Jim and Patricia Hofherr marry and move from their native Muncie, Indiana home to Ft. Wood in Missouri where Jim served in the Army. Following military service, Jim receives a master's degree from Oklahoma University in Norman in industrial microbiology.

Jim worked for Falstaff Brewery in St. Louis. He goes on to work at the Bardenheier Wine Company in St. Louis and later at the Post Family Winery deep in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. At each of his jobs Jim is able to build his knowledge of wine and winemaking and hone his winemaking skills. Jim and Pat make the decision to open their own winery in St. James, Missouri.

Jim and Pat move their young family to St. James, Missouri, an area flourishing with Concord grapes and a rich Italian history, to open St. James Winery. The winery site was purchased in the early 1970's and the building completed in time for harvest of the 1970 vintage. Eight thousand gallons of wine were produced that first vintage year, including customer favorites Velvet Red, Velvet White and Pink Catawba. The renaissance of the Missouri wine industry begins.

A new direction for St. James Winery begins with the return home from college of Jim and Pat's sons, John and Andrew. John trains as a winemaker at California State University, Fresno and works as assistant winemaker at Jekel Winery in Monterey, California. Andrew studies viticulture at the University of Arkansas, and returns to St. James to oversee the family vineyards. Together the younger generation introduces up-to-date winemaking and viticultural techniques to St. James Winery, boosting quality and production.

With the death of Jim in 1994, the second generation takes the helm at St. James Winery. John's talent as a winemaker is noted as wines he crafts for St. James Winery begin to consistently win major awards. With consumer acceptance and brand awareness St. James Winery experiences phenomenal growth.

St. James Winery undergoes several major cellar and warehouse expansions to accommodate the growing demand for our wines. Major vineyard expansions and the addition of regional vineyards in Arkansas and Michigan boost our total acreage to over 500, producing 15 different varieties of grapes. St. James Winery is positioned as the pre-eminent winery in the Midwest.