Wineries

Augusta Winery

Augusta Winery, founded in 1988 by Tony Kooyumjian, is located in the scenic town of Augusta Missouri which is nestled on the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River Valley. In 1980, Augusta was recognized as the first U.S. Wine District, or Viticultural Area #1, because of its unique soil, climate, historical significance, and quality of wines produced from grapes grown in vineyards that date to the 1800's.

At Augusta Winery the managers and tasting staff are constantly trained on not only the wines we produce, but the wines of the world. It is through this training that they are able to educate and excite our customers about the merits of our wines and how to enjoy them to their fullest.

We take pride in our wines, which are vinted in small quantities so that special care may be given to each lot. It is this attention to detail that enabled Augusta Winery to win the Governor's Cup for Best Missouri Wine in 2004, 2006, & 2007.

Augusta Winery's award-winning wines may be enjoyed with locally produced cheese and sausage on the outdoor wine terrace or in our Wine & Beer Garden. The garden features a spectacular 10-foot grape arbor above, a peaceful fountain, craft beers, and free live weekend entertainment from May to October. The Augusta Winery tasting room also features a gift shop, custom labeled wine, gift certificates, and gift baskets made to order.

We also have our Owl's Nest, which is where we teach a variety of wine courses. This building is also used as indoor seating during the winter months, and can be rented for corporate or private events. So, if you are searching for a place to hold your next event then please contact us for information about catering and building rental.

We invite you to take a scenic drive thorough the Missouri River Valley and visit Augusta Winery, where our award winning wines and the historical atmosphere of Augusta will keep you coming back time and time again.

Tony Kooyumjian is a third generation vineyard owner and grape grower. His grandmother immigrated to California from Armenia in 1915 and established a vineyard in San Joaquin Valley, which she operated with her son until 1960. Mr. Kooyumjian initially decided to choose a career other than grape growing. His interest was in aviation, and after graduating from college he pursued various aviation jobs until he was hired as a pilot by Ozark Airlines in St. Louis, which later became Trans World Airlines and then American Airlines.
It was during his airline career that Tony was given the opportunity to travel the world and discover fine wines in various countries.His appreciation of wines, along with a statewide resurgence in interest to reestablish the Missouri wine industry, lead him to reopen the old Weprich Winery in St. Charles. The winery was later renamed Winery of the Little Hills. Although he never received a formal education in Enology, Tony attended numerous short courses at various Universities and read and researched the subject extensively. His first vintage, in 1980, was 1000 gallons, or 420 cases, of wine.
In 1988 Tony moved to Augusta, Missouri and established the Augusta Winery in the center of the town historically known for its fine wines and the location of the “First American Viticulture Area”. In 1998 he purchased the Montelle Winery, a winery established in 1970 and located 1.5 miles east of Augusta on Highway 94. In 2001, Tony made the decision to retire early from the airlines and devote all of his energy to producing fine wines in Missouri.
Mr. Kooyumjian's wines have earned numerous awards from around the world including several “Best of Show” in California Contests, “Best imported white wine to Ger many”, and most importantly 4 Missouri Governor Cup Awards. Mr. Kooyumjian lives at his vineyards in Augusta with his wife Cindy. They have 5 children: Maria, Niki, Angela, Tom, and Danny and 6 grandchildren. He is a member of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board and the chair of the Wine and Grape Research Committee.

Nestled in the heart of Missouri River Wine Country in St. Charles County, and yet only one hour from downtown St. Louis, Augusta Missouri invites you to slow life down a bit in a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. Best known for its award-winning wines and wineries, (Augusta Winery, Mount Pleasant Winery, Montelle Winery, Balducci's Winery, Sugar Creek Winery, Noboleis Vineyards, Chandler Hill Vineyards and Blumenhof Winery). Augusta Missouri won the distinction of being named the First Designated Wine District in the United States. Augusta Missouri and the surrounding area is also home to picturesque farms, lush vineyards, breathtaking scenery, as well as antique shops, small boutiques, restaurants, unique historical sites, and bed and breakfast inns. So come and explore the Weinstrasse, or "The Wine Road" as scenic Highway 94 is called. All along its winding path, you will find special places to linger and explore.

