The first AVA, or American Viticultural Area in the United States was the Augusta, MO region. The area is quite lovely and has, as one would suspect, a large number of wineries. We have had the pleasure of visiting an assortment of places and one of the more recent wineries we visited was Balducci Vineyards in Augusta, MO. A plethora of the wineries have German roots, making the region also known as the Weinstraße, or wine street, for the numerous wineries off of highway 94 between Defiance and Marthasville; however, Balducci Vineyards specializes in more of an Italian-esque flair.

Balducci Vineyards has sprawling grounds that provide lovely views of the Missouri bluffs and an assortment of spaces to enjoy a glass of wine. The property has a large barn, a restaurant/wine tasting space, a venue space, and some landscaping. Upon arrival visitors walk past a large marble fountain, seemingly a nod to the Italian identity, into an enclosed indoor/outdoor space. Visitors continue to the small main room that serves as the tasting room and place to order food. Afterwards, guests can stay inside or venture out to one of the seating areas along the property. When we visited we sat underneath the large tent attached the event space so we were able to still get a bit of a breeze on a hot summer day.

Like most Missouri wineries, the majority of wines are whites; however, they did have a couple of red options, so we decided to have the Norton and the Aria, which is a red blend. Balducci Vineyards also has a rather large food menu, that is centered primarily around Italian cuisine, so when we visited we ordered the chicken parmesan sandwich. The sandwich was yummy and quite large! We enjoyed the opportunity to sit outside, drink a little wine, eat some good food, and relax, while taking in some lovely views! The views at Balducci really are incredible and make for a great backdrop to relax.