Waconia is home to three charming, welcoming, and award-winning tasting rooms each with its own unique character, atmosphere, and flavor. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Waconia’s lakes and land, these distinctly different wineries pour out the essence of a Minnesota spring and summer.
Voted Minnesota’s Best Winery in 2022 by the Star Tribune’s Readers’ Choice, taking silver in Best Fall Destination and bronze in the category of Best Day Trip, at Schram Vineyards you’ll get a taste of award-winning wine, friendly service, and unique offerings and events. With indoor and outdoor seating options, tastings, food, and entertainment, you’ll want to carve out plenty of time to sip, savor, and socialize. This season, Schram is introducing wine blending workshops that allow you to work side by side with their winemaker to create your very own red blend. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll sample various red varietals and learn about barrel aging, the qualities of different grapes, and how they interact with each other. You’ll then bottle your own crafted wine, create a personalized label, and take it home to share!
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting Parley Lake, you know they have an affection for the arts and love to weave them in with their wine. It’s not unusual to see artists leisurely roaming the 128-acre property as they capture their best impressions of the winery through painting and sketching. Music is another favorite pairing. They will continue to host their Concert in the Vine, a ticketed series of talented, local, and regional musicians that offer up an impeccable blend of tune and taste. Parley Lake will open its tasting room and welcome some live music for the town’s traditional Waconia Wine Hop on April 8th along with Schram and Sovereign Estates. Otherwise, look for their road to open on May 5th as they welcome another season filled with art, live music, and tasteful wine!
Located on sprawling grounds with picturesque views of Lake Waconia and unending rows of lush green vines, you’ll find The Winery at Sovereign Estate. This elevated destination for wine drinkers showcases the quality and elegance that comes from their prowess and experience. Reserve an open aired cabana, relax picnic style under the shaded grove, or attend a fine wine and dining experience at Gia at the Lake complete with visiting chefs. A new, on-trend Rosé to be unveiled this year is geared towards the yacht and boating community and their numerous events and festivals could fill your entire season. Take in a tribute concert from their vintage music series in the ambient Marquette Pavilion and save space in your schedule for their popular Fine Wine and Art Finds. As you fill your calendar, fill your senses with Sovereign’s award-winning wines that appeal to all lifestyles.
Whether you’re planning your very first trip or 100th, you’ll experience what sets these wineries apart in the passion and beauty they pour into every sip and why Waconia has been put on the map as a wine lover’s destination.
