Minnesota Uncorked

08/22/2026

On my way to becoming a 🏆Blue Ribbon baker at Minnesota State Fair for lefse! 👩🏼‍🍳

☃️This is the earliest I’ve made lefse ever… my tradition is usually to wait for the first snow!

📝Lefse Recipe: https://www.minnesotauncorked.com/how-to-make-perfect-norwegian-lefse/

07/23/2026

Most wine drinkers who know Minnesota know Marquette. That's just the tip of the vine. 🍷

Our members are actively producing wine from at least eight distinct cold-hardy varieties, and each one tells a different story about where this industry is headed.

The reds anchor the map. Marquette (the University of Minnesota flagship) sits alongside Frontenac Noir, the original cold-hardy red that parented half the varieties on this list. Petite Pearl is the newer entrant, with softer tannins, dark cherry, and the toughness to survive winters that would kill vinifera outright.

The whites are where the range really opens up. La Crescent brings apricot and citrus. Itasca is the U of M's newest release, built for Chardonnay-style winemaking. Frontenac Gris produces both rosé and white. St. Pepin and Brianna round out the heritage and fruit-forward end.

Brickhaven Vineyard alone grows nine of these on a single property. That's not a novelty planting. That's a working portfolio.

So when someone asks what Minnesota wine tastes like, the honest answer is: which one? We have a full genetic landscape here, and it's still growing.

Which variety is showing up strongest in your cellar this season?

07/22/2026

427 wines. One champion. 🏆🍇

After judging the International Cold Climate Wine Competition for the fourth year, I'm more convinced than ever that cold climate wines deserve a place on every wine lover's radar.

This year's competition featured a record 427 wines from wineries across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Indiana, New York, and Maine—and the quality continues to reach new heights. From expressive hybrids like Marquette, Petite Pearl, La Crescent, and Itasca to outstanding sparkling, rosé, and fruit wines, the diversity is nothing short of incredible.

👉 Swipe right to see this year's top award winners, including the coveted Governor's Cup recipient.

📖 For my full coverage of the competition, tasting insights, and complete results, see the article linked in comments below.

Burr Vineyards Cannon River Winery Saint Croix Vineyards Forestedge Winery Dancing Dragonfly Winery Barrel Head Vineyard And Winery Country Heritage Winery & Vineyard Balanced Rock Winery Cedar Ridge Winery & Vineyard

09/09/2025

Whether you like a good deal hunt (rummage sale!) sweet or savory treats (bake sale) or discovering new trailblazers (women makers), or maybe just a cold beer (brewed with sustainable grains) - I've got you covered, Saturday September 20th from 11am-4pm at the Dame It! Women Makers Market by the Les Dames d'Escoffier Minnesota.

Not able to join? Make a donation! Funds raised empower women to grow in their fields of work and/or study in food, beverage and hospitality related fields through scholarships and grants.

Donate by Venmo: LesDamesMN
Or Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PHJWXVQJBYN26
The Minnesota Chapter of Les Dames is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit and your donation is tax deductible.

08/26/2025

The verdict is in: cold-climate wines are shining brighter than ever! 🌟

🥂 Cannon River Winery's Shimmer Sparkling Rosé takes home the Governor’s Cup and Best of Show Sparkling at the 2025 International Cold Climate Wine Competition!

🍇 21 expert judges
🍷 354 wines tasted
🌍 From MN, WI, SD, CO, IA, NE & Ontario

👏 Cheers to all the winners pushing the boundaries of what cold-climate wines can be!

👉 Full results: https://www.minnesotauncorked.com/2025-international-cold-climate-wine-competition-winners-announced/

2025 BESTS IN SHOW WINES
Best of Show Red
Crow River Winery Red Coyote – Minnesota 2023

Best of Show White
Carlos Creek Winery La Crescent – Minnesota 2024

Best of Show Rosé
Cellar 426 Winery & Cider Haus Summer Blush – Nebraska 2024

Best of Show Dessert
Dancing Dragonfly Winery Winery Hula – Wisconsin 2021

Best of Show Fruit
Balanced Rock Winery Rhuberry – Wisconsin

Best of Show Sparkling & Minnesota Governor’s Cup
Cannon River Winery Shimmer – Minnesota


2025 WINERIES OF THE YEAR - Both with 26 medal awarded wines:
44 Wines – Wisconsin
Ziegler Winery – Wisconsin

More award winners at the link here.🍾 Thanks to the Minnesota Wine and Grape Alliance and University of Minnesota Grape Breeding and Enology program for hosting this competition!

A Judge’s Perspective: Cold Climate Wines Better Than Ever It was an honor and a pleasure to return for the 4th year in a row as a judge at the 2025 International Cold Climate Wine Competition, held on August 20, 2025. This year, 21 expert judges gave their verdicts on 354 wines submitted from acr...

12/12/2024

The holidays wouldn’t be the same without a warm stack of lefse, would they? Whether you’re spreading it with butter and sugar, filling it with savory delights, or rolling it up with your own family flair, we all have a tradition for enjoying it!

I want to hear from you! What’s your favorite way to enjoy lefse? Do you have a cherished family recipe, a funny lefse-making story, or a unique twist you’ve added?

🍴Drop your traditions, tips, or photos in the comments - share the joy and roll up some holiday cheer!

I’ve rolled out hundreds of pounds of potatoes perfecting this lefse recipe over the last 20 years. One of my first jobs as a teenager was rolling lefse at a Scandinavian bakery. I’ve made just about every mistake — ahem, learned every trick in the book along the way since then. Follow this gu...

12/11/2024

Two, $250 grants are available to attend the 👩‍🌾 UMN Extension Women in Ag Network Conference in Waite Park, Minnesota on February 11, 2025.

Applications are due December 15 - check the link below to apply. Please tag anyone who may be interested!

Applications Accepted through December 15, 2024 for the February, 2025 Conference. Applicants will be notified in early January.

08/27/2024

Learn more about why hybrid grapes matter with So What Wine in this "Getting to Know Minnesota Marquette" class hosted by Allison Sheardy, DipWSET, on Wednesday, September 11th!

https://www.minnesotauncorked.com/why-hybrid-grapes-matter/

Hosted at You&MeCafe in Stillwater, MN.

Contributed by Ashley Hausman, Master of Wine and owner of So What Wine, a wine shop inStillwater, Minnesota specializing in wines of purpose. At So What, we get warm and fuzzy promoting all the ways a tiny corner of the industry is working to rethink farming, winemaking, and social structures using...