With major purchase, area family plans one of the largest wineries in the Midwest

The Hoffmann Family of Cos., one of the largest commercial real estate property owners in Naples, recently acquired a series of properties and wineries in Augusta, Mo., west of St. Louis.

The purchases, according to a statement, include the Balducci Winery and Vineyards on some 90 acres; the Knoernschild Vineyards and buildings on 53 acres; and the Old Augusta Wine Co. building on Walnut Street in Augusta, in addition to the old country feed store and grocery. Terms of the acquisitions weren’t disclosed.

In addition to those purchases, company officials say they expect to close on a vacant piece of property on Locust Street in the town in mid-January. Officials also say the company plans to acquire two additional wineries in Augusta in late January or early February, which total another 250-plus acres, and are having ongoing discussions with other wineries about purchasing more properties.  

The overall plan, the release states, is to consolidate all the wineries in the area covering over 700 acres, making the site the largest vineyards and winery in the Midwest. Plans for the site potentially include a hotel, a nine-hole par three golf course, a paddle boat to be docked in Augusta, trolley rides, horse and buggy rides, a five-star restaurant and more, the release states.

The purchase also has a personal side: David and Jerri Hoffmann with the Hoffmann Family of Cos. grew up grew up in Washington, Mo. and own property there as well as office towers in Clayton, Mo. “We see a unique opportunity to consolidate the Augusta, Missouri wine country to enable us to provide not only great wine from the beautiful countryside of Missouri, but to create a national destination similar to Napa Valley,” David Hoffmann says in the statement.

The Hoffmann Family of Cos. owns 33 properties in Naples; 26 in Winnetka, Ill.; and 13 in Avon, Colo.