No matter your age, interests or budget, you’ll find something fun to do in St. Louis this weekend.
Missouri has one of the most storied wine-making regions in the U.S. Beginning in 1837 with the founding of Hermann along the Missouri River, wine has become deeply rooted in our area.
Today, wineries in Hermann, including Adam Puchta Winery, Hermannhof Winery and Stone Hill Winery, are thriving, pouring wines made in a range of styles with hybrid and native grapes such as Chambourcin, Norton and Vidal Blanc.
Farther east, approximately an hour from St. Louis, Augusta is the country’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA), which was established in 1980. An AVA recognizes and promotes distinct wine-making regions in the U.S.
The 15-square-mile, crescent-shaped area of Augusta is defined by a ridge, which creates a unique climate and protects the grapes from harsh winds. Here, the soil is also special: The last continental glacier stretched into the area, depositing organic matter that enriched the earth then and makes the vines happy now.
Among the rolling hills of Missouri wine country, you’ll find wineries with captivating legacies, including Chandler Hill Vineyards, Noboleis Vineyards and St. James Winery. As you sip and savor, make time for a river cruise aboard Miss Augusta, the most elegant luxury yacht in Missouri.
If you don’t want to leave St. Louis, we understand. Lucky for you, we have a winery in the city, too!
Augusta Winery is praised for its Norton, which has a rich bouquet of raspberry and black cherry with a hint of cigar, and if you like dry white wine, try the winery’s Chardonel, Dry Muscat, Traminette and Vidal Blanc. As you sip your way through the wine list, enjoy live music in the open-air wine garden. Want to go behind the bottle? Book a guided tour of the vineyards, where you can drive your own John Deere Gator while learning about wine production at Augusta Winery.
Boasting rolling hills, lush vineyards and picturesque sunsets, Balducci Vineyards serves unforgettable wines in an ideal setting. Located in Augusta, Missouri, it accommodates families, with a lot of room for kids to run, and it dishes out St. Louis-style pizza along with other Italian-inflected dishes for when you all get hungry.
Part entertainment venue, part urban winery, City Winery delivers an indelible experience where guests can enjoy intimate performances, upscale dining and, of course, wine. After buying grapes from world-class vineyards in California, Oregon, Washington, New York, Chile and Argentina, City Winery ferments them on-site. From the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to the Finger Lakes Riesling, all the wines are crafted with terroir in mind, and they flow from camera-ready barrelheads behind the bar.
The best views in Augusta wine country come after a climb up to Montelle Winery. From the sun-soaked terrace perched on a hill, the verdant landscape extends as far as the eye can see. Plan your trip right, and you can catch one of the best sunsets in the Midwest from here. As for the food and drinks, pair a glass of Chambourcin, Norton Reserve, Chardonel or Vidal Blanc with tasty bites such as baked Brie, caprese salads, French dip sandwiches and turkey-bacon-avocado wraps.
Mount Pleasant Estates has a sprawling campus, which now features the same tickled pink paint as the original buildings from the 1860s. “When we bought it, the buildings were brown,” Don Simon, former CEO of Missouri operations for the Hoffmann Family of Companies, explains. “Wineries are supposed to be a bit more festive, which is why we reverted to the original color.” As another way to honor the history of Augusta, Missouri, Mount Pleasant Estates invites visitors to tour its storied cellars. Spoiler alert: The cellars hold the only two wine barrels in the state that survived Prohibition. Prior to Prohibition, Missouri was the second-largest wine-producing state in the country, and it’s now working to regain its status in the wine world.
