Augusta, Missouri, is America's first American Viticultural Area

No, it's not Napa. Augusta, located along the Missouri river just an hour outside of St. Louis, is the country's first American Viticultural Area, or AVA. The designation was awarded in 1980, just as American winemaking was finally making a comback after the devastation of prohibition.

And what’s the value of an AVA? Listen in as Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, illustrates why an AVA designation matters.

So, what makes the Augusta region unique? Angie Geis of Noboleis Vineyards, outlines the geographic and historical reasons Augusta was awarded an AVA designation.