History
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 a record $185,000 by the State of Missouri, the maximum possible, for illegally importing an excessive amount of California grape juice for inclusion in its wines.
The following year, the winery's owners, Lucian and Eva Dressel defaulted in the midst of divorce proceedings on loans in the original amount of $619,000 taken out in 1990 and 1991. They also defaulted on the $185,000 fine. 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.
Read more about this topic: Mount Pleasant Winery
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more”
—John Adams (1735–1826)
“The custard is setting; meanwhile
I not only have my own history to worry about
But am forced to fret over insufficient details related to large
Unfinished concepts that can never bring themselves to the point
Of being, with or without my help, if any were forthcoming.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)
“The basic idea which runs right through modern history and modern liberalism is that the public has got to be marginalized. The general public are viewed as no more than ignorant and meddlesome outsiders, a bewildered herd.”
—Noam Chomsky (b. 1928)