WISCONSIN DELLS: An Under-the-Radar Wine Destination

Although Wisconsin Dells is well-known as “The Waterpark Capital of the World!” it has not typically been considered a wine destination – but that is quickly changing. Thanks to the development of new, cold-hardy grape varietals and increased public interest in regional, artisanal wineries, the greater Wisconsin Dells area has seen an explosion in wineries – and wine-loving visitors – in the past decade.

In many ways this isn't surprising. The area's dramatic landscape – dominated by hilly, unglaciated valleys and dramatic sandstone bluffs – forms an ideal backdrop for wineries, while scientific advancements have made grape cultivation more feasible in the chilly Upper Midwest climate. History is also a factor, as the Wisconsin Dells area is home to one of the nation's oldest wineries, Wollersheim Winery and Distillery, and adjacent to the state's first American Viticultural Area (AVA), the Lake Wisconsin AVA. Additionally, the development of other adult-oriented attractions, such as golf courses, spas and fine dining restaurants, has helped the region diversify its visitor base to include more older and non-family travelers.

Below is an overview of the seven family owned wineries in the Wisconsin Dells area.

Balanced Rock Winery

Located at the doorstep to Devil's Lake State Park, this picturesque winery is owned by Matt and Kristin Boegner. Balanced Rock's vineyard grows cold-hardy grape varietals including St. Pepin, Frontenac, Petite Pearl, and Marquette. The winery's modern industrial design features a spacious bar and tasting area with unobstructed views of the rolling hillside. Balanced Rock offers tastings daily, live music performances May through September, and food offerings including flatbread and charcuterie boards. There is even an onsite golf driving range!

Baraboo Bluff Winery

Less than 10 miles to the west, Baraboo Bluff Winery situated high on the northwest range of the Baraboo bluffs. Established by Fred and Jill Quandt in 2015, this winery quickly made a name for itself with wines made with cold hardy grapes grown on their scenic hillside vineyard. The couple encourages picnics and strolls through the grape vines, and they welcome pets too. Fall tastings are available Thursday through Monday.

Broken Bottle Winery

The family behind Baraboo Bluff Winery opened Broken Bottle Winery in 2019. This sister winery is notable for its two 28-foot tasting bars, spacious outdoor seating, and rustic small-town aesthetic. All their wines are hand-crafted and bottled on site. This pet-friendly destination also offers pizzas and charcuterie boards and live music on the weekends.

Fawn Creek Winery

Opened in 2011in the Dell Prairie forest just north of Wisconsin Dells, Fawn Creek boasts six tasting bars spread out over three buildings and three decks serving sweeter grape wines. They offer live music all year long, with their outdoor bandshell having won numerous local music venue awards. Their winter music venue, an enclosed heated pavilion, is also available for group events.

Prairie Hawk Winery

This seasonal winery, open Thursday-Sunday through October, features grape and fruit wines, and wine slushies, as well as mead and hard cider made with Wisconsin-grown apples. They also offer live music during the summer.

Sognefjord Winery

Named after the majestic Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in Norway, this winery honors the legacy of the Myklebust family. After serving in WWII, Paal Myklebust immigrated from Hermansverk, Norway, and eventually settled on a farm in Baraboo with his wife, Ragnhild, a Wisconsin Dells native with her own family roots in Norway.

Now, Paal and Ragnhild's granddaughters are turning that legacy into something new — a welcoming winery where community, heritage, and handcrafted wines come together. New this winter, visitors to the Sognefjord Winery can rent private, heated igloos complete with food service, Bluetooth speakers, and fleece blankets!

Wollersheim Winery & Distillery

Established in the 1840s by Hungarian nobleman Agoston Haraszthy (who later helped found the California winemaking industry) Wollersheim is Wisconsin's largest winery. It is also the state's oldest winery and is thought to be the second oldest in the U.S., after the Brotherhood Winery in upstate New York. Today, Wollersheim Winery & Distillery is run by its longtime head winemaker Phillipe Coquard and his wife, Julie (Wollersheim) Coquard.

Wollersheim's spectacular hillside winery/distillery complex overlooks the Wisconsin River valley. Its vineyard specializes in cold-hardy French-American and American hybrid grapes, including red varieties like Maréchal Foch, Léon Millot, and Marquette, and whites such as St. Pepin, La Crosse, and Brianna, plus cold-climate hybrids like Frontenac and Petite Pearl. From these, Wollersheim produces a variety of estate wines, brandies, spirits, and ice wine. It has won numerous national awards, including Double Gold at the 2025 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and Silver at the 2024 San Francisco International Wine Competition (both for Prairie Fume).

The Wollersheim Winery & Distillery campus, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, also features a bistro serving locally sourced fare, as well as a scenic outdoor tasting patio. It hosts regular tours and frequent special events.

More information on wineries in the Wisconsin Dells area can be found at www.wisdells.com.

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Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau

Wisconsin Dells, WI · (608) 254-8088 · wisdells.com