Introducing Historic Missouri Wine Country
November 17, 2008
St. Charles
As part of an effort to market southwest St. Charles County, the area south of Highway N and west of Highway 40/Interstate 64 will now be known as the “Historic Missouri Wine Country.”
Last Monday (Nov. 10), the St. Charles County Council passed a resolution, sponsored by Councilman Joe Brazil, District 2, to name the area. Brazil stated that much thought and consideration went into choosing this new name.
Bill Schaul, who chairs a tourism committee in the area and David Rosenwasser, director of the Greater Saint Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau were both introduced at the council meeting.
Tourism for the Historic Missouri Wine Country is anticipated. Schaul stated that a series of bus tours is planned. People from St. Charles or St. Louis County may ride the bus and be able to spend a day enjoying the area’s shops and wineries.
Rosenwasser said the new name establishes a brand. He also said that the name is general enough so when people do an Internet search on “Missouri” and “wine country,” they will be directed to the Defiance/Augusta/New Melle areas.
Since the region has a rich wine-making history, and also boasts historic sites such as the Daniel Boone Home, the word “history” was important to include in the new name.
As the resolution mentions, the founders of Augusta Wine Company built a large hall with cellars in 1867. By the 1880’s, St. Charles County had 400 acres of vineyards and produced more than 100,000 gallons of wine per year.
Copyright 2008 Neighbors About Town