Sitting high atop the Osage Ridge in Augusta with a spectacular panoramic view of the Missouri River Valley, Montelle Winery offers guests fine wine, delectable cuisine and live entertainment year-round.
Owned by husband and wife Tony and Cindy Kooyumjian since 1998, the winery boasts numerous awards for its locally grown wines harvested in the premier Augusta Viticulture Area. In the 2019 Missouri Wine Competition, the winery took home top awards, including Gold and Best Varietal for 2018 Chardonel; Best of Class and Gold for both the La Rosee and 2018 Vidal Icewine; Silver for Grappa, Peach Eau De Vie, and Stone House White and Red, to name a few.
With multiple outdoor seating arrangements nestled under the shade of the mature trees or near the pond spouting waterfalls, the winery can seat up to 700 guests on its various patios, decks and pergolas throughout the 500-acre property.
“It is one of the most beautiful wineries in Missouri, if not in the United States,” says Tony, who was born on his grandmother’s vineyard in Fresno, California.
The winery also has indoor seating with grand fireplaces for those rainy or cool days, and a large Parliament Room available to rent for large groups of up to 100. A full-service restaurant located on-site offers a full line of sandwiches, salads, pizza and appetizers during the week, and on Saturday nights, guests can indulge in specialty dinners designed to complement the wines. Reservations are recommended for Saturday night dinners.
With 20 wines to try—from sweet to semisweet to dry to port to dessert—how to decide? Tony’s favorite is the award-winning Norton, which is a bold red wine developed from a Native American grape. He also enjoys the Seyval Blanc, which he describes as "a great summer sipping wine" with a dry, crisp citrusy flavor. But, Tony encourages guests to taste for themselves. The winery features a huge tasting room with a bar that can accommodate up to 100 people at a time. Guests can try five award-winning wines for just $5 which includes a $3 tasting glass. For just $8, guests can taste five reserve or specialty wines.
“I want to make sure our guests get the opportunity to learn about our wines … regardless of the question you have, we will have the answer for you before you leave the tasting room,” Tony says. “We offer a unique, authentic experience.”
All employees—many who have been with the winery for 20-plus years—undergo training to learn about all aspects of the winery, from growing the grapes to witnessing the harvest to wine-making process to bottling the wine.
“We have the greatest employees in the world. They are very dedicated to Montelle Winery,” Tony says.
To accompany the wine and dinner, live music is performed on the weekends year-round. For more information about the wine, dinner or entertainment schedule, visit Montelle.com.
