Six of Minnesota’s twelve wineries are located within the valleys of three of her rivers – the St. Croix, the Mississippi, and the Cannon. For wine lovers, a perfect weekend is traveling to these wineries and sampling their high-quality, award-winning, locally produced wines.

Minnesota’s budding wine industry is as unique as this Upper Great Plains state’s climate. With the severe winters, this area is not considered the ideal grape-growing climate, but grow they do and these six wineries have the evidence to prove it.

All the wineries on the trail have wine-tasting varying in price from free to $7.50. So, starting from the Twin Cities, let’s hit the trail.

Wine Haven Winery and Vineyards - www.winehaven.com. Located first on the trail in Chisago City, Wine Haven is now in its third generation. This winery continues its legacy of passing the earth’s secrets down to the next generation so they can continue the tradition of producing high quality, award-winning grape, fruit and honey wines.

Wine Haven’s wine list boasts five whites, six reds, three fruits, two honeys and two dessert wines. Their wines have won one-hundred awards for excellence in the last ten years - nine alone in 2007.

Northern Vineyards – www.northernvineyards.com. Next down the trail is Northern Vineyards located in historic downtown Stillwater. Enjoy a glass of their Gold Medal award-winning wine while sitting on their deck overlooking the St Croix River and lift bridge.

All their wines are made from locally grown grapes. Their wine list includes nine whites, three blush, eight reds and two desserts. Some of their wine names are as intriguing as their taste, such as Prairie Smoke, Yellow Moccasin and Lady Slipper.

Saint Croix Vineyards - www.scvwines.com. The third winery is also located in the Stillwater area. The award-winning wines of Saint Croix Vineyards are produced and prominently displayed in a restored century-old barn.

Their list boasts five whites, four reds, and one dessert wine – Raspberry Infusion. The Minneapolis Star Tribune had this to say about this very unique wine. “This massive dessert wine begs to be consumed with chocolate.” It is a truly different wine with an intense raspberry flavor.

Alexis Bailly Vineyard - www.scvwines.com. The fourth winery, Alexis Bailly is housed in a building built from Minnesota limestone and knotty pine, and holds the distinction as Minnesota's oldest winery. Alexis Bailly released their first wine in 1978 - a 1977 vintage made with 100% Minnesota grown grapes.

For wine to be great, French wine makers have long held to the fact that the grapes must suffer though wind, sleet, snow and drought. The Minnestot wines did suffer – but they also endured and brought unlikely fame to the wine-drinking world with their award winning wines. Alexis Bailly’s wines include six reds, three whites, one rose’ and one dessert wine.

Cannon River Winery – www.cannonriverwinery.com. Fifth on the trail, and housed in an old automobile dealership in historic downtown Cannon Falls, is the Cannon River Winery. Among the art galleries, bed & breakfasts and antique stores, this winery produces its award-winning wines from grapes grown just a few miles from their winery in Sogn Valley.

They offer guided tours of the winery and walking tours of the vineyard. Their wine list boasts eight reds, five whites, three blushes and a couple of specialty wines.

Falconer Vineyards - www.falconervineyards.com. Nestled in the bluffs of the Mississippi River, and last on the trail, is Falconer Vineyards. Falconer is the newest winery, having started in 2004. This winery specializes in award-wining wine made entirely from northern variety grapes.

Their current wine list boasts five types of light fruity whites along with five full-bodied reds. They also sell two types of white and three types of red grape plants through their nursery for those wishing to grow their own grapes.

Delectable Wines From Cold Hardy Vines - The University of Minnesota horticulturists developed four winter-hardy wine grape varieties. Frontenac’s deep garnet color complements its distinctive cherry aroma and is used to produce many of the rose, red and port wines.

Frontenac gris is the white version of Frontenac. Its amber colored juice presents aromas of peach and apricot and is used in producing several varieties of table, dessert and ice wines.

LaCresent is a white grape with an intense nose of apricot, peach and citrus. The grape’s high acidity makes it a good choice for dessert and late harvest style wines.

Marquette is another dark grape producing ruby juice. With pronounced tannins and aromas of cherry, berry, black pepper and spice, the wine from this grape ends up being a complex red.

To attest to these grapes’ hardiness, two of the varieties, the Frontenac and LaCresent vines, have survived temperatures in excess of -30 degrees Fahrenheit and still borne full crops the next summer.

At the end of the trail, take time to reflect back on the tasting experience of a variety of great Minnesota wines produced by these small six wineries. It is all great wine made from grapes suffering right here in Minnesota.

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Sidebar
Wine Haven Winery and Vineyard (1)
Directions:. From the Twin Cities, head north on Interstate 35 to the Highway 8. Travel east on Highway 8 to Chisago City. Turn north onto County Road 80 (Karmel Avenue) and take the first left onto 292nd Street. The winery is at the end of the road. The winery is located about 35 miles north of the Twin Cities.

Hours of Operation:
Open April 1 – December 31)
Thursday - Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Phone:651-257-1017


Northern Vineyards (2)
Directions: From Wine Haven Winery, go back out to Highway 8 and proceed east to Highway 95. Turn south on Highway 95 and continue to downtown Stillwater. Northern Vineyard’s address is 223 Main Street North in downtown Stillwater, MN.
Hours of Operation:
(Open Year Round)
Summer Hours:
Sunday 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Monday - Thursday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Friday - Saturday 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

Winter Hours:
Sunday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Monday - Thursday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday - Saturday 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

Phone: 651-430-1032


Saint Croix Vineyards (3)
Directions: From Northern Vineyard in Stillwater, go east on Highway 36. At Manning Avenue turn right. The Saint Croix Winery is about ½ mile on the left side of Manning Avenue.
Hours of Operation:
(April 20 – July 31)
Friday - Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

(August - December)
Sunday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Monday - Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
(Closed January 1 – April 19)

Phone: 651-430-3310

Alexis Bailly Vineyard (4)
Directions: From Saint Croix Vineyard, go back out to Manning Avenue, Turn right and continue south on Manning until it intersects with Highway 61. Turn left on Highway 61 and proceed through Hastings, MN. Once through Hastings, proceed on Highway 61 about 1 mile until reaching 170th Street. Take a right turn at 170th and follow the road 2 miles as it curves to the left and becomes Kirby Avenue. You will see the vineyard and driveway on your left.
Hours of Operation:
Winter Hours from Thanksgiving until Christmas
Saturdays only 11am - 4pm
Summer Hours May until Thanksgiving
Fri/Sat/Sun 11 AM to 5:30 PM
Phone: 651-437 -1413


Cannon River Winery Hours (5)
Directions: From Alexis Bailly Winery, go back out to Highway 61 and turn south. At the tee, turn right and then left on Highway 20. Once in Cannon Falls, turn right on Mill Street. The Winery is on your left. The parking lot is next to the building.
Kness - On The Trail Of Three Rivers Wine – 7
Hours of Operation:
May – October
Monday – Thursday 11:00 – 7:00
Friday – Saturday 11:00 – 9:00
Sunday 12:00 – 6:00
November – April
Monday – Tuesday Closed
Wednesday – Thursday 12:00 – 7:00
Friday – Saturday 12:00 – 8:00
Sunday 12:00 – 5:00
Phone: 507-263-7400


Falconer Vineyards (6)
Directions: From Cannon River Winery parking lot, turn right on Mill Street. At the stopsign, turn right onto Highway 20. At the stoplight, turn left on Highway 19. Proceed on Highway 19 until you get to Highway 61 in Red Wing, MN. Turn right on Highway 61. Turn right at the first stoplight which is Tyler Road. Drive past Econo Foods grocery store and turn right onto Kosec which is directly across from the Walmart Entrance. Proceed 200 feet and turn left onto Old Tyler Road. The road dead-ends at the winery.
Hours of Operation:
Friday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Phone: 651-388-8849

From Falconer Winery, to return back to the Twin Cities, go north on highway 61. It will connect to I-94 in St. Paul.