French
winemakers have long held that in order to produce great wine, the
grapevines must endure hardship - wind, sleet, snow, and drought. In
August of 2005, Minnesota’s very first AVA was approved and established
as “Alexandria Lakes Viticultural Area” in Douglas County. Robert
Johnson on behalf of Carlos Creek Winery filed the petition for the
area. “This approval will put Minnesota on the map as a wine producing
state,” said Johnson. “The Viticultural Area puts Minnesota on the same
level of official recognition as that of Napa or Sonoma areas in
California. Minnesota
has 29 wineries, approximately 50 commercial vineyards, and more than a
hundred small hobby vineyards. “Minneapolis lies at the same latitude
as the Bordeaux region of France (45 degrees North), and several
hundred miles farther south than the great Rheingau region of
Germany. As in these regions, the summers in south-central Minnesota
are well suited to grape vines -- sunny, warm, and with ample rainfall.
Total number of Wineries (2007): 29
Featured Wineries
AVA - Alexandria Lakes
CARLOS CREEK WINERY 6693 County Road 34 NW Alexandria, MN 56308 Phone: (320) 846-5443 (Winery) Website:carloscreekwinery.com
Who We Are: Carlos
Creek Winery is home to the largest grape vineyard in Minnesota, plus
it is the only winery in the Alexandria Lakes Viticultural Area. Carlos Creek Winery also has an orchard full of 8,000 apple trees. Enjoy winery tours anytime of the day. Feel free to walk around the grounds and tour Minnesota's largest Siberian Elm Maze and Wine Cave. Also enjoy live music every weekend of the year and 7 days a week in July and August. • Wine Tasting • Wine Tour • Wine Shop _______________________________
NORTHERN VINEYARDS 223 North Main Street Stillwater, MN 55082 Phone: (651) 430-1032 Website:northernvineyards.com/
Who We Are: Northern
Vineyards makes award-winning wines at our winery in Stillwater using
grapes grown here in Minnesota and western Wisconsin by the members of
the Minnesota Winegrowers Cooperative. Northern Vineyards is located on
Main Street in downtown Stillwater, Minnesota (30 minutes east of Minneapolis/St. Paul.) Just 10 minutes north of I-94 at the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. Hours: Monday-Thursday 10:00am-8:00pm.Friday - Saturday 10:00am-9:00pm. Sunday 12:00pm-9:00pm. Live Music Sunday Evenings from 7-9PM. • Wine Tasting • Wine Tour • Wine Shop _______________________________ ALEXIS BAILLY VINEYARD 18200 Kirby Avenue Hastings MN 55033 Phone: (651) 437-1413 Website: abvwines.com Who We Are: The
elegant dry table wines from the Alexis Bailly Vineyard in the Hiawatha
Valley of the Upper Mississippi have earned Alexis Bailly Vineyard
national acclaim and Minnesota unlikely fame in the wine-drinking world.
Our founder, David Bailly, opened the winery's doors in 1978, with
wines produced from 100% Minnesota-grown grapes. Today, Nan Bailly
carries on her father's romantic fantasy of producing world class wines
from a vineyard in Minnesota. • Wine Tasting • Wine Tour • Wine Shop
