Augusta – a quaint town located just southwest of St. Louis – is one of Missouri’s premier wine destinations and the country’s first official designated wine region.
In 1980, Augusta was named an American Viticulture Area by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The honor recognized the 15-square-mile region surrounding Augusta for its soil, climate and wines, as well as its long winemaking history.
In the mid-1800s German immigrants found the Missouri River area west of St. Louis to be well suited for growing grapes. The wine industry boomed until Prohibition was enacted in 1920. Once the ban on alcohol was repealed nearly 14 years later, wine production resumed. The Show-Me state is now home to more than 130 wineries.
Plan a trip to Missouri’s historic wine country to visit the storied area and Augusta’s award-winning wineries:
Next door to Augusta, the towns of Defiance and Dutzow are home to more award-winning wineries: