From this once-unlikely grape growing location in the Hiawatha Valley of the Upper Mississippi come the nationally acclaimed wines of Alexis Bailly Vineyard. Bucking the conventional thinking that no wine grape could withstand Minnesota winters, Minneapolis attorney David A. Bailly bought a 20 acre field of winter rye in Hastings in 1973 and planted it with French grapes. He took to heart the French philosophy that vines under stress produce the best fruit. What better way to stress them than our winters?

His passion and his palate for fine wine meant he would not be content to just produce a wine from Minnesota, it had to be a Minnesota wine of exceptional quality. Grape varieties, therefore, were chosen not for their hardiness, but for their flavor and the superiority of the wine they produce. To survive sub-zero temperatures each vine had to be buried in the ground at the end of the season. Backbreaking work that it is, it nonetheless made his job as a winemaker easier by providing him with the quality grapes he sought. In 1978, Bailly opened the doors to the winery he designed and constructed from Minnesota limestone and white knotty pine. It also marked the release of Alexis Bailly Vineyard's first vintage, 1977, produced exclusively from Minnesota-grown grapes. David Bailly died in 1990. His daughter, Nan, continues his legacy as the master winemaker, producing wines that have won over 45 national awards.

St. Croix Vineyards was founded in 1992, just outside of historic Stillwater, Minnesota. Over the past few years they have built a reputation for making some of Minnesota's finest wines and have received numerous awards in national and international competitions.

St. Croix Vineyards specializes in growing a unique, dark, intense grape called Frontenac, developed nearby at the University of Minnesota's agricultural research lab. The Frontenac grape was specifically designed to withstand the perils long, bitter, Minnesota winters. St. Croix Vineyards is proud to offer this wine as a unique example of a Minnesota varietal.

Being located on the extreme northern edge of commercial viticulture, their vines need to withstand the rigors of subzero temperatures. Each fall they carefully remove the vines from their trellises and cover them for the winter. This process enables them to successfully grow a number of French grape varieties. They are, in fact, the only Minnesota winery to successfully cultivate Chardonnay grapes.

Artisan Vineyards is proud to carry St. Croix Vineyards as it is our pleasure, and privilege to represent only the best of Minnesota's wineries.