The Winery Vines & Rushes of Wisconsin

Discovering the wine region of Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a Midwestern state located on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Although wine making dates back to the mid-19th century, Wisconsin's wine industry is small and focuses primarily on cold-hardy Hybrid varieties developed specifically for the colder Climates of the Northern half of North America. Valiant, Edelweiss, La Crosse and Frontenac are among the most widely planted varieties in Wisconsin vineyards. Wisconsin covers 170,000 km², between latitudes 42°N and 47°N.

This puts it on par with many parts of the world. This puts it on par with many of France's most famous wine regions, but other climatic considerations come into play in Wisconsin's challenging Terroir, making viticulture much less commercially viable. The state's continental climate is prone to extremes, making most of its mesoclimates unsuitable for quality viticulture. Freezing winters threaten the survival of most vines, with the notable exception of some varieties of Vitis riparia.