While fermenting and aging, von Stiehl Winery's 25 vintages reside in underground limestone caverns that date back to the Civil War era. Brothers Aric and Brad Schmiling tap into their experience as a chemist and a theater engineer, respectively, to maintain these facilities, along with an air of historic gravity expected of Wisconsin’s oldest licensed winery.

Visits to the storied winery, which appears on the National Register of Historic Places, allow guests to soak in bold Italianate architecture as they pass through fermentation quarters and a production facility. Seasonal events range from tastings and food pairings to live music and grape-stomping competitions in warmer weather, when sprawling grass lawns grant panoramic views of Lake Michigan. Regardless of season, wine drinkers can always head to the winery's online store. Here they can find French- and American-style blends, such as a gold-medal-winning cabernet sauvignon, a brandy-fortified cherry wine, and a merlot aged in French oak, all of which woo palates more gently than Cyrano de Bergerac in a pillow fight.