Saint Croix Vineyards

What Saint Croix Vineyards does

Saint Croix Vineyards is a privately-held, family-owned winery founded in 1992 in Stillwater, Minnesota, by Paul Quast and Peter Hemstad, making it the state's oldest continuously-owned winery. It cultivates cold-hardy grape varieties — primarily developed by the University of Minnesota, including Frontenac, Marquette, Frontenac Gris, Frontenac Blanc, La Crescent, and Itasca — on a 4-acre, 1,600-vine estate, with additional grapes sourced from Minnesota, California, New York's Finger Lakes, and Washington. All wine is produced and bottled on-site, including signature products such as Frontenac Port (the first U.S.-produced Frontenac Port, aged 7+ years in oak) and barrel-fermented Itasca and Marquette Reserves. The portfolio has accumulated 50+ industry awards across major competitions including the International Cold Climate Wine Competition and San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

The company operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and wholesale business model. Direct channels include a year-round on-site tasting room in a refurbished century-old barn (open daily, offering wine by the glass at $7-$12 and flights at $15-$20), a Wine Club with three subscription tiers (4, 6, or 12 bottles quarterly at 15-20% member discounts), an e-commerce shop via Vinoshipper shipping to 39 states, private tour and tasting experiences at $25 per person, and gift cards through Clover. Wholesale distribution reaches liquor stores and restaurants across the greater Twin Cities, with additional presence at the Minnesota State Fair and Haskell's Boat Cruises. A dense calendar of recurring events (Live Music Saturdays, Yoga in the Vines, Wine Meets Art Festival, Grape Stomp, Wine and Canvas painting parties) drives traffic and supports family and group visitor segments.

Name

Saint Croix Vineyards

Legal name

Saint Croix Vineyards

Website

https://scvwines.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saint Croix Vineyards is a privately-held Minnesota winery founded in 1992 that produces and sells award-winning cold-climate wines via its on-site tasting room, Wine Club subscriptions, e-commerce shipping to 39 states, and Twin Cities wholesale distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winery / Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

Keywords

• Estate wine production
• Cold-climate winemaking
• Wine club subscriptions
• Tasting room experiences
• Wholesale wine distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Stillwater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales (Direct): Direct wine sales through the on-site tasting room. Customers purchase glasses ($7-$12), flights ($15-$20), and bottles for takeaway. Additional sales of wine slushies and other beverages. Tasting room open daily 10am-6pm.
2. Online Wine Shop: Wine sold through Vinoshipper online platform. Ships to 39 states. Offers bottle purchases with pricing from $12-$40 per bottle depending on wine type and size.
3. Wine Club Membership: Quarterly subscription model delivering 4, 6, or 12 bottles of winemaker-selected wines to members. Provides recurring revenue with automatic renewal. Members receive 15-20% discounts, free tastings, exclusive wines, and invitations to Wine Club parties.
4. Private Events & Tours: Revenue from Private Tour & Tasting packages ($25/person for groups up to 30) and evening tasting room rentals for corporate events and parties. Reservations required at least 1 week in advance.
5. Food & Merchandise Sales: Sales of branded merchandise (clothing, wine accessories), food items (cheese, crackers, chocolates), and non-alcoholic beverages. Family-friendly venue sells picnicking provisions and souvenirs.
6. Wholesale Distribution: Wine distributed to liquor stores and restaurants throughout the greater Twin Cities area. Also sold at local events and festivals including Minnesota State Fair.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Saint Croix Vineyards manufactures and bottles award-winning wines in-house from cold-hardy University of Minnesota grape varieties (Marquette, Frontenac, Frontenac Gris, Frontenac Blanc, La Crescent, Itasca) and estate-grown Marechal Foch. The winery sells these wines directly to consumers through an on-site tasting room, an online shop shipping to 39 states, and a tiered Wine Club with quarterly shipments, and distributes wholesale to liquor stores and restaurants in the greater Twin Cities area.

Product overview

Saint Croix Vineyards is Minnesota's oldest continuously-owned winery offering a diverse portfolio of award-winning wines produced entirely in-house from locally-grown and estate-grown grapes. The product portfolio centers on cold-climate grape varieties developed by the University of Minnesota including Frontenac, Marquette, Frontenac Gris, Frontenac Blanc, La Crescent, and Itasca, complemented by wines made from sourced grapes (Vignoles, Seyval, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon from California and New York). The winery operates three sales channels: direct-to-consumer through the Tasting Room and Online Shop (Vinoshipper), wholesale distribution to liquor stores and restaurants, and Wine Club membership with quarterly shipments. Supporting services include Private Tour & Tasting experiences, free Saturday tours, various events and festivals (Wine Meets Art, Yoga in the Vines, Live Music Saturdays), and gift cards. The company also grows experimental grape varieties for the University of Minnesota on its 4-acre vineyard.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Frontenac

