile vineyard and winery is on the south side of Excelsior Springs. At just 2 years old, it offers events throughout the year. On Sunday, July 26, is the Flights, Kites & Rockets. Guests who buy a wine flight will get to fly a kite or shoot a rocket, an idea inspired by the owner’s 9-year-old son. William and Shriti Plimpton’s son has been behind several things at the winery. He named Becca Blend after the dog and Loft Red after his hangout at the winery — a loft above the tasting room.

Recently the vineyard had its first Sip & Shop event with food and jewelry vendors set up along with wine tasting.

“We thought it sounded interesting,” Natalie Scott of Liberty said. “I was interested to see how they had the whole thing set up and how they were growing things.”

Scott, who was there with a friend, said sipping wine on the patio in the evening was a nice escape.

“It’s just relaxing,” Scott said, noting the absence of her husband and children.

Fence Stile is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, but hours may change depending on events. Call ahead to 500-6465 or visit www.fencestile.com for more information.

About the same distance from Kearney in the opposite direction is Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery — between Smithville and Platte City. The wine tasting room is just 1 year old.

“So super new, super small,” said co-owner Colleen Gerke.

Gerke, who grew up in California, and her husband, who grew up in Missouri, moved to the farm in 2003 to get away from the city. They originally planted grapes for scenery.

“It just started to get more and more out of hand … We had to find a way to get rid of them,” Gerke said.

So they started making wine.

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays the wine tasting room is open. In the fall the winery plans to have a “harvest” day where visitors pick the grapes for the wine and are served a free lunch in return.

Call ahead 858-5528 or visit www.jowlercreek.com for more information.

For those who want to enjoy wine without the drive to a farm, Cellar and Loft may be the place to go. The wine club already has 700 members, but its only home is online — www.cellarandloft.com. On that Web site, members can rate wines. The computer then generates a list of wines the member would likely enjoy. Members receive a bottle of wine each month. There are also periodical meetings to taste and discuss wine. Pending a state liquor license, the wine club would have a permanent home at 955 W. Missouri Highway 92 suite D in Kearney. Quentin Dane, owner of the wine club, said he hopes to be able to move in within 90 days.

“I think what we’re providing (members) is more than just walking up to a liquor store and looking at 1,000 bottles of wine and picking one and saying, OK, I’ll pay $30 and try this one,” Dane said.

The wine club also offers other beverages each month — such as a six-pack of beer in September for football season, a bottle of Scotch on Father’s Day and red wine on Mother’s day.

“We want to make it more than just another bottle of wine just shows up at my door,” Dane said.

Kearney Editor Kevin M. Smith can be reached at 628-6010 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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