Augusta winery expands to Branson

Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta, west of St. Louis, is opening a second location on two acres near Green Mountain Drive and Highway 165 in Branson. Visitors will be able to taste and shop for wine, take tours of wine-production areas and even bottle and cork their own wine.

The $2 million, 9,190-square-foot production facility is expected to open in October.

Winery officials were attracted to Branson for its established tourism base, President Chuck Dressel said.

“It’s a tourist destination with a tremendous infrastructure and promotional board,” he said, adding that Branson’s Stone Hill Winery already brings in a high volume of wine-tasting visitors. “We found the right property and the right architect – all the stars aligned where we could have a very viable business plan.”

Pellham Phillips Architects will oversee the building’s architecture, plumbing, engineering and interior design. Mark Weisz of Weisz Commercial Realty in Hollister was the Realtor. First National Bank of St. Louis County is providing financing.

Some production of the winery’s 15 products will take place in Branson, while wine from Augusta also will occasionally be shipped to Branson. The production process involves converting grapes to juice, followed by fermentation; the wine is then aged in oak barrels, stainless steel tanks and other containers.

Dressel said he is accepting applications for two full-time staff members and an undetermined number of seasonal part-time employees. The tourist season for wineries, he said, runs from March to December.

A cornerstone-setting ceremony for the Branson winery is slated for April.

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