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ years of continuous operation as Minnesota's oldest winery
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aamodt's Apple FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Co-located on the same property. Chris Aamodt's family apple farm provides the land and rustic barn where Saint Croix Vineyards operates. Shared grounds allow visitors to enjoy both the winery and orchard. This partnership enabled the founding of Minnesota's oldest continuously-operated winery in 1992.
• The Zephyr TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor theater performances held at Saint Croix Vineyards, including productions like The Hobbit. The partnership brings cultural events to the winery venue and attracts new audiences interested in theater and wine.
• Live Your Truth YogaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYoga instructor Sarah Cherry (ERYT-500, Live Your Truth Yoga Founder) leads 'Yoga in the Vines' sessions at the vineyard. Weekly 60-minute Vinyasa flow classes held Sundays, creating wellness-focused programming that attracts health-conscious customers.
• Wine and CanvasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative painting parties held at the winery. Wine and Canvas brings local artists who instruct customers step-by-step to create paintings while enjoying SCV wines. Creates a creative, social experience combining art and wine.
• Get Knit EventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine Slushy Tour regional event series. Saint Croix Vineyards is one stop on a multi-winery tour showcasing wine slushies across the St. Croix River Valley. Brings new customers to the vineyard as part of a curated regional wine tourism experience.
• Asian Invasion Food TruckminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood truck vendor featured at Wine Meets Art Festival and other events. Provides Asian cuisine options for festival attendees, enhancing the overall event experience and attracting diverse food preferences.
• Eichten's CheeseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal artisan cheese producer whose products are sold in the tasting room as pairings with wines. Supports local producers and enhances the food and wine pairing experience offered to visitors.
• McDonald's MeatsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal meat producer whose beef sticks and sausages are sold in the tasting room. Provides savory food options for picnickers and wine tasters, supporting local agriculture and enhancing the visitor experience.
• Knoke's ChocolatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chocolate producer whose products are sold in the tasting room. Desserts complement wine tasting and create gift-giving opportunities for visitors.
• Haskell's Boat CruisesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWine served aboard Haskell's Boat Cruises, providingSCV wines to cruise passengers. Expands brand presence beyond the winery and reaches customers in a unique hospitality setting.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Crimson Wine Group: Public wine company owning multiple premium winery estates across the U.S. Comparable as a multi-channel wine producer with DTC tasting room and wholesale distribution, though at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Trinchero Family Estates: Major U.S. wine producer (Sutter Home, Ménage à Trois) with broad wholesale and DTC presence. Relevant as a wholesale competitor in the U.S. wine market against which SCV's Twin Cities distribution competes for shelf space.

Direct peers

• Carlos Creek Winery: Minnesota-based winery producing cold-climate wines and operating a tasting room, events venue, and DTC channels. Most directly comparable regional peer operating in the same Minnesota cold-climate wine category with a similar tourism-driven DTC model.
• Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery: Wisconsin-based cold-climate winery growing Frontenac, Marquette, La Crescent and other Northern varieties. Comparable cold-climate winemaker with tasting room and DTC channels operating in the same Upper Midwest cold-climate category.
• Wollersheim Winery: Historic Wisconsin winery producing estate wines including cold-climate varieties with a destination tasting room experience and events. Comparable mid-sized Midwest winery with strong DTC, tourism, and award recognition.
• Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery: Minnesota winery producing estate wines and offering tasting room experiences and events. Comparable as a Minnesota cold-climate producer with a similar DTC tasting room and events business model.

Others

• VineSpring: DTC wine e-commerce platform used by small and mid-sized wineries. Comparable as a sales channel/infrastructure provider similar to Vinoshipper (SCV's current platform) that could represent a future tech or distribution partnership opportunity.
• Finger Lakes Wine Alliance: Industry alliance representing Finger Lakes region wineries. Comparable as a cold-climate region wine cluster where SCV could seek to position Minnesota wines in broader national cold-climate wine marketing.
• Aamodt's Apple Farm: Co-located partner apple farm that shares grounds and supports the destination tourism experience. Notable as the existing strategic partner that provides land and the historic 1880s barn that houses SCV's tasting room.
• University of Minnesota Grape Breeding Program: Institution that developed the cold-hardy grape varieties (Frontenac, Marquette, La Crescent, Itasca) on which SCV's portfolio is built. Comparable as the upstream R&D partner whose variety releases directly enable SCV's product innovation pipeline.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/saintcroixvineyards
• Instagraminstagram.com/saintcroixvineyards
• TikToktiktok.com/@saint.croix.viney
• Xx.com/scv_wines

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saint Croix Vineyards