Door County is a top tourist destination in Wisconsin. So we were so excited for our first visit. We had plans of laying on the beaches, walking charming downtown streets and enjoying the state parks. So imagine our disappointment when rain rolled in and ruined our weekend. Or so we thought. On our quest to discover something to occupy our time, we discovered the Door County Wine Trail! And our romantic getaway was saved.
Wisconsin may not be known for fine wines, but Door County is sure to impress you with the sheer variety of wines they produce. With some wineries opting for premium grapes from the West coast, while others make sweet wines from the cherries and apples that grow on the peninsula, still others choose to grow the hardy grapes specifically bred for growth in the Midwest. With all these different fruits come a variety of different wines. And with Door County being a famed destination for honeymooners, romantic getaways and girls weekends, it’s no wonder that Door County wineries have joined together to create the vibrant Door County Wine Trail. Explore the trail as it winds its way through the beautiful hills and orchards of the peninsula.
So if you are interested in a little vino this weekend or just want to add a few stops to your girls trip, continue reading and we’ll give you all the tips and trick you need to incorporate the Door County Wine Trail into your travels.
A note about our wine expertise should be given. We are serious wine tasting experts. We’ve done wine tastings all around the world – and plenty of them. However, we are not serious wine experts. We drink wine of all kinds from sweet fruit wine to dry reds – our palettes are indiscriminate. So we’ve done our best to give descriptions of the wineries and generalize what type of people will enjoy which wineries and what those wineries are best for.
Start your journey at the Von Stiehl Winery in Algoma. While this winery technically isn’t in Door County, it’s still a great stop. With a ton of different wines and ciders for you to try, everyone is sure to find something they enjoy. We also think that this is a charming little tasting room in a historic building. This small and local feel also leads to a much more personalized tasting experience with really amazing bar tenders that will help guide you to a wine that is right for you.
Next head north into Door County. Door 44 will be the first winery that you find. This winery is fun, large and modern. While we’ve heard from several people that this is their favorite winery on the trail, we’ve never really found a wine we enjoy. However, this building is very nice for relaxing and the patio is a nice place to enjoy the good weather.
Continue heading north and you’ll come to Carlsville. Here you’ll find 3 wineries all relatively close together: Simon Creek, Door Peninsula and Red Oak
Simon Creek Vineyard and Winery is a small winery that admittedly doesn’t have a wine we enjoyed. However, they are one of the few wineries to offer guided tours so that is a fun experience.
Red Oak Vineyard is a great winery for serious wine lovers. They have a more limited selection of wine types for they tend to be more traditional. So if you are a wine connoisseur this will likely be one of your top picks. However, with that serious wine comes a more hefty price tag. While many bottles of wine in Door County range around $12-18, wine at Red Oak has a $20-$40 price range.
Door Peninsula Winery is next on the list. It is by far the largest wineries on the Door County wine Trail. They have a HUGE selection of wines and ciders, 60+. Most of their wines do learn toward the sweet side of things but they have some drys available as well. While the tastings here are much smaller in portion, they are also completely free! This one is a definite must-stop.
Next you’ll be in the charming town of Egg Harbor to visit the Harbor Ridge Winery just outside of town. For more things to do in Egg Harbor, check out our full Door County itinerary here. While the selection here is smaller that Door Peninsula, they do have a variety of wine types for a variety of wine drinkers. We’ve never really found a wine that we love here, but they do have an amazing cheese shop next door and live music here is frequent so it makes a nice relaxing stop or a great place for pre-dinner drinks.
If you continue north, you’ll find Lautenbach’s. This is a winery, an orchard and a market. It is truly a one stop Door County shop and we highly recommend stopping. Not only do they offer a wide variety of wines, they have fun actives to do outside like fruit picking, cherry pit spitting and more. You can also take a guided tour here as well complete with a more personalized wine tasting. While this place is great, it is often wildly busy so you may not get the personalized wine tasting you would get elsewhere.
Lastly, visit Stone’s Throw Winery. This winery is one of the pricier options on the Door County Wine Tour with some of the more select wines. Tastings and bottles here cost a bit more but the wine here is good. This is also a fun place to stop as they have an outdoor bocce ball court that can make for a fun afternoon.
If you only have time for two wineries, we recommend Door Peninsula Winery and Lautenbach’s. Door Peninsula’s selection is impressive and Lautenbach’s offers a fun orchard and shop for you to explore as well. They will definitely give you the best idea of what is iconically Door County.
If you can add a third winery, we recommend taking the trip to Von Stiehl as we’ve always had an amazing customized wine tasting experience that is just plain fun.
Whether you choose to complete the wine trail or just spend every happy hour of your trip at a new winery, we hope that you’re able to plan your wine stops based on the information we’ve provided. If you have any questions, continue scrolling to find the comments section and leave us any questions you may still have.
When to Visit
Most of the wineries are open year round but some of them do close seasonally or offer only limited services. These service limitations tend to occur in the winter and spring as these are the low season for tourism. As long as you check services beforehand, the Door County Wine trail is the perfect activity for any time of year as all of the wineries offer indoor tastings.
As we say, “The early bird drinks the wine”. And this is true of the Door County wineries as well. The earlier in the day you go to the wineries, the more personalized tasting experience you will get as they tend to get very busy in the afternoon.
Getting There and Around
You’ll need some kind of transportation to get to all of these wineries. You have a few options availible to you. You can designate a driver and self-drive the Door County Wine Tour. (cheapest option) You can hire a car service or personal tour guide (most expensive option). Or you can take the Door County Trolley.
The Door County Trolley offers a Premier Wine Tour that will take you to 3 wineries and lunch. You’ll be chauffeured about in an old style trolley. At each winery you’ll get a private group tasting and have time to shop. The tour price is $73.95/person.
Safety
Remember to designate a driver! If you complete this wine trail in a day, or even two, you will be drunk. When we completed it, Scott drove on day one while I tasted and I drove on day two while he tasted. If you don’t think you can get and keep a designated driver, consider a tour or a driving service.
What to Budget
The price of tasting is the biggest cost factor for this trip. If you do choose to hire a driver or do an organized tour, that will add to the cost significantly.
The average price of a bottle of wine, if you find one you like, will run you about $15.
Tasting Prices (2020)
- Von Stiehl: $6
- Door 44 : $7
- Door Peninsula: FREE
- Harbor Ridge: $5
- Lautenbach’s: $3
- Stone’s Throw: $7
Where to Stay
If you want to make this trip a multi-day affair, consider staying at a central location such as Egg Harbor or Fish Creek. Find more information to help you plan an multi-day trip in our Door County weekend itinerary.
We hope this has helped you plan a fun and safe Door County Wine Trail weekend. So whether you’re planning a girls trip, couples vacation, or a romantic weekend we know you’ll enjoy adding a few Door County wineries to your trip.
