Beer, Wine & Spirits in Minneapolis

While stationed in Germany with the U.S. Air Force, Troy Chamberlin and his wife Laura developed a love for wine at the wineries of the Rhine Valley. Upon returning home, they set about creating a European-style vineyard to share the joy of their days abroad without having to hurl their fellow countrymen across the Atlantic. Thus Chateau St. Croix Winery & Vineyard was born, a 55-acre plot complete with stables, a fishing pond, and an art gallery. The heart of the vineyard, though, is its 2.5 acres of grapes, nearly five tons of which are grown in six varieties for use in their award-winning wines. Visitors can sample Chateau St. Croix's sundry varietals and blends after a half-hour tour, pairing each sip with chocolates, cheeses, and crackers.

The story of Wineries and Grille in St Croix Falls began at a picturesque Wisconsin orchard. Former owners Linda and Mike Welch were busy crafting delicious apple wines from the fall’s harvest when the phone rang. "I’ve got 20 pails of ripe grapes,” the voice on the other end of the line said. “What do I do with them?" Out of the goodness of their hearts, Mike and Linda sprung into action, blending the grapes with their apples to create unique local wines. Their process evolved, as did their humble orchard, which now encompasses wineries and grille. Though they have since sold the orchard, they continue to produce apple and grape wines. They also market and sell wines from other local makers who have a talent for making outstanding vintages but struggle with the vagaries of marketing, sales, or convincing customers that some bottles contain genies.

Linda and Mike have a knack for tracking down Wisconsin’s best wines, partnering with producers such as Stockholm’s Maiden Rock Winery & Cidery to spread forward-thinking drinks such as Black Forest wine infused with chocolate and cherries, blueberry wine, and honeyed sips of mead. They also carry national labels, such as Black Oak from California, and international labels from Spain, Argentina, South Africa, and elsewhere. At the grill, diners can listen to music in an outdoor area while enjoying dishes made from locally sourced ingredients, premium cheeses from Blaser's, and smoked trout from Star Prairie Trout Farm.

Paul Werni had a lot of time on his hands. After relinquishing the successful landscaping business he helmed for 10 years, his mind wandered to thoughts of what he might do next. A love of well-crafted spirits eventually turned his attentions to books on distillation, which in turn brought him to workshops across the country and tours of distilleries in Austria and Germany. With a few in-depth lessons with experts from a Christian Carl distillery, Werni finally learned enough to create refined, flawless libations, and his own distillery was born. Lauded by critics and connoisseurs alike, 45th Parallel Spirits distills quality vodka pours from local ingredients and zero additives, overseeing the entire process from grain to bottle within its facility. In addition to 45th Parallel Vodka—a name derived from the line of latitude on which France's Bordeaux region, Italy’s Piedmont region, and Vermont's Appletini region lie—the distillery also fills bottles with whiskey, limoncello, and Midwest vodka and gin, a budget-friendly alternative to top-shelf spirits that pairs well with mixers or stands alone for delicious home imbibing.

A rustic red barn nestled in the fields of New Prague stands as the centerpiece of New Chapter Vineyard. Around it stands five acres of vineyards blooming with marquette, frontenac, gris, and le crescent grapes. On these grounds, the Tulloch family mashes, presses, and ferments their varietals into a range of red and white wines. They often demonstrate their process to curious visitors and incorporate old winemaking techniques, such as grape stomping and waiting until the wine is properly aged before letting it into bars.

A staff of sommeliers, beer experts, and cheesemongers helps customers to navigate Sunfish Cellars Wine Bar's impressive spread of wine, beer, and gourmet cheeses from throughout the globe. Cordoned off by region, the staggering wine selection includes classic vinos and rare varietals that instructors highlight during regular tasting classes. Cheeses plucked from an onsite shop pair with fine wines during tastings, as sommeliers draw on their extensive expertise to discuss restaurant wine lists, evaluate cost versus value, and explain why wine doesn’t come in an electric-blue variety. Beer-tasting classes are also available, as are congratulatory gift baskets and a personal wine-shopper service, which sources wine selections for fancy dinners and business meetings.

Northern Vineyards is a shared winery owned by the Minnesota Winegrowers Cooperative, a group of winemakers who own 1- to 15-acre vineyards across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Members grow Frontenac, Prairie Star, and other grape varieties that perform well in the region; since the region has a cold climate and short growing season, grapes grown here must tolerate lower temperatures, ripen early, and be able to knit their own woolen mittens. In the fall, growers lug their mature grapes to the main winery in Stillwater, where award-winning winemaker Robin Partch transforms them into 30 kinds of wine.

The winery’s barrel room hosts wine tastings seven days a week at a glossy, wooden tasting bar. There’s also an outdoor deck that overlooks a historic lift bridge along the St. Croix River. In nice weather, visitors can bring a picnic lunch to enjoy with a glass of wine on the deck.