Most people driving through Southwest Minnesota see a lot of corn. Maybe some soybeans. It’s flat, it’s rhythmic, and it’s predictably rural. But then you hit the outskirts of a tiny town of about 400 people and suddenly, there’s a vineyard. It feels out of place, honestly. But Round Lake Winery in Round Lake MN isn't just a fluke of agriculture; it's become a massive destination that defies the logic of its "middle of nowhere" coordinates.
You’ve probably heard of Minnesota wines being overly sweet or "foxy" because of the cold-hardy grapes we have to grow here. That’s a fair critique for a lot of places. But what Scott and Ellen Ellenbecker built starting back in 2007 changed that narrative for the region. They didn't just plant a few vines and hope for the best. They built a 30,000-square-foot facility that looks more like something you'd find in Napa or the Finger Lakes than a town where the main landmark is a water tower. It’s big. It’s ambitious. And it’s surprisingly sophisticated.
The Reality of Cold-Climate Viticulture at Round Lake Winery
Let’s talk about the grapes. You aren't getting a Cabernet Sauvignon here. The Minnesota dirt and the brutal winters would kill those vines in a single January week. Instead, Round Lake Winery leans hard into University of Minnesota hybrids. We’re talking Frontenac, Marquette, and La Crescent.
Marquette is the rockstar here. It’s a cousin of Pinot Noir, and when done right, it has this incredible ruby color and notes of cherry and black pepper. At Round Lake, they don't try to make it something it isn't. They embrace the acidity. That's the secret. If you try to over-sweeten a cold-climate grape to hide the acid, you get syrup. If you balance it with proper oak aging, you get a complex red that actually stands up to a steak.
The vineyard itself spans about 30 acres. It’s a lot of work. Think about the pruning. Think about the birds. They use bird netting that covers miles of rows because, apparently, Minnesota robins have very expensive taste in fermented fruit.
Why the Location Matters (Even if it’s Remote)
Round Lake is located right near the Iowa border. It’s about 30 miles from the Iowa Great Lakes (Okoboji). This is strategic. While the winery feels isolated, it draws a massive crowd from the summer lake people who are tired of cheap beer and want a glass of Giddy Up (their popular red blend) on a patio.
The "vibe" is basically rustic-chic. You walk into the tasting room and the ceilings are high, the wood is dark, and the windows look right out over the water. It’s peaceful. You can sit there with a flight and actually forget you’re in a town where the population is smaller than a suburban high school.
More Than Just a Tasting Room: The Bistro and Events
You can’t just drink wine on an empty stomach. Well, you can, but it’s a bad idea. The Bistro at Round Lake Winery is a legitimate restaurant. It’s not just crackers and cheese. We're talking about duck wontons, walleye cakes, and prime rib specials.
The food is surprisingly high-end for the area. They use a lot of local ingredients, which sounds like a marketing cliché, but in a farming community, it’s just how things are done. If you go, get the flatbreads. They’re thin, crispy, and honestly better than most "artisan" pizzas you'll find in the Twin Cities.
- Weddings: This place is a marriage factory. Not in a bad way, but they have the logistics down to a science. They have a dedicated event space called the Cellar View that can hold 300 people.
- The Patio: In the summer, this is the place to be. They have live music, fire pits, and enough space that you don't feel like you're sitting in your neighbor's lap.
- The Market: They sell more than wine. You’ll find local honey, kitchen gadgets, and those "Live, Laugh, Love" signs that every winery is legally required to carry.
What Most People Get Wrong About Minnesota Wine
There’s this snobbery in the wine world. If it’s not from France or California, it’s "juice." That’s a mistake. The wines at Round Lake Winery in Round Lake MN have won international awards. They’ve competed in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and come home with gold and silver medals.
The challenge is the sugar. Cold-climate grapes are naturally high in sugar and high in acid. A bad winemaker makes a "sugar bomb." A good one, like the team at Round Lake, knows how to use cold stabilization and specific yeast strains to manage that profile. Their Brianna—a white grape—is a perfect example. It smells like tropical fruit—pineapple and mango—but finishes clean. It’s weird to smell the tropics while looking at a Minnesota cornfield, but it works.
It's also about the experience. You aren't just buying a bottle; you're supporting a family-owned business that gambled on the idea that people would drive two hours into the country for a decent glass of white wine.
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The Logistics: Planning Your Trip
If you’re coming from Minneapolis, it’s about a two-and-a-half-hour trek down I-35 and Hwy 60. From Sioux Falls, it’s a breeze—barely an hour.
- Check the calendar before you go. They do "Wine and Canvas" nights, live concerts, and holiday markets.
- Book a reservation for the Bistro if it’s a Saturday. It gets packed.
- Try the slushies. I know, I know. Serious wine drinkers hate slushies. But on a 90-degree July day in Nobles County, a peach wine slushie is better than a room-temperature Merlot.
Don't expect a quiet, sleepy cellar. Expect a bustling, high-energy venue. It’s loud, it’s fun, and it’s very "Minnesota nice."
Actionable Insights for Your Visit
To get the most out of your trip to Round Lake, don't just show up and grab a table. Start with a guided tasting. It’s cheap, and it’s the only way to figure out if you actually like Frontenac Gris (most people do, it's very approachable).
If you're staying overnight, look at rentals in Okoboji or Worthington. There aren't many hotels in Round Lake itself. It’s a day-trip destination for most, but making it a weekend allows you to hit the other stops on the "Western Minnesota Wine Trail."
Finally, buy a bottle of the Skinnylegs. It’s their signature sweet white, and even if you think you’re a "dry only" drinker, it’s the perfect bottle to bring to a backyard BBQ. It’s a crowd-pleaser that explains exactly why this winery survived the early years.
Round Lake Winery proved that the prairie is capable of more than just commodity crops. It’s a legitimate piece of Minnesota’s culinary identity. Whether you’re a serious oenophile or just someone who wants a nice lunch with a view, it delivers. Go for the wine, stay for the sunset over the vines, and leave with a case of something you can't find at the grocery store.
The best way to experience the scale of the operation is to walk the vineyard rows before your meal. It puts the glass of wine in your hand into perspective when you see the gnarled trunks of the vines that survived a -30 degree winter just to produce that fruit. It's a miracle of science and stubbornness, which is basically the definition of Minnesota.