Parallell 44's gold award winning wines

Wisconsin wineries continue to put our state on the winemaking map, highlighting vino made with hybridized cold-hardy grapes that are on par with global wine regions. Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery (N2185 Sleepy Hollow Rd., Kewaunee) was awarded “Winery of the Year” for 2022 at the International Cold Climate Wine Competition held this past spring in Minnesota.

Sponsored by the Minnesota Grape Growers Association, the competition is the only one exclusive to wines made from grapes designed to withstand the winters of the Upper Midwest, Northeast and parts of Canada. The Winery of the Year honor is awarded to the winery with the most medals in the competition. Parallel 44 also received Best of Show White and Best of Class La Crescent for its 2021 La Crescent.

In addition, they earned the Best of Class Red Blend for its 2021 Nouveau Rouge. Altogether, Parallel 44 received 15 medals. The sister winery, Door 44 (5464 County Rd. P, Sturgeon Bay), received five medals (gold medals for its 2021 Sparkler, 2020 Sparkler, 2020 White Frosting and 2020 Pink Door).

Contest criteria indicates that wines must contain 75% cold hardy grapes. Grape wines, fruit wines and specialty wines are judged in 13 categories. More that 325 wines were evaluated by a 19-judge panel consisting of wine writers, sommeliers and winemakers.

Since the mid-‘70s, the University of Minnesota has been a leader in pioneering cold-hardy grapes through its cold grape breeding program. Several cold-hardy grapes such as Brianna, La Crescent and Frontenac blanc (white grapes) and Marquette, Petite Pearl and Saint-Croix (red grapes) can hold up against everything an Upper Midwest winter throws in the way.

Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery was started in 2005 by the husband-and-wife team of Steve Johnson and Maria Milano. While growing up in Green Bay, Wis., Johnson’s father was a pioneer in experimenting with growing grapes in Wisconsin. Milano’s Italian-born father made wine for family celebrations. The name Parallel 44 comes from the winery being on the same latitude as the storied wine regions of Bordeaux, France and Tuscany, Italy.

The winery’s 35-acre estate includes more than 7,000 vines. Their cold-hardy grape vines can withstand minus 30-degree temperatures in the winter and still rebound in the summer. During the summer of 2013, the owners opened a sister winery, Door 44 Winery, just north of Sturgeon Bay and also located on the 44th latitude.

“The reason this (award) means a great deal to us is that this competition is focused solely on the new pioneering grape varietals and maverick winemaking styles that are making their presence known in the wine world,” says Johnson. He notes that from day one, his and Milano’s mission has been to grow and establish a world class wine region in a place no one ever expected—the Frozen Tundra of Wisconsin.

Curious to try wines made with cold hardy grapes? Head north up I-43 this Saturday, Sept. 17 from noon to 5 p.m. to check out Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery’s Wine Fall Fest. The event includes the release of a brand new wine, Cherish, along with wine for purchase by the glass, bottle or flight. There will be live music from Talk of the Town, and food from The Grateful Cheese food truck.

For more information about Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery and Door 44, visit 44wineries.com.

Grape harvesting at Parallel 44 Vineyard

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer who enjoys capturing the stories behind Milwaukee’s happening food, beverage and urban farming scenes. She also pens articles about holistic health, green living, sustainability and human-interest features.

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