Mount Pleasant Winery
| Mount Pleasant Winery | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Augusta, Missouri, USA |
| Appellation | Augusta (grape) |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Key people | George Muench (founder), Frederick Muench (founder), Colin Pennington(winemaker), Phillip Dressel (Vice President), Charles Dressel (President) |
| Varietals | Cabernet Sauvignon, Norton (grape), Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot noir, Vignoles (grape) |
| Distribution | Regional, some national, some international |
| Tasting | open to public |
| Website | http://www.mountpleasant.com/ |
Mount Pleasant Estates is a winery in Augusta, Missouri, United States, on the north side of the Missouri River in what is called the Missouri Rhineland. It is the third-largest winery in the state.
Mount Pleasant Winery was founded in 1859 by immigrant Georg Muench. The Muench brothers chose this area because it reminded them of their former home in Germany. The winery had to close in 1920 because of Prohibition.
It was reopened for production in 1966, the second winery in the state to open in the current era. It has the third-largest wine production in the state. All wines are produced and bottled at the estate. In 1980, the Augusta AVA was the first American Viticultural Area designated by the United States government. The winery is situated on a south-facing bluff overlooking the Missouri River Valley. It has 85 acres (34 ha) of vines in cultivation, growing 16 varieties of grapes. The winery has constructed a public winegarden and terraces that use the view to good advantage.
In 1991, the owners were fined by the State of Missouri, for allegedly importing an excessive amount of grape juice for inclusion in its wines. The owner's appealed the fine to the court, which agreed with the owners contention that the importations were not in violation of the law, and rescinded the fine.
The following year, the winery's owners, Lucian and Eva Dressel were divorced, and as a result the winery was sold at auction. The winery stayed in the Dressel family, as the winning bid of $660,000 was made by Lucian Dressel's brother, Phillip, who promptly announced that Lucian would continue to manage the winery. P. Charles Dressel became the majority owner of Mount Pleasant Winery in 2004.
Today, Mount Pleasant is the oldest and the most well-established winery in Augusta. The winery grows 12 grape varieties on 85 acres (34 ha). Over the past two decades, Mount Pleasant has won several prestigious awards and achieved high point-ratings for its wine.
The winery produces a variety of red and white table wines, with semi-dry, dry, and sweet styles. It also produces fortified wine (using the "port wine" designation) and sparkling wine. Grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chambourcin, St. Vincent, Vidal Blanc, Rayon d'Or, Merlot, Vignoles, and Norton.
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