For the more energetic, recreational opportunities abound on the more-popular-than-ever KATY Trail, (a rails-to-trails project), and at the beautiful and peaceful Klondike Park. Hiking, biking, fishing and old-fashioned picnicing offer busy families special times together. The Daniel Boone Home and Boonefield Village takes visitors back in time to the days of pioneers and the early settlers of this countryside.

The perfect place to host conferences, weddings, small conventions, and other special events, Augusta Missouri businesses will warmly welcome your guests to enjoy this unique setting, as if they are "going back" to a place they've never been.

A visit to Augusta Missouri will leave you with a memory that doesn't fade the minute you arrive home, rather, the time you spend together here, the things you see and do here, will stick with you for a long time to come. Augusta Missouri is truly a " Town for All Seasons ".

Augusta Brewing Company
Augusta Winery & Wine and Beer Garden
Balducci's Vineyard and Restaurant
Blumenhof Vineyards and Winery
Chandler Hill Vineyards
Louis P. Balducci Vineyards

Montelle Winery & Klondike Cafe
Mount Pleasant Winery
Noboleis Vineyards
Sugar Creek Winery
Yellow Farmhouse Vineyard and Winery

Villa Antonio Winery

Get away for a unique, relaxing St. Louis winery experience. Enjoy a casual afternoon tasting delicious wines and listening to live music with friends. Celebrate the wedding of your dreams in a private vineyard setting. Partake in our famous Seven Course Dinners . You will find an array of delicious wines , authentic Italian cuisine and most importantly hospitality. We offer wine tasting and serve lunch every day from 11 AM to 4 PM. Villa Antonio Winery is one of the St. Louis area's best kept secrets. Our Missouri winery is a short and scenic 45 minute drive south of St. Louis in Hillsboro, Missouri.

Our winery is named for our founder and winemaker, Antonio Polesel. Antonio takes pleasure in offering his wines here in Missouri for your enjoyment. Antonio learned the art of winemaking from his father while growing up in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Since then, he has refined his skills in producing Italian style wines from the Native American and French-American hybrid grapes which thrive in New York and the Midwest.

Our co-founder and chef-in-charge, Fernanda 'Nanda' Polesel, uses only the freshest available produce and meats to prepare her wonderful Italian dishes that complement our wines. She has developed a vast array of delectable pastries and desserts to top off any meal.

Thomas Polesel joined the winery as General Manager in 2002. Tom enjoys working side by side with his father and mother, running the day to day operations of the winery.

Villa Antonio Winery was founded in 2000. With more than 10 acres of planted vineyards, we are growing every year. Varietals we grow and use include Norton (Cynthiana), Chambourcin, and Seyval, just to name a few.

All of our wines are hand-crafted in the Northern Italian tradition. We grow a variety of grapes on our property for our premium wines. Prices range from $13-$24. We have been honored with several awards for our wines:

2006

Chambourcin (2004)—Bronze medal winner at the Dallas Wine Competition

Norton (2004)--Silver Medal Winner at the Missouri Wine Competition

2007

Norton (2005)--Bronze medal winner at the Riverside International Wine Competition

Chambourcin (2005)--Bronze medal winner at the Dallas Wine Competition

2010

Norton (2007) Bronze medal winner at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

Goccia d' Oro Bronze medal winner at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

2011

Amore Silver medal winner at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

Goccia d' Oro Bronze medal winner at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

If you would like to taste several of our wines, you may purchase a wine glass and 5 tokens for $5. Each token is good for a one ounce sample of any of our wines—subject to seasonal availability.

Missouri is home to several wine regions, where stands of grapes sprout up between hay fields and cow pastures. Ste. Genevieve County is one of these regions, home to several family wineries on the “Route du Vin.”

The Route du Vin, named for the region's French heritage, starts in the town of Ste. Genevieve and stretches west all the way to Farmington. Ste. Genevieve is about 50 miles south of Arnold down Interstate 55. You can pick out a few wineries to visit or make a weekend of it.

There are few precautions to take when planning a drive on the Route du Vin. Most of the wineries are connected by long stretches of twisty two-lane country roads, so if you plan to pop the cork on any of your purchases get a designated driver. Second, print out a real map of the Route to double check your GPS. GPS directions might get you there, but it could also lead you down a narrow gravel road with creek fords instead of bridges. (Need you ask why we know?)

The official Route du Vin has six wineries: Cave Winery, Charleville Winery, Chaumette Winery, Sainte Genevieve Winery, Sand Creek Winery and Twin Oaks Winery. The behemoth Crown Valley Winery (and brewery) is also in this area, but was probably left off because it doesn't need any help attracting tourists. This is no reason to ignore it—in fact, it's a good idea to pencil it back into your map.

All the wineries offer samples at their tasting bars. Some are free, but a few places charge and throw in a souvenir wine glass to keep. Most of these wineries are small family businesses with a bar in the tasting room and patio overlooking a field of grapes or rolling farmland. You might even be treated to live music on a Saturday afternoon (but check their websites first). It's also a good idea to check each winery's hours—many are only open until 6 p.m. on weekends and few are open seven days a week.

Cave Winery has an actual cave on its property, but you'll need to visit the tasting room first and purchase a bottle to gain entry. The cave is set up with tables like a dining hall and you can bring your own picnic basket. You can also rent the cave ($12 a person) for a meeting or a movie night—projector included. They have 14 acres of grapes planted and you can take a peek at their fermentation tanks from a balcony off the tasting room.

Charleville Winery has a tasting room and patio that overlooks the Saline Creek Valley. A restored 1860s log cabin on the property serves as a bed and breakfast on the weekends. Samples are free and picnic baskets are welcome on the patio, or you can purchase cheese and sausage from the tasting room. This winery also serves up handcrafted micro beers brewed on site.

Chaumette Winery is more of a wine resort with villas to rent, a banquet hall large enough to host weddings, a gourmet restaurant and a spa that features grape skincare products. If you're interested in spending the weekend on the Route du Vin, you may want to check out their rates and make this your base of operations. The tasting room is open from noon to 5 p.m., or join them for lunch at the Grapevine Grill.

Crown Valley is huge, but still very charming. They actually have two locations—a winery and a brewery . If a member of your wine tasting party would rather down a beer and pretzel, make sure you stop here. Both their locations have tasting rooms—the winery charges $6 for five samples and a souvenir glass, and the brewery charges $1 for a 3-ounce sample of draft beer or $7 for eight samples, and they throw in a brewery tour. Both locations also have scenic patios and a causal restaurant of the pizza and barbecue variety. No picnics allowed. Non-drinkers might want to try their root beer.

Sainte Genevieve Winery has a store front in the historic Village of Ste. Genevieve where its tasting room and gift shop is located. Samples are free. The winery was the first to open in Ste. Genevieve County in 1983, and is operated by the Hoffmeister family. They still live on the family vineyard, which is not open to the public.

Sand Creek Winery is the newest winery and has nine wines to try. They have live music and catered barbecue to purchase on the weekends, as well as the usual cheese and sausage samplers.

Twin Oaks Winery has a patio overlooking a lovely pond, as well as an indoor tasting room with a fireplace for cooler seasons. The tasting room has a large gift shop and stocked with munchies to purchase. The tasting room is in the middle of their 180-acre farm, with vines growing right next to the parking lot. They have live music on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Most of these wines can be picked up in St. Louis County at larger liquor stores or your local grocery stores, so if you find a wine you really enjoy, you can easily keep it stocked at home. Friar Tucks and Lukas Liquor both have a large selection of Missouri wines and carry many of these wines.

You can pick up a “passport” and map to Missouri Wine country from the Missouri Wine and Grape Board . All Missouri wineries should have free passport books available for visitors where you can jot notes about your visit and collect passport stamps. After collecting four stamps you can start earning free gifts.