Such a beautiful place. No details were missed in creating a warm, comfortable, friendly environment. Such a blessing to have this winery right in our own backyard. Thank you for your vision, knowledge and hard work.

- Sandy Herschberger

 

I just wanted to let you know that the wine I bought for Chris and Amber's wedding went over very well. I was telling everyone where it came from. The bartender was very impressed with it. Again, just wanted to say thanks. (not one drop was left)  - Tedina Sloan Mayfield

Your wine was a big hit at the Chamber after-hours get-together at Clay County Savings Bank this evening

- Denise Goebel Breckenridge

 

Thanks, Melissa, for all the great info. What a great wine tasting. We will be back! Love Ladoga!!

- Robin Miller Murphy

 

I just wanted to thank you all for allowing us to invade your space Sunday evening for our good friends baby shower. You were so accommodating, kind and helpful. We certainly look forward to coming there again....but don't worry - just for drinks next time!

- Amanda Guy Mathis

 

Congratulations to the Haddock family of Ladoga Ridge Winery for being named Clay County Farm Family of the Year!!!

- Shannon Breckenridge

 

Just wanted y'all to know that I really enjoyed our visit on the 16th. I came with Sam's friend Rudy, from UP. I can't wait to come back soon. Maybe I can get Rudy to bring me this week or next week, my birthday is the 4th. Have a good night and enjoy the Norton.  - Lori Boles Armstrong

"Cracked open my bottle of Yankee Smith tonight with my dear friend Kristi. Only the best when she comes to visit! :-) "

 - Jonica French Lincoln

 

"What a great experience! From the wine to the people working there, everything and everyone was great! Great place to sample some great-tasting wine and take in the beautiful views inside and out. Definitely a place to visit more than once! (2 bottles of Toad-A-Lope don't last as long as you think). Thank you for a wonderful time and for crafting a wonderful product."

- Jeff Adair

 

"We were part of the group who took advantage of the great weather and outdoor seating. Great wines, great winery and such a great time.  Thanks for having us! I love your all's Toad-A-Lope. I have one bottle left and one of the Strawberry Rhubarb too. Loved the Holiday Punch and plan to get a couple groups of friends to stop out there with me. Your winery and wines are so great. There wasn't a wine that I tasted that I didn't love. We will be back with plenty of friends. Definitely! I have two groups who are ready and raring to go.  Now if I can just get them off work at the same time. . . I love that you all are so welcoming, your wine is more than enough to keep us coming back, but the warmth and hospitality that you all show is above and beyond great! I think most of the group might be able to make it on a Saturday before you all close, I just have to check with them. The other group that I took to Belvoir are all good to go as well."

-Jan D McCormack

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"Oh my... I was so excited getting my wine glasses down, opening up the Concord... oh my...I smelled the cork... I swirled the wine in my glass.. As I inhaled there came the sweet perfumed, fragrant scent of fresh-picked grapes. Like I remember eating as it popped the skin of the fruit. Oh my... I must continue on... it taste more than what I imagined... . I must say truthfully.... I love it... the taste leaves my palate clean and wanting more. And so, as my tummy is warming and relaxing... I shall close this post and recline with my wine glass, and some of the best tasting Concord ever. I can't wait to try the Strawberry-Rhubarb.... Thank you to some very great wine makers... "

-Norma Sperry Houghtaling

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"Love your wine - love what you have done with the place! Glad to see everyone. I will be back." Beverly Miller-Edwards

"Brittany was a delight to meet yesterday at the winery----so personable and so welcoming! Looking forward to a return visit soon." Sue Campbell

"We really enjoyed our bike ride there! And - for other bikers . . . Yes! An unopened bottle of wine will fit in your bike jersey pocket! "

Jodi Farrell - Green

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"Just got home from a great afternoon with friends at Ladoga Ridge Vineyard and Winery. The weather was perfect, the view was fabulous, lunch was delicious and the wine was wonderful. I especially liked the new Peach wine. As my friend Cindy would say, Life is good, people! "   Guila Scott

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"My name is Carol Thompson of the Scarlet Ladies Red Hat group that had a tour on the 23rd. I want to thank you for the tour and accommodating an older group of women. We heard nothing but good remarks from our gals. Thanks again."

"Found you by chance and it was a wonderful discovery. We will be back. Some of the best wine in the area. Wonderful, beautiful grounds."

- Heather McKnight

 

"Thank you, thank you, thank you for being so wonderful & accommodating for us this evening at the winery & helping us realize the mommy-to-be's vision. The place is beautiful & the wine is delightful. What a wonderful evening. Thank you again."

- Brandi Scarborough

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"Thank you for having us! We continue to recommend Ladoga to all our friends. Great wine and great people make for a winning combination!"

 - Cindy Stratman Rollins

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"We had a great time there today! Will definitely be back. The most relaxing place I have been in forever. Thanks for letting us enjoy the view and good conversation."

- Brenda Estes

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"For those in the Kansas City area, you HAVE to make the trip up North of the river to this winery!....Awesome family owned beautiful winery!....Oh, and the wines are good too!!"      

-Bonny Moore

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"I visited your winery for the first time on March 10, accompanied by my brother and his wife. This was a most enjoyable experience and your wine tasting room is beautiful! Your staff was very kind and very knowledgeable, offering a warm hometown feeling with a warm hometown welcome. I purchased a half case containing 4 bottles of your delightful & popular Strawberry Rhubarb, 1 bottle of your B Cause and 1 bottle of your, soon to be world famous, Chococherry wine. I believe you will have another big hit with your Chococherry wine and please keep producing it. Thanks for the pleasurable experience and I will most certainly be returning to your winery."

-Randy Alexander

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"Yep, we were with Jan, and it was the most amazing setting. We found not a single wine someone didn't like, and four we loved! What a great New Year's Eve to be sitting outside, picnicking and drinking wine, watching the sun go down on the vines! Thank you so much for the hospitality! And Jan, thanks for sharing your find!" - Jeanie Helmick

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"My comment about the Concord...I smoke, however was on the verge of snorting. It was some of the best-smelling Concord I had ever sensed...The aroma was permeating my life force...The Taste: Beyond a first batch. Someone had to do some intense thought about what the outcome was to be. Truly a great-tasting wine...Wow! I never thought I could be swayed to a Concord. The taste and quality astounded me....."

-Dutch Houghtaling

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"I so enjoy stopping by and looking at the pix's shared on [your Facebook page]. It has been a wonderful story... from the very start of this venture... to your finished product.. and now enjoying the fruits of your labor. Kudo's to all of your wonderful family and friends that made it all possible. And, I have yet to come experience it in person. Maybe I will be up to it when my birthday comes around. It would be a grand place to celebrate!!!"  

-Norma Sperry Houghtaling

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"Thank you so much for hosting our event at your lovely place. Also, a big thanks to our "bartenders," who were kept busy all night long!"

- Lara Hilden Stanze

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"What great hospitality. The six of us really enjoyed the BEAUTIFUL weather. Thanks so much to the Haddocks, all of them. Best wishes to you."

 - Kathy Sudbury French

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"I took a bottle of your Norton with me to a dinner party Sunday evening and it was a HUGE hit! I told them all what a beautiful Winery you have and they can't wait for your Grand Opening either! Yay!!"

-Dani Graham

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Customer Reviews:

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From Becky S., Edgerton, via Facebook, August 2013:

My niece was in from Arizona last weekend and we brought her to Ladoga Ridge for a wine tasting. She was amazed at how beautiful the winery and vineyards are, and really enjoyed the over-the-top customer service. And of course, she said the wines are excellent - even for a world traveler like her! Thanks, Leinda and Diane, for being so welcoming and gracious, and for making it a fun and memorable experience for her!

 

From KStateinMO, Kansas City, via TripAdvisor.com , December 2012:

Pleasant stop just outside of Kansas City. This is a nice winery run by a local family. It offers a great area for tasting and the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Great stop just a few miles north of Kansas City in a quaint little town.

 

From Alexis R., Liberty, via Yelp.com, October 2012:

We enjoyed a fun afternoon up by Smithville lake and stopped in to do a free tasting at Ladoga Ridge.  The staff is very friendly and helpful. They have the typical sweet wines found at most Missouri wineries but also have some unique selections including a strawberry wine and a very nice Norton.  We enjoyed a glass of wine out on their back terrace with a beautiful view of their vineyards from atop a bluff. Very nice atmosphere for relaxing.

 

From Lora O., Kansas City, via Yelp.com, September 2012:

We were really impressed with this winery, knowing it has only been in business for a year. We took the scenic route to end our personal "Lewis & Clark" wine tour, driving through the countryside from Jowler Creek in Platte City. The people in the tasting room are all very friendly and knew their wines well. They do charge for tasting if you want to try all 10 but my husband and I alternated glasses and did the tastings for free. I'm sure we made up for it since we came home with several bottles. Must try: B Cause, their Catawba wine that has an interesting story to the name; Toad-A-Lope Red, a good combination of St. Vincent, Chambourcin and Concord that's very light and easy to drink on a lazy afternoon; Norton, not very earthy like some of the other Missouri wines aged in oak; Strawberry Rhubarb, just fabulous; and Blackberry, a good dessert wine paired with chocolates or vanilla ice cream. We finished our tour sharing a Strawberry Rhubarb slushie while sitting outside to watch the September sunset with a little one-eyed dog named Sophie.

 

From Heather M., Kansas City, via Yelp.com, May 2012:

We made a wonderful discovery just driving around. We found Ladoga Ridge. It is a beautiful setting and some of the best wines we've found in the area. I can't wait to go back . Thanks for a great afternoon.

 

From Troy P., Platte City, via Yelp.com, February 2012:

My wife and I stopped in early afternoon on a Friday for a tasting and really enjoyed it. They've recently opened (September 2011) and seem really excited about growing their business as a member of the Smithville community.

 

The tasting room is really nice. They have several tables set up inside (wine barrels with glass tops: classy and nicely decorated) as well as seating outside. There is also a cool little window from the tasting room into the room with the tanks where the wine is made. The entire room is well-thought-out--classy and welcoming. In the corner is a neat little gift shop area featuring mostly items from other local businesses. Just a great little facility.

 

As for the wine tasting, it's $5 to taste all 10 of their wines. We tried 5 each, and generally liked what we tasted. They have a cab-merlot blend (California grapes) that was pretty good, and we really liked their Norton, which is 77% Norton and 23% "other reds."  It was definitely one of the better Nortons we've had in Missouri. We also really enjoyed their "Chococherry Kiss" dessert wine. It's not overwhelming with the chocolate, doesn't have that medicine taste chocolate wines can sometimes have, and has a nice tartness to balance out the sweetness.

 

They sell wine by the bottle and by the glass to enjoy on the premises, and if you buy a bottle but don't finish it, they'll seal your bottle in a special wine doggy bag so that you're street legal for the drive home. It's free of charge and a nice touch. Allowed us to spend the extra $1 or 2 on a bottle (as opposed to 2 glasses) without feeling like we really had to pound down the wine.

 

After we were done tasting, we bought a bottle of Norton to enjoy in the tasting room. They also sell little cheese plates and dessert plates to snack on while you drink. We tried a cheese plate, which was a nice selection of 6 or so gourmet cheeses that really were very good. They also provided crackers and pretzels. It was a perfect size for the two of us, but we were pretty hungry. I could see it as a light snack for 3-4 people.

 

We also had a nice chat with one of the owners. We could tell she was really excited about the new business and also using it to help boost other wineries and small businesses in the area.  Overall, we had a great time and can't wait to stop by again some lazy afternoon.

 

From Doonie5048, Kansas City, via TripAdvisor.com, August 2012:

My daughter and I used my Groupon wine tasting offer on August 2. It was a delightful experience. We went on a Thursday. We were the only tasters there at the time, so we had a very personal visit. The owners were very cordial and knowledgeable. I'd like to go back again to try the wine slushies that they make on the weekends. I really liked all the wines I tried which is unusual! Bought a bottle to take home, but really would have liked to take home more!

 

From kjs686s, Shawnee Mission, KS, via TripAdvisor.com April 2012

I went to the Ladoga Ridge Winery for the first time a few weeks ago. It was incredibly busy for a Saturday early afternoon, but the staff was still very attentive and got us set up for a tasting! You can taste 5 wines for free. The glasses with their logo on it are available for purchase for approximately $5. I met the wonderful husband and wife that own this property and they were great! The tables inside are so neat because they are made from wine barrels. We bought a bottle of wine and took it outside where you can sit overlooking the vineyards. The owners have chickens used to eat bugs off of the grapes and they are very friendly. Great atmosphere and the wine is amazing!

 

From D.H., Smithville, via TripAdvisor.com, April 2012:

I've visited many wineries in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri; Ladoga Ridge has one of the most beautiful settings I've ever experienced. The owners have gone all out to create a lovely venue for their guests who drop in to taste or stay and sip. The outdoors on the west side the tasting room, provides a perfect place to watch the sun set as you look out over the winery. In March I took a quilt for the late afternoon and needed it. The east entrance has small tables, and is somewhat sheltered and provides a great view on full moon nights. The owners have provided comfortable Adirondack chairs on the west side. There are tables and chairs, inside and out. I've not seen any other winery go to such expense to see that their guests are comfortable. They also provide ice buckets and ice to keep cold wine chilled. You can purchase high end cheese/cracker plates at a reasonable price.

 

The winery is located in Smithville Missouri, which makes it a short drive from Kansas City.

 

This winery opened in September of 2011 and they've already won 4 medals, including a double gold, gold and silver. They have many fruit wines, but also have a nice dry red for my tastes.

 

This is my new favorite winery, with it being only three miles from my home, it's a great place to meet friends, when I don't want to get my house or food ready for company. It's also a suitable place for supervised children, from this guest's viewpoint. I plan to visit with my mom and sister for mothers day, I checked, they do allow guests to bring in picnic baskets. In Missouri (other states too) you may not bring in wine from other places. The staff and the owners go out of their way to see that you are comfortable and enjoy your visit to Ladoga Ridge. It's an all around great place to meet friends or go with my spouse who doesn't drink wine - they have Bud Light for him.

 

From Beth P., Minneapolis, MN, via TripAdvisor.com, September 2011:

I heard of this winery from snotty winery in the area. They had their grand opening Labor Day weekend and we were pleasantly surprised. Everyone working were all family - parents and grown kids. Nice selection of wines, the property would be idyllic for a wedding and they even have a chef's kitchen.