Sip Your Way Through Door County: Wineries Worth a Stop

Photos by Danielle Letenyei

Door County may be best known for its waterfront towns, cherry orchards and Friday night fish boils, but there’s another reason to spend a weekend exploring the peninsula: the wine.

About 10 wineries call Door County home, and many are part of the Door County Wine Trail. You’ll find everything from traditional grape wines to those made with Wisconsin-grown cherries, apples and cranberries. 

Door County also has some serious wine-growing credentials. Much of the peninsula lies within the Wisconsin Ledge American Viticultural Area (AVA), a federally recognized wine-growing region. Established in 2012, the Wisconsin Ledge AVA produces cold-climate grapes that can handle the state’s brutal winters, including Marquette, Petite Pearl, Itasca and Frontenac Blanc. 

A good place to start your Door County wine tour is Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery in Sturgeon Bay. Established in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Steve Johnson and Maria Milano, the winery gets its name from the 44th parallel, the same latitude that passes through famous wine regions such as Bordeaux and Tuscany. 

Also in Sturgeon Bay is Door Peninsula Winery, one of the peninsula’s longtime wine destinations. It offers a large selection of grape and fruit wines, including plenty of cherry-forward choices that give visitors a taste of one of Door County’s signature crops. 

Wine tasting is only part of the fun at Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market in Fish Creek. Besides sampling wine and hard ciders, you can also shop the market for cherry pie filling, cherry salsa and other Door County treats. 

In Egg Harbor, you can check out estate wines at Anchored Roots Vineyard & Winery and Harbor Ridge Winery. 

If you prefer California wines, Stone’s Throw Winery in Bailey’s Harbor is the place to go. The winery sources its grapes from top California growing regions, including Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties, then makes the wine right there in Door County. 

Whether you’re into crisp Wisconsin whites, a sweet cranberry fruit wine or a bold California red, there’s something for all palates to enjoy in Door County.