The first viticultural area to be approved in the United States was Augusta in 1980—and it’s not in California but in MISSOURI. This area encompasses approximately 15 square miles around the historic town of Augusta, west of St. Louis. In the mid- 1800s, German immigrants settling in valleys along the Missouri River discovered that the area provided a safe haven where grapes could be cultivated. Today, HYBRIDS like CHAMBOURCIN, SEYVAL BLANC, VIDAL BLANC, and Vignoles (RAVAT) are the favorites along with NORTON (also known as Cynthiana). Mount Pleasant, probably the best-known winery in the region, has planted red BORDEAUX varieties (CABERNET SAUVIGNON, CABERNET FRANC, and MERLOT) in addition to the hybrids.