In the News

We are beyond excited to share that SevenFifty Daily just featured us and our fellow local growers as part of the proposed Glacial Ridge AVA in west-central Minnesota! 🍇📜 So, why is an AVA designation such a big deal? Think of it like Champagne in France or Napa Valley in California. An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is an official, federally recognized designation that marks a region as a truly distinct winegrowing area. It signals to sommeliers, the wine industry, and wine lovers everywhere that our region has a unique climate, soil, and environment that produces exceptional wines you can't replicate anywhere else on Earth. It puts our local wine country firmly on the national map! 🍷✨ From cold-hardy favorites like Marquette and Frontenac to crisp whites like Itasca and La Crescent, this recognition proves what you’ve known all along—our region is crafting world-class, award-winning wines that deserve a spot on every wine lover’s table. Whether you’re planning your next girls’ weekend, enjoying patio season, or pouring a glass with friends, raise a glass with us as we celebrate this milestone for Midwest wine country! 🥂 Read the full national feature in SevenFifty Daily.

Rolling Forks Vineyards will serve as an official host location for the Bell Museum’s annual Statewide Star Party on Sept. 18, 2026. The free, public event combines night sky observation, hands-on science activities, and agritourism in Pope County, Minnesota. This year’s statewide theme highlights Ursa Minor, commonly known as the Little Dipper, which is Minnesota’s official state constellation. The program aims to connect rural communities with accessible astronomy education and local viticulture.

Rolling Forks Vineyards invites guests to experience one of the most exciting times of year at a Minnesota vineyard. From grapes coming in from the fields, to wine fermenting in the cellar, fall offers visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how Minnesota-grown grapes become wine.

MN Makers: Mother’s Day Gifts. Mother’s Day is just four days away, and if you’re still looking for the perfect gift, Michelle Sharp has some wonderful ideas, including Rolling Forks Vineyards award-winning wines. She’s the creator of Meet the Minnesota Makers, a platform dedicated to connecting people with small businesses and locally made products. Michelle joins us with makers from northwest of the Twin Cities to help you find something truly special for mom.

"“It’s a reminder that Minnesota’s unique climate and soils can create world-class wines, and we hope this honor encourages more people to share in our passion — whether at local restaurants, shops, or around their own tables,” Melanie Cihlar said." If you have a subscription click the link to Pioneer Press of click the link to the pdf to read the story!

While they have shelves full of awards, the Wine Enthusiast awards they received last year hold a lot of weight in helping them get noticed. A score of 96 for one of their white wines at a San Francisco, California, competition, where their wine was judged against others from around the world, was particularly impressive. A 96 score is considered a "superb" rating out of 100. Only a "classic" rating of 98 to 100 is higher in this blind taste testing platform. “If we’re pulling scores like that from our little winery here in Minnesota, that speaks a lot of volumes too for the quality that we're producing,” Melanie Cihlar said."