November 20, 2007
A Review Of The Wineries Of Augusta, Missouri
This past weekend Emily and I decided to drive down to Augusta, Missouri and take a tour of the wineries in the area. We decided to go ahead and do a little impromptu review of them after we visited each. So here are some of the ratings on the wineries and brewery that are there. Keep in mind that while we have some sense of taste neither myself nor Emily are professional wine reviewers and these are our personal and humble opinions.
Augusta Winery
The Augusta Winery had some very good wines but its location on the corner of two small town streets, while quaint, does not lend to the “winery” feeling. They had a good selection and I enjoyed the Norton “Cynthiana” dry red so well that I bought a bottle. They had some other great wines but not wanting to run out the budget too early I settled for just one bottle each.
- Atmosphere: 5
- Selection: 8
- Quality: 8
- Service: 6
Louis P. Balducci Vineyards
The Balducci Vineyards had a fantastic atmosphere overall with a beautiful view at the top of a hill although the parking lot and path to the main location was long and rocky. Surprisingly neither of us really found any wine we particularly liked while others might. We did however decide to have something to snack on while there and enjoy the view.
- Atmosphere: 7
- Selection: 5
- Quality: 5
- Service: 8
Blumenhof Vineyards and Winery
The Blumenhof Vineyards had a good environment that I preferred more than Emily but overall had a great Missouri Winery feel. I enjoyed both dry whites and really enjoyed the Cyn. So I bought one of each and Emily bought a bottle for herself.
- Atmosphere: 7
- Selection: 7
- Quality: 8
- Service: 7
Montelle Winery
The Montelle Winery had a large tasting area with a friendly staff and the view from the deck was fantastic. The quality and selection was apparent from the abundant customer activity throughout the location.
People seemed to be enjoying the food and Starbucks coffee however we didn’t find time to enjoy it ourselves.
- Atmosphere: 9
- Selection: 10
- Quality: 8
- Service: 8
Mount Pleasant Winery
The Mount Pleasant Winery was probably the most disappointing of the places we visited. While the facilities were extensive and laid out well with plenty of space it did not appear well kept when we visited. The staff was busy packing boxes while we tasted which was distracting. The staff person that tended us was probably the most disappointing aspect. He appeared annoyed and not very friendly although the other staff person at the tasting area seemed a bit more chipper. The most unfriendly aspect was the $5 cover just to taste 5 wines while all other locations had none. While it may or may not have been a result of these things we found no wines we particularly enjoyed.
- Atmosphere: 6
- Selection: 8
- Quality: 7
- Service: 4
Sugar Creek Winery
Sugar Creek had a nice “vineyard” feel and plenty of activity. The tasting area was a little small and appeared to just be a small shop design making tasting a little cramped. I really enjoyed a few of their wines but their selection seemed lacking compared to the others.
- Atmosphere: 6
- Selection: 6
- Quality: 8
- Service: 6
Augusta Brewing
We visited the Augusta Brewery just to round out our tour. While they didn’t serve wine we tried a selection of their brews. I found the Blonde and the Tannhauser quite tasty while the Stout had almost overpowering deep coffee aspects. We had their turkey pot pie and enjoyed the rest of the evening relaxing after a long day.
- Atmosphere: 7
- Selection: 8
- Quality: 8
- Service: 6
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