After the Civil War, Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, Mo., was the second-largest winery in the U.S., producing more than 1 million gallons a year. But Prohibition put it out of business and the underground cellars that had held wines that won eight gold medals at various world fairs and expositions were used instead to grow mushrooms.
Jim and Betty Ann Held bought the property in the mid-1960s, cleaned out the wine cellars, restored the historic main building. Working with his legislative representative, Held was able to get the cap on winery wine sales increased and was once again the largest winery in the state. Held retired in 2011, turning the winery over to his son Jonathan and daughter-in-law Karen. The winery now has 190,000 acres and produces 110,000 cases a year.
Jim Held died Nov. 8 in Hermann, Mo., after a long battle with leukemia and cancer.