By Nikki Kallio | Pictured: Elmaro
You don’t have to travel to Napa to find a great winery experience — there are so many options right here within Wisconsin. After all, what pairs better with a perfect wine than a perfect cheese? No matter which region of the state you visit, you can find a special venue that offers tastings of locally-produced wines, events, tours and gift shops. Here are a few:
DOOR PENINSULA
VON STIEHL — ALGOMA
vonstiehl.com
Making wines since 1967, Algoma-based Von Stiehl claims status as Wisconsin’s oldest licensed winery, producing wines from West Coast grapes as well as those from Door and Kewaunee counties. The winery was established by Dr. Charles “Doc” Stiehl, who wanted a license to legally sell his cherry wine. The winery, located inside a historic building constructed in 1868 and formerly home to the Ahnapee Brewery, features a 10,000-square-foot production facility and European-style underground wine cellars. The winery has a cider-and-spirits bar, daily wine tastings and tours May through October. The winery hosts concerts outside on its Terrace Bar, which overlooks Algoma Harbor. The winery is open all year, with shorter hours January through April. Von Stiehl offers subscription wine and cider clubs.
Fun fact: In 2009, Von Stiehl released a special wine called Cherry Bounce, blending cherry brandy and the winery’s original cherry wine recipe in honor of founder Doc Stiehl.
HELIOTERRA — FISH CREEK
helioterrawines.com
Anne Hubatch, a Sheboygan native, earned a degree at the University of Wisconsin in geology and environmental studies and took her love for the land to Oregon where she found her way to winemaking. She launched her urban winery Helioterra in Portland, Oregon in 2009 and brought a tasting room back to her home state, opening in Top of the Hill shops in Fish Creek in June 2025. Helioterra produces and sells 20 different wines from grapes grown in Oregon and Washington. Offerings include Willamette Valley and single vineyard pinot noir, aromatic whites and Rhône variety reds. Helioterra’s Fish Creek location is open every day and offers wine by glass, flight or bottle..
Fun fact: The name Helioterra is inspired by Hubatch’s studies, named after heliolite, the Oregon state gemstone, and terra, for earth.
STONE’S THROW — BAILEY’S HARBOR
stonesthrowwinery.com
Stone’s Throw in Bailey’s Harbor is the only all-California grape winery in Door County. The winery made its first vintage in 1996, with friends and family driving rented refrigerated trucks from California to the winery for crushing in Door County. The winery includes a tasting room, wine and tapas bar and a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, including a barrel room or sculpture garden, where you can host a party. The Vino!Vino! wine and tapas bar includes a full menu of Italian tapas. The winery, named Wisconsin’s Best Wine Bar two years in a row by Lux Life, also offers a wine club with regular delivery of your favorites; a bonus of membership is free tastings at the wine bar. Fun fact: The winery features bocce ball courts.
CENTRAL WISCONSIN
MUNSON BRIDGE — WITHEE
munsonbridgewinery.com
Centrally located in the heart of Wisconsin, where farmland begins to meet the Northwoods, the 40-acre Munson Bridge’s fruit wines can be found with a short detour off Highway 29. The winery features special wines made from elderberry, boysenberry, crabapple and other fruits, as well as a maple syrup wine and other seasonal wines from locally grown ingredients. They serve lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., have an olive oil and vinegar bar and space to reserve for special events and photography. Its ‘Wine Not? Wednesdays’ feature appetizers like a big pretzel with fondue, warm brie, an olive oil and vinegar dipping tray and more. The winery is open seasonally starting in April and remaining open through December.
Fun fact: The winery also hosts yoga classes.
SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
WOLLERSHEIM — PRAIRIE DU SAC
wollersheim.com
Wollersheim is a favorite stop among visitors to the scenic hills of the driftless area in southwest Wisconsin and has a long history, with a presence in the region since the 1840s. A top seller is its Prairie Fumé, a semi-dry white with citrus and tropical notes and Double-Gold winner at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. The wine was first released in 1989 by winemaker Philippe Coquard, who aimed to share a new kind of wine with broad appeal to give a boost to the business. The winery also has a distillery and a bistro kitchen, and offers private and group tours for visitors.
Fun fact: Wollersheim Winery is a National Historic Site.
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN
BAYFIELD WINERY & BLUE OX CIDER — BAYFIELD
bayfieldwinery.com
This small Lake Superior city has long been a draw both for both vacationers and those who decided to shift gears permanently, sometimes after a vacation to the region.
That was the case for Jen and Phil Bratsch , who visited in 2012 and ended up buying a 10-acre apple orchard, later purchasing Bayfield Winery in 2020. Bayfield Winery offers white wines like the dry, sparkling Idlewild and reds such as the dry, medium-bodied Devil’s Island, as well as a full list of hard ciders. The winery is open seasonally starting in April and offers afternoon summer concerts every weekend starting in June.
Fun fact: Ian Hauser, son of former Bayfield Winery owners Scott and Renate Hauser, stayed on as head winemaker.
WESTERN WISCONSIN
ELMARO — TREMPEALEAU
elmarovineyard.com
The five family-member owners of the Mississippi River Valley’s Elmaro have worked together since 2006 when they planted the first vines and created ‘Your Napa, Close to Home.’ Elmaro comes from the names of owner Mark Delaney and his parents (Elaine and Robert), who farmed the land originally belonging to Mark’s great-great-great- grandparents. Mark planted the grapes in 2010, and he and (wife) Lynita May Docken, who earned an enology (winemaking) certificate from the University of California-Davis, have created a list of whites, reds, rosés, sangrias and special reserve wines like a port-style and currant wine. The winery hosts a calendar of music, yoga classes, food truck visits and pizza night. Its vineyard is available for weddings and an outdoor pavilion can be rented for special events.
Fun fact: Lynita Docken had a previous career as a master plumber.
UP NORTH/NORTHWOODS
THREE LAKES WINERY — THREE LAKES
tlwinery.com
Three Lakes Winery has been making Wisconsin Cranberry Wine since 1972, and now produces a variety of wines made from fruits and berries including strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, elderberry, raspberry, and wild plum, and even vegetables like pumpkin and rhubarb. The winery’s historic tasting room was built in 1880 within the Chicago and Northwestern train depot. Visitors can taste up to six wines free of charge. Visitors to the winery’s website also can find recipes for specialty drinks like Hot Pumpkin Mulled Wine to recreate the experience at home.
Fun fact: Three Lakes’ Old Glory wine is a blend of cranberry and blueberry, the two berries native to America.
NORTHEAST WISCONSIN
HAMMEN FAMILY ORCHARD — BONDUEL
hammenfamilyorchardandwinery.com
This orchard launched in 2019 as a retirement project of Paul Hammen, who had spent nearly 30 years planting and growing heirloom fruit trees and making wine in his time off from work. The now-16-acre orchard is a fully-fledged family operation offering wines, meads and hard ciders made with fruits from the orchard as well as locally sourced fruits and honey. Some offerings include a dry bold red Frontenac and semi-sweet white Niagara. The orchard’s wine bar is open daily for tastings and in the summer features an outdoor patio. Non-alcoholic beverages and a selection of domestic and craft beers also are available. The winery also features a gift shop offering a variety of fresh and canned goods, wine- related gifts and homemade dog treats.
Fun fact: The family dogs, Tara and Blue, are official greeters at the winery.
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