Von Stiehl Winery - Algoma, Wisconsin

Wisconsin wine is a wonderful addition to any Thanksgiving feast. We recognize, however, that deciding which wine to serve can be difficult. Some guests will prefer white, some red, some rosé; some prefer hearty reds and sweet whites, some don't. As hosts, we wish to satisfy every palate.

There are two ways to approach this dilemma, as we see it.

Option 1. Empty your personal wine cellars, finding a bottle to suit every taste. There is nothing wrong with that. We may be told to pair turkey with white wine, but if Uncle Charlie prefers our Crimson Royale, by all means, let him have it.

Option 2. Slip away this weekend to sample a variety of wines at our Algoma Wisconsin winery, and pick the ones you think would best complement each course. Our pourers will be happy to offer advice, and may suggest you try the following wines: Cranberry Wine, which is made with holiday meals in mind; Oktoberfest, a blend of Vignoles, Gewurztraminer and Riesling grapes; Sparkling Muscat, perfect for celebratory toasts; and our brandy-fortified Cherry Kirsche and Framboise dessert wines, the perfect way to end a meal.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blustery fall weather has arrived, but that doesn't stop intrepid Midwesterners from having fun. Weekends are still a time for outdoor activity and recreation - hiking, biking, boating, sightseeing, wine tasting… anything goes.

This weekend, why not take a break from the city (Green Bay, Manitowoc) and head up to Door County to relax and unwind. When you do, stop by our Algoma Wisconsin Winery for wine tasting and a bottle or two of your favorite Wisconsin wine - it will make the weekend that much better.

Touring the Kewaunee Area Barn Quilts is a great way to spend a day. Inspired by a similar project in Iowa, the Kewaunee County Area Barn Quilt project highlights historically significant barns. 4-H and FFA students throughout Kewaunee County spoke with the property owners about their barns, and patterns and colors were selected. The youngsters created the quilts and hung them over the course of a year, and today there are 18 barn quilts in the region.

Our Algoma Winery tasting room is conveniently located in the midst of these beautifully adorned historic barns. On warm and sunny fall days, try a glass of refreshing Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc. If you need to hold on to your hat, stop by for a sip of our velvety Cabernet Sauvignon or our eminently drinkable Satin Red. The atmosphere of our tasting room is inviting and friendly - the perfect addition to a weekend getaway on the Door Peninsula.

Please visit Kewaunee County Area Barn Quilts for additional information.

This Wednesday, October 27, marks the last of the Music on the Farm series at the Agricultural Heritage Farm site, south of our Algoma Wisconsin winery. The Mark Jirikovec Band will take the state from 6 to 10 pm. In addition to cheerful music, there will be an assortment of fresh, tasty, food.

Music on the Farm is always sure to inspire even the most timid dancers to kick up their feet, and the evening with Mark Jirikovec and his orchestra will be no different. The band has been playing together for 25 years, and seamlessly interprets a wide variety of Bohemian, German, polkas, waltzes, and Big Band music, along with a little Rock & Roll.

Stop by our Algoma Wisconsin Winery on your way down to Music on the Farm. A little wine tasting is sure to help put you in a celebratory mood; and at the end of the evening - after four hours of dancing - you'll be ready to relax at home with a glass of your favorite Von Stiehl wine.

Members of our Wisconsin Winery Ladies of the Vine Club (or LOTV) are in for a treat. In addition to receiving free tours and discounts on gift merchandise and winery events, LOTV members are invited to several unique events each year. If you aren't yet a member of LOTV, don't despair. You become one when you sign up for a LOTV event at our historic Algoma Wisconsin Winery.

The next such event takes place on November 6, 2010. LOTV Untasted Spaces invites participants on a special tour of our wine cellars and winery buildings, old and new. We'll let you see our laboratory and computer room, and reveal more about the wine making process than we normally do. Look forward to chilling ghost stories and taste what few have tasted before - raw wine from our tanks and barrels.

We'll stop by the lovely old T. Charles Saloon, where participants will be treated to a special wine and cheese pairing while learning how this historic barroom will be restored and added to the new winery. We'll then move into the von Stiehl tasting room to finish the day with a pairing of wine and chocolate.

Participants of LOTV Untasted Spaces will be among the first to hear about our new "cuisine concerts", planned for the summer of 2011, and the Stiehl Ball. Are you intrigued yet?

This tour will be given on Saturday, November 5, at 11 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. For more details, please visit our Wisconsin Winery Events page.

To sign up, call 800-955-5208.

Photo: the old T. Charles Saloon.

Fall colors are at their peak at our Algoma Wisconsin winery and north of us in Door County. Now is the time to drop everything, hop in the car, and head to the Door County Peninsula. Use stored vacation time, call in sick, or bring your laptop and work from the road - in short, do what it takes. This won't last forever; in a week or two, the trees will be bare.

The first stop when heading to Door County should always be our Algoma Wisconsin winery. After all, no weekend in Door County is complete without Wisconsin wine. Chilly evenings call for our Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Select, while sunny fall days seem to demand our Chardonnay, full of the flavor of ripe apples.

This weekend - October 15 , 16, and 17, 2010 - is the 65th annual Fall Festival in Sister Bay, about fifty miles north of Algoma. The festival features a parade, a Classic Car Show, a fish boil, and arts and crafts. It takes place in town, along the coast of Green Bay. No festival in Wisconsin is complete without live music, so many bands will take the stage.

Once you've had your fill of the festival, head to one of the numerous orchards in the area for apple picking. Or enjoy a colorful bike ride along around the peninsula, up Green Bay and down the coast of Lake Michigan. Now that sounds like a perfect fall day.

In the heat of the summer, two things are essential. The first is access to a body of water, such as Lake Michigan, in which you can swim. The second is access to good wine, such as our Wisconsin Wine. Fortunately, both can be found in Algoma.

Crescent Beach is not far from the marina, in downtown Algoma. It's the kind of beach that invites lounging, shell collecting, and sand-castle building. All in all, it's a pleasant place to pass an afternoon - especially a warm afternoon. The cool waters of Lake Michigan will be irresistible.

The oldest winery in Wisconsin is not far from Crescent Beach. After a few hours in the sun, you'll be ready for the shade of our tasting room, where we will uncork just about any bottle you'd like to try (within reason, of course). After all, it behooves us to open our cellars to the public - you can't love us unless you know us.

Summer may be winding down (the start of school - death toll of summer vacation - is close at hand), but that's merely a reminder to make the most of it while you can. Algoma is only 45 minutes east of Green Bay. Stop here on your way to Door County, or make our Algoma Wisconsin winery your destination. Then you can toast the arrival of autumn in style.

Summer is wonderful. It means long, hot, days, and long, warm nights. It means beach parties, lake swimming, camping and boating. It's when we stay up late, get up early, and try to fit in as much as possible.

Summer just wouldn't be summer without our Wisconsin Riesling. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't like Riesling - even people who say they don't like wine (hard to believe, but they're out there) usually find they enjoy a glass of Riesling once they try it. It is the perfect Wisconsin wine for summer afternoons and evenings.

Each year, Algoma hosts a grand celebration of our Lake Michigan heritage with Shanty Days Celebration of the Lake. The 23rd Annual Shanty Days Celebration takes place August 13 - 15 on the festival grounds overlooking the Algoma Harbor - steps away from our Algoma Wisconsin Winery.

The fun actually starts on Thursday the 12th, the first day of the four-day long Shanty Days Fishing Tournament. All anglers are welcome. Bibliophiles will want to come early on Friday (8am) for the Friends of the Library annual book sale. But the actual celebration kicks off at the fairgrounds Friday afternoon, where there will be lots of great food, our Wisconsin Wine, live music, and a host of fun activities for people of all ages.

The Eclipse Gallery in Algoma celebrates its first anniversary on August 1, 2010, and we are so happy they are here. The Eclipse Gallery is a wonderful addition to the community of downtown Algoma. It specializes in contemporary art and handmade design, fine crafts and goods, supporting living artists and helping them find an audience for their work.

Now through September 26, 2919, The Eclipse Gallery is running a solo show of Andrew Linsken's recent work. The show is entitled Andrew Linsken: Abstract Intuitive Tessellation Illustrations and other 3D Explorations. Andrew Linsken hails from Green Bay, and we are hoping that folks from his home town will make the drive to Algoma to support him.

While in town for the exhibition, stop by our Algoma Wisconsin winery. Art and wine go together like paint and canvas. Well, maybe that's not quite right. but you get the picture. Before heading to the gallery, enjoy a little wine at our winery Wisconsin. After viewing the show, enjoy a taste of wine at Von Stiehl. Pick up a bottle or two to bring back home, where you can continue your discussion of the show.

Pictured above: from Andrew Linsken: Abstract Intuitive Tessellation Illustrations and other 3D Explorations.

The 28th Annual Kewaunee/Door Salmon Tournament is just around the corner, July 24 to August 1, 2010. Already, anglers are checking their gear and preparing themselves for the Midwest's most popular Chinook salmon fishing contest. The king fish will bring its angler $10,000. Now that's some fish!

The fish must be caught in Lake Michigan waters off Kewaunee or Door Counties. Weigh-in ports are at Algoma, Kewaunee, Sturgeon Bay, Baileys Harbor and Washington Island.

That's wonderful, you say, but what does all this have to do with Wisconsin wine? Everyone knows that wine is not what serious anglers drink when seriously angling.

Ah, but what about those the fishermen left behind?

Every angler leaves someone behind. There are many spouses and friends of anglers who are simply not interested in spending the day in pursuit of the biggest and best fish in the lake. For these souls, may we recommend waiting for your angler in the tasting room of our Algoma Wisconsin winery.

Remember, Algoma is a weigh-in station for the 28th Annual Kewaunee/Dorr Salmon Tournament. While your man (or woman) fishes, visit Algoma. Stop by our Algoma Wisconsin winery, tour our historic building, and taste until you find the perfect bottle to toast the biggest fish, or offer consolation for the one that got away. We have wines for every event, every occasion, every possibility.