Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard

What Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard does

Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard is a privately-held, veteran-owned, family-operated farm winery located at 8950 Dodd Rd in Kilkenny, Minnesota, approximately 30 miles south of the metro area. The business operates on roughly 3 acres of estate vineyards growing cold-hardy Minnesota grape varieties (Marquette, Itasca, and Frontenac) and produces all wines on-site in the same building as its tasting room, with a portfolio that has expanded from 5 wines at opening in May 2019 to over a dozen wines. The winery has earned multiple Double-Gold medals, Gold medals, and a Best of Show in Red Wines award at international competitions, and was named a Minnesota's Best 2026 Winner (upgrading from a 2025 Bronze).

The business generates revenue across seven streams: on-site tasting room sales (glasses, bottles, flights, 1 oz tastings, food), off-sale bottle purchases (with 5%/10% quantity discounts), the three-tier Cellar Gang wine club (quarterly subscriptions delivering 4/6/12 bottles at 10/15/20% discounts with a 1-year minimum), wholesale distribution to over 20 Minnesota liquor retailers (Hy-Vee, Apollo, MGM, Lakeville), on-premise pours at local restaurants, direct-to-consumer shipping to 40 states via Vinoshipper, and hourly private event rentals of the tasting room and outdoor pavilion (capacity up to 60 indoor / 80 outdoor). Supporting offerings include a food menu, non-Vintage-Escape alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, gift cards, and line extensions such as Military Wine Labels and Aidans Light.

Distribution and go-to-market are hybrid: direct-to-consumer via the tasting room and website, recurring via the wine club, wholesale through Minnesota retail and food-service partners, and e-commerce through Vinoshipper. Marketing relies on Facebook, Instagram, an email newsletter, and weekend live music events. The company is structured as an LLC, founded in 2017 (with property purchased in 2015 and commercial operations beginning May 2019), with no external investors, no parent company, and 1-10 employees.

Name

Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard

Legal name

Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard, LLC

Website

https://vintageescapeswinery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard is a veteran-owned, family-operated Minnesota farm winery producing award-winning cold-climate wines from estate-grown Marquette, Itasca, and Frontenac grapes, selling direct via tasting room, three-tier wine club, 20+ Minnesota retail accounts, restaurant pours, and 40-state shipping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Winery & Vineyard

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vineyard Establishment & Development (Site Prep, Trellising, Planting) (AFAGAJAA), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAB)

Keywords

• Cold-climate wines
• Estate winery
• Wine club subscription
• Tasting room experiences
• Farm winery production

Headquarters

HQ city

Kilkenny

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. On-site Tasting Room Sales: Direct wine sales at the tasting room including wine by the glass, bottle (on-sale for on-premises consumption), wine flights (3 wines of choosing, 2 oz pours), and individual 1 oz tastings. Food items including melts, flatbreads, shareables, and desserts also sold.
2. Wine Club Subscriptions: Quarterly wine club membership with three tiers (Cru Gang, Grand Cru Gang, Premier Cru Gang) providing recurring quarterly wine deliveries with tiered discounts. Requires 1-year minimum commitment with $50 cancellation fee.
3. Retail Wine Sales: Wholesale distribution of wines to liquor stores throughout Minnesota. Products available at over 20 retail locations including Hy-Vee, Apollo Liquor, MGM Wine & Spirits, and Lakeville Liquors.
4. Restaurant/Bar Sales: Wines served at local restaurants and bars including The Depot Bar & Grill in Faribault, Paradise Center for the Arts, and Pizzeria 201 in Montgomery.
5. Private Event Rentals: Hourly rental of winery property for corporate events and private parties. Pricing varies by season and day of week. Includes bartender service and requires minimum bar tab of $250.
6. Online Wine Shipping: Direct-to-consumer wine shipping to 40 states through Vinoshipper online platform. Shipping charges determined by third-party carrier based on bottle count and destination.
7. Off-Sale Bottle Sales: Wine bottles available for purchase to take home (off-sale) with quantity discounts: 5% off for 6-11 bottles, 10% off for 12+ bottles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard is a veteran-owned, family-operated Minnesota farm winery that grows and produces estate wines on-site from cold-climate grape varieties (Marquette, Itasca, Frontenac). The company sells these award-winning wines by the glass, bottle, and flight at its Kilkenny tasting room, distributes them through a three-tier wine club subscription and 20+ regional liquor stores, and offers a food menu and private event venue rentals. Online shipping to 40 states is fulfilled through the Vinoshipper platform.

Product overview

Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard is a veteran-owned, family-operated Minnesota farm winery offering a portfolio of award-winning wines crafted on-site alongside food service, private event rentals, and a wine club membership. The core offering centers on its wines—produced from cold-climate grapes grown on approximately 3 acres of estate vineyards (Marquette, Itasca, Frontenac) plus sourced fruit—available by the glass, bottle, or flight at the tasting room and for off-sale purchase. The Cellar Gang wine club provides three membership tiers with quarterly wine deliveries and escalating discounts. Supporting offerings include food service (handheld melts, flatbreads, desserts), other alcoholic beverages (bourbon, whiskey, beer, cider), non-alcoholic options, gift cards, wine shipping via Vinoshipper, and private event rental of the tasting room and outdoor pavilion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vintage Escapes Wine Award-winning estate wines crafted on-site from cold-climate Minnesota grapes (Marquette, Itasca, Frontenac) and select vitis vinifera varietals, including red, white, and fruit wines with reds requiring 12+ months to mature. Sold by glass, bottle, and flight at the tasting room and off-sale for take-home, distributed to liquor stores, and shipped to 40 states.
• Cellar Gang Wine Club Three-tier quarterly wine membership: Cru Gang (4 bottles/quarter at 10% off), Grand Cru Gang (6 bottles/quarter at 15% off), and Premier Cru Gang (12 bottles/quarter at 20% off). Includes member-only perks such as complimentary flight coupons, tasting room and merchandise discounts, and exclusive access to low-supply wines and pick-up parties.
• Wine Flights Guided tastings featuring 3 wines of the customer's choosing in 2 oz pours each, providing an introductory sampling of the winery's portfolio.
• Wine by the Glass and Bottle Wine served by the glass or bottle for on-premises consumption at the tasting room, patio, deck, or outdoor pavilion; bottles also sold off-sale with quantity discounts (5% off 6-11 bottles, 10% off 12+ bottles).
• Wine Cocktails

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple Double-Gold medals and Gold medals at international wine competitions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hy-Vee Wine & SpiritscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHy-Vee Wine & Spirits locations in Faribault, Rochester, and Owatonna serve as retail distribution points for Vintage Escapes wines, making products available to Hy-Vee customers in these markets.
• Apollo LiquorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple Apollo Liquor locations in Rochester (North, Crossroads, and South) serve as retail distribution points for Vintage Escapes wines.
• MGM Wine & SpiritscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMGM Wine & Spirits locations in St. Peter, Mankato, and Dundas serve as retail distribution points for Vintage Escapes wines.
• Lakeville LiquorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple Lakeville Liquors locations (Keokuk Ave, Heritage Drive, Galaxie Ave) serve as retail distribution points for Vintage Escapes wines in the Lakeville market.
• VinoshippercoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party e-commerce platform enabling online wine sales and shipping to 40 states. Handles payment processing, inventory management, and shipping logistics for direct-to-consumer wine orders.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Falconer Vineyards: Minnesota cold-climate winery producing wines from locally grown grapes. Comparable in regional cold-climate viticulture niche and small-batch estate production.
• Alexis Bailly Vineyard: Minnesota's oldest winery, producing cold-climate wines from estate vineyards. Comparable in cold-climate grape specialization and small family-operated DTC model.
• Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery: Wisconsin cold-climate winery specializing in hardy grape varieties grown near the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. Comparable in cold-climate viticulture focus and DTC tasting room model.
• Carlos Creek Winery: Minnesota farm winery with on-site tasting room, multiple event venue spaces, and broad wine portfolio. Highly comparable as a small Minnesota winery pursuing a DTC + events + wholesale hybrid model.
• Morgan Creek Vineyards: Minnesota farm winery with vineyard, tasting room, and event hosting. Comparable as a small Minnesota estate winery with a multi-channel revenue model.
• Cannon River Winery: Minnesota farm winery with tasting room, event hosting, and locally produced wines. Comparable in scale, geography, and DTC-led go-to-market model.
• Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery: Minnesota winery and event venue combining estate winemaking with weddings and corporate events. Comparable as a small Midwest winery with tasting room and private event rentals.
• Saint Croix Vineyards: Minnesota cold-climate winery growing and producing wines from cold-hardy grape varieties. Comparable as a Midwest estate winery specializing in cold-climate viticulture.

Regional players

• Cellar 426 Winery: Nebraska cold-climate winery specializing in hardy grape varieties. Comparable in cold-climate viticulture focus though operating in a different Midwest geography.

Broad incumbents

• Wollersheim Winery: Larger Wisconsin estate winery with on-site tasting room, retail distribution, and broad varietal portfolio. Comparable as a regional cold-climate winery but at greater scale and broader market reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vintageescapeswinery
• Instagraminstagram.com/vintageescapes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Vintage Escapes Winery & Vineyard