Wineries of Wisconsin and Minnesota

Book excerpt: Wine. The word calls to mind vineyards descending stark Spanish hills, vats lining Tuscan villages, fashionable singles crowding California tasting rooms. But anyone who hikes or bikes back roads in the Upper Midwest sees grapevines twining over fence posts and twisting up trees. Smooth, delicious wines are made from those grapes, and from the wild berries and cultivated fruits grown in the region. Wineries of Wisconsin and Minnesota is a user-friendly guide to fifty-five wineries, ranging from small family-farm operations to the largest, best-known wine producers. The book's centerpiece is a series of thirteen "wine trails" that paints a picture of each winery's setting and unique flavor and includes detailed information and maps for visiting the wineries. Author and wine expert Patricia Monaghan explores the colorful history of Wisconsin and Minnesota wines, including the geology and climate of the region; the history of Upper Midwest grape growing; the heritage of country wines; and the major wine regions in the area. Delightful sidebars feature tidbits of wine information, from recommended pairings of food and wine to unusual local wine lore. Patricia Monaghan , a member of the interdisciplinary faculty at DePaul University in Chicago, is the author of more than a dozen books. She and her husband grow northern grapes on their land in Black Earth, Wisconsin.