Saint Croix Vineyards

I have visited Saint Croix Vineyards many times since they opened back in the 90s, so they've had a long-held spot in Midwestern winemaking. Unfortunately over the years, they've seemingly succumb to the "Wal-Mart paradox" of customer service -- whereas you can skimp on an engaging, positive customer experience because you've got an ample amount of people coming in and out from visiting the orchard to make up for it.The atmosphere is very cafeteria-style in the tasting room, with a pour-and-get-out-of-here attitude from their hosts. It really lacks the warmth and personal touch that one might come to expect from a vineyard with such a strong brand name. Newcomers and visitors that might want to learn a bit about the history of the winery or the nuances of Midwestern grape-growing will find little opportunity to do so or to find any sort of connection with the hosts or winemakers. It's really unfortunate because it wasn't always like this; I'd say I noticed this shift start to occur maybe 5-6 years ago. I visited this past weekend and the ladies there were short, curt, and seemingly disinterested in showing any sort of warmth or resonance with what they're doing or the brand they're trying to sell which is a huge missed opportunity on the winery's end. Unfortunately, the experience feels very transactional there now with little in the way of connection-building to the history and people behind the wines.It's worth noting that the pricing of their wines tends to be higher than the market average for Midwestern wineries. While quality often comes at a premium, it's important that this is accompanied by an experience that justifies the cost.I really hope they improve their service and try to be more active with how they're selling their brand, but I've sort of accepted that those days are long behind them.

Stopped here on our way home from a day in Stillwater July 2024. The employee was SUPER kind and friendly and took his time to explain the local wines to create our sampler. Parking was easy, the deck was dog friendly and there were 2 Bachelorette parties going on! Very fun atmosphere and we will definitely return when we're in the area.

I absolutely love the Saint Croix Vineyard! My family is part of their wine club and we stop by this location every 3-4 months to enjoy a glass of wine and pick up our new bottles. The staff is always so friendly and will explain their new selections or what they have on site for anyone who needs help ordering. The space is a little small in the winter, but during the summer months and select weekends they have more seating outside for people to enjoy. They also throw events throughout the summer! I especially love the grape stomp. I would definitely recommend stopping here on your way to Stillwater or if you are going on a wine tour!

Saint Croix Vineyards is a must! We had a glass of the Itasca (a dryer white) and the Marechal Foch (a dryer red) which were both really good. I had seen on the website that they give free tours occasionally so we got a tour of the vineyard from Paul (he was one of two men that started Saint Croix Vineyards). He was very knowledgeable and giving of his time on a Sunday afternoon. He took us through the entire production process of the wine and we got to see the behind the scenes. Definitely would recommend Saint Croix to any wine lovers out there!

Our pubpass brought us here to try Thor's Hard Cider but when I saw how lovely the area was and how much I enjoyed the hard cider, I wanted to also try a Minnesota wine. The staff in the store was very helpful. I indicated how much I liked the cider and she steered me toward the roses. I was able to taste a couple versions and, surprisingly to me, chose the fruitier over the dryer version. Beautiful area, of course, we were there on the most perfect late summer day which only added to the beauty. Can't wait to open my new bottle of wine.

Love to look for positive s especially on our very first visit to your lovely establishment. First, a beautiful setting on a spectacular day last weekend. Secondly, thank you for the kindness of the majority of your staff. The volunteerism also felt with local charity(ies) present; a nice feeling of community support here. Additional events offered worth a visit to check out the more you visit; the more you shall see. Why did we go for such a long drive to visit you? The nice combination of Winery and Apple Orchard is why. In my days of old touring European wineries we maya tour of this winery? Maybe.My children wanted to visit for "the tour of the winery" and enjoy these local wines by tasting. Perhaps we just missed it. Wine tasting- yes. Wine store- yes. Vineyard and tour- missed it. Perhaps we shall visit again to learn more. Yes, again, the total concept of community support visually noticed. Apple Orchard medium appreciation without a cup of coffee available to accompany a donut. It's a Pandemic thing perhaps? Willing to keep an open mind. The wine expert loudly informed me of the word "gris" as a blah blah blah blah.Patience and kindness goes a long way. For sure, the fact my circle in the world of Sommeliers as an understudy of The California School of Wines spanned over two decades. Surely understand a layman's knowledge of wine is shallow. Let's leave our knowledge aside to listen to our potential customers, that will pay huge dividend.

A great place for a Fall weekend excursion! But quite busy. They offer a wide range things in the same location, e.g. apple orchard, vineyard, wine, cider, apples, hotdogs, popcorns, children's playground, and pet friendly. A great place to visit whether you are coming with your family, friends, dates or just by yourself. They are so cool about letting visitors walking around their orchard and vineyard! I can appreciate my wine and cider more after walking around!!! Cider-wise, ginger frizz is my favorite. I did a wine flight - apple wine is similar to cider; rose is thick, more texture than being refreshing and crisp; Frontenac port has a strong raspberry taste. Frontenac Blanc is my favorite- memorable and good aroma even after a few sips!!!

Just the perfect spot after lifting a toddler into the trees for apples! We did 2 Minnesota wine tastings-we forgot to checkin and use the Yelp free testing offer. Lesson-always check into Yelp while exploring new adventures

St. Croix Vinyards saved our summer. We discovered this gem early on in the summer and by the send the secret was out. They do such an amazing job of setting up lots of tables all over their grounds. If they tables are taken you can bring your own blanket and chairs. I'd always assumed their wines were sweet, but they have some good dry ones as well. We fell in love with the Marquette and the Marquette Rose this summer. So awesome to be able to get a tasting, a glass, or a bottle. We often brought our own food but they also had snacks for purchase. The other major plus the was the playground equipment. We could sip our wine while the littles ran free. Our kids would often ask to go to the winery because of all the fun they had!It was also nice to have Thors Cider near by in case someone in the group wanted a cider instead of wine. I dont know if they are open in winter but we will find a way to keep supporting this amazing place!

Enjoyed the flights and brought some bottles home! Noah was helping us that day and gave us a cool over view of the new grapes he was working on, very fun and informative!