Carlos Creek Winery

Came here on a Saturday around 4. there was a wedding going on but it didn’t interfere with our time. It was a beautiful day, perfect weather for October. There was beautiful seasonal décor. There was a gazebo outdoors with a small stage that a duo was singing and playing guitar. You could do a tasting for $ 7 or $ 8 and try 5 different wines, sweet, fruit, dry or specialty. We did that than bought 2 bottles of wine and some cheese and crackers (cheese trays were sold out) and we went and sat outside and listened to the band. It was lovely. I bought a tee shirt but I know for a fact that the wine is WAY cheaper at Total Wine stores. I would think that it would be cheaper at the actual winery. It was a fun trip for the weekend and I will definitely come back!

I love this Winery! It has live music and many fun events throughout the year, perfect for locals and tourists. Their big event of the year is the Grape Stomp, they have food vendors, Lucy look-​a-​like contest, and a chance for you to compete as a team to stomp grapes (pre-​registration is required). Their even starting a «Little Foot Stomp» competition for ages 10 – 16. This winery is open year-​round, I would highly recommended visiting at least once if you are ever in Alexandria, MN.

We came here for Grape Stomp festival on Saturday and stayed at the Hampton Inn. The shuttle bus came promptly at 9:15AM and dropped us off at 9:45AM. Unfortunately, the gate didn’t open until 10AM on the dot. There was a short line for the bus main entrance but the car parking entrance was much longer. So, I guess we lucked out and also we paid tickets online so line was shorter. Once inside, we toured the grounds for all the arts and craft booths. We finally stopped by the wine tasting barn but were told that wine tasting didn’t start until 11AM. So, we purchased our glass ahead of time and waited. A few minutes before 11AM, they started serving wine and was able try Peach Street, Raspberry, and Apple Blueberry. I personally liked their sweet wine and the rest were a bit dry or bitter. My favs were Peach Street and Apple Blueberry which we purchase a bottle each. Afterwards, we