Looking for a winery with the perfect outdoor setting? These 9 northeast Wisconsin locations have you covered.
When you think about wine in Wisconsin, chances are Door County comes to mind as an ideal place to visit — and with award-winning wineries, you're not wrong.
But if a road trip isn't in the cards, you needn't travel far to sip a glass of wine, preferably with a side of outdoor seating.
Here, we've rounded up nine wineries in the Green Bay, Appleton and Fond du Lac areas that also offer a view — and, in some cases, live music and special events including yoga. This is by no means a definitive list; according to Travel Wisconsin, there are more than 100 wineries throughout the state.
Here are some ideas for the next time you're craving a glass of wine.
LedgeStone Vineyards & Winery
Where: 6381 State 57, Greenleaf
About: LedgeStone Vineyards was established in 1999 and quickly grew to the 10-acre vineyard with onsite winery — and brewery — that it is today. Its vast landscape and view of the Niagara Escarpment make it a perfect location for outdoor wine tasting. Customers are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, or any outdoor seating and get lost in the vineyards. They can even bring their dog along. Yard games and pop-up tents are also permitted. During the summer, the winery hosts weekly concerts, including Thursday night "Wine Down" and Wednesday Jazz night. LedgeStone Vineyards aims to stretch the limits of its grape varieties into classic styles of dry, complex and diverse flavors, the website states.
Captain's Walk Winery
Where: 345 S. Adams St., Green Bay
About: Captains Walk Winery is set inside a three-story house built in the 1850s with a vintage wine cellar in the basement. The winery focuses on small batches of wine that have been crafted to match perfectly with cheeses, chocolates and its small-bites appetizers. Its wine can be purchased in person or through its website.
Trout Springs Winery
Where: 8150 River Road, Greenleaf
About: With five acres of vineyards, visitors will most likely come across free-range chickens roaming the grounds of Trout Springs Winery. The chickens are used to help control and reduce the use of insecticides on the vineyards. Trout Springs Winery is a division of Branch River Farms, Wisconsin's only licensed fish hatchery, plant nursery and winery all in one. The winery offers estate wine, its own draft and craft beer, grape powder, used for when one might want the taste and benefits of wine without the alcohol or sugar, and chocolate infused with its grape powder, made by Seroogy’s Chocolates in Green Bay. Its current wine list features around 19 varieties of wine, which customers can enjoy while taking in the beautiful, country landscape.
Duck Creek Winery
Where: 5046 County R, Denmark
About: Just 12 miles southeast of Green Bay, Duck Creek Winery prides itself on its mission to provide handcrafted international award-winning wines, meads, Kombucha tea and just recently distilled spirits. Customers have the opportunity to craft one batch of wine with custom made labels for certain special occasions. Wine-making kits, which make around 28 bottles, can be purchased from the winery. From June to September, Duck Creek Winery usually has some sort of event happening including live music and food vendors, monthly cooking classes, weekly wine and yoga, art classes and more.
Kerrigan Brothers Winery
Where: N2797 State 55, Kaukauna
About: This family-owned winery was established in 2007 and focuses on creating several variates of wine, striving to focus on Wisconsin-grown fruit. The original owner, Troy Landwehr, loved experimenting, creating flavors like tomato jalapeno and blue raspberry. Now owned by Landwehr's cousin, Jeff Letter, Kerrigan Brothers Winery sells a large selection of wines in person and on its website. Over the summer, and continuing into September, the winery hosts a music on the patio event every Friday. Its website encourages guests to stop in, taste the wine and enjoy the breeze on the patio.
WINEaLOT Vineyards LLC
Where: 6123 County Trunk PP, Greenleaf
About: WINEaLOT Vineyards is a woman-owned winery located south of Green Bay. Its focus is on 100% Wisconsin-made wine. It currently grows a number of grapes including Marquette, Frontenac, Petite Pearl and Brianna and plan to keep adding varieties until reaching five acres or more of vineyards. The winery also hosts events such as yoga on the vineyard, DJ bingo Fridays, live music, ladies shopping night and more. Its glass garage door and patio area make for a great spot to relax outside and drink.
Mona Rose Winery
Where: 2696 Packerland Drive, Ashwaubenon
About: Named after the wife of the owner, Monica Rose, Mona Rose Winery prides itself on its international award-winning wines. The winery specializes in a minimalist approach to its small batch, hand-crafted, local wines. The winery is located in a residential area near a popular bike and walking trail. There is also an onsite fermentation room, which is open to the public for viewing, and offer over 27 wines for tasting. Wines can be purchased in person or through its website.
Vines and Rushes Winery
Where: 410 County E, Ripon
About: Vines and Rushes Winery focuses on growing cold, hardy grape varieties, which are able to survive Wisconsin winters, across its five acres of vineyards. Its grape varieties consist mostly of Marquette, Saint Pepin and Petite Pearl. Customers can enjoy the weekend live music performances and wood-fired pizza along with its signature wines. The winery offers a wine tasting special, five for $5, that includes a variety of white and red wines and hard ciders. Its wines can be ordered in person or through the website for pick-up or delivery.
Ziegler Winery
Where: W3953 Winnebago Heights Road, Malone
About: Ziegler Winery was established in 2015 and has since grown to more than 7,000 vines across about 12 acres. The winery currently grows 11 All New World Northern hybrids, the only grape varieties that can grow through Wisconsin winters. The tasting room is one of the largest in the state, complete with two upper mezzanine levels, one side with an upper fireplace, two larger lower levels for seating, an outdoor enclosed patio and a second patio with a stage area for bands in the spring and summer. Their wines are self-described as hand-crafted with a friendly, local vibe and a bit of edge.
Reach Jelissa Burns at 920-453-5107 or jburns1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Northeast Wisconsin wineries offer outdoor seating, live music and more
