“Missouri” is not a word you hear often in conversations about fine wine. For that matter, neither are most other state names. Here in the U.S., California dominates the conversation around “great wine,” with up-and-comers like Washington, Oregon and New York doing what they can to gain share around the margins.
At least, that’s how elite tastemakers see things. But as is so often the case, the reality is more complicated — and more interesting. Missouri, for example, is home to a surprisingly large number of popular, critically acclaimed wineries.
Many of these wineries dot the Missouri River Valley near the town of Augusta. It’s here that entrepreneur David Hoffmann plans to invest more than $100 million in a long-term vision to transform the town and surrounding communities into a world-class wine region. Midwest wine fans and wine historians think Hoffmann is onto something. Here’s why he thinks Augusta wines deserve more recognition — and why you should stop by for a glass next time you’re around.
Augusta Was the United States’ First Proper Wine Region
Many first-time Augusta visitors are surprised to learn that the area was home to a thriving wine industry decades before better-known places in northern California. August has been producing wine grapes since before the Civil War, in fact, and it played a pivotal role in helping the French wine industry recover after a devastating disease outbreak killed many of its old vines.
What’s even more interesting about Augusta’s wine industry is the fact that it makes its home in the first officially recognized American Viticultural Area. That’s right: Augusta earned the official stamp of approval from the wine industry’s gatekeepers before Napa or Sonoma, California.
In other words, there’s a lot of history in every glass.
Viticulture Improves Every Year
Many casual wine enthusiasts think the best grapes can only grow in semi-arid, temperate places like northern California, southern France or the Italian Piedmont.
If this was ever the case, it’s no longer. Advances in grape breeding and new farming techniques mean that high-quality wine grapes — capable of producing world-class wines — can grow amid a much wider variety of weather patterns.
Yes, including Augusta’s humid, four-season climate. Augusta wines are of different character than Californian or French wines (or wines from Michigan or New York, for that matter) but they’re no less sophisticated and no less satisfying.
The Augusta Region Is Rural, But Not Remote
The high, wooded bluffs and pastoral bottomlands of this part of the Missouri River Valley belie Augusta’s hidden superpower: It’s just beyond the edge of metro St. Louis, less than an hour’s drive from the Gateway Arch. That makes it an ideal destination for the “country” portion of a “town-and-country” getaway.
Despite its convenient location, Augusta feels quaint and unspoiled, almost as if it’s been frozen in time. It’s surrounded by family farmland and natural areas, built along one of the country’s largest and longest rivers, and committed to a vision of America that’s at once nostalgic and forward-thinking.
Augusta’s Wine Business Is Growing, Despite Changes in the Broader Industry
Thanks to generous and sustained investment from David Hoffmann and his wife Jerri, Augusta’s wine business is a bright spot in a global industry staring down changing consumer tastes and the prospect of falling consumption overall.
“David and Jerri Hoffmann are right when they say the wines produced in Augusta do not receive the recognition and the validation they deserve,” Mount Pleasant Winery director of winemaking Colin Pennington told The Missourian magazine recently. “They want to change that by broadening the reach of these wines to new consumers.”
It’s not just the Hoffmanns. Augusta’s long heritage as a low-key winemaking capital means that the region has a deep bench of oenological talent and a harder-to-define sense of pride in its top agricultural product. As the industry continues to evolve, it could become a magnet for the next generation of winemakers looking to pursue their passion in a more laid-back environment.
There’s a Lot More to Augusta Than Wine
Augusta’s wine industry might be the “hook” that draws many visitors to the area, but it’s not the only thing going on in town. Far from it.
Thanks (again) to the generous patronage of the Hoffmanns, not to mention the tireless efforts of the region’s smaller entrepreneurs, Augusta has a thriving small business community and boasts a surprisingly robust cultural scene that feels much bigger than the town itself. Its charming downtown is dotted with independent restaurants and stores, galleries, art installations, and historical artifacts showcasing Augusta’s unique place in Missouri’s story.
Augusta Is Family-Friendly and Affordable
“Family-friendly” and “affordable” are two adjectives rarely used to describe the better-known wine regions of California, not to mention those of France or Italy.
Even “up and coming” U.S. wine-producing areas like Long Island, upstate New York, and western Michigan can feel exclusive, even snooty. But not Augusta. Sure, there are plenty of “grown-up” things to do here, but all ages are welcome most places in town. And that’s a refreshing change from the status quo.
Should You Try Wine From Augusta, Missouri?
Yes. You should definitely try wine from Augusta, Missouri.
To be clear, you should give Augusta wine a shot even if you don’t plan to visit anytime soon. When you sip a vintage from this part of the world, you take in more than 150 years of uniquely American winemaking history. You’re sure to gain some perspective you didn’t have before.
Even better, though, is sampling Augusta wines in their natural environment. The town of Augusta is a beautiful, charming place, and the broader region is one of America’s most underrated places to rest and recharge. A few days here could do wonders for you.
Either way, why not raise a glass to the hardworking family winemakers of Augusta, Missouri? They’ve toiled in obscurity for years, but their time is finally approaching.
