June 20, 1955: George Radanovich was born. After serving as a Republican representative for the state of California for 16 years, Radanovich retired and went to work on a two-acre vineyard that had been neglected. It has since shut down due to difficult economic conditions.
June 20, 1980: Augusta AVA was established in the state of Missouri. This was the first American Viticultural Area in history, preceding Napa Valley by 8 months.
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June 20, 1980: The first American Viticultural Area in the United States — Augusta, Missouri — was established, inaugurating the AVA appellation system that now defines U.S. wine regions.
Header image: Kbh3rd — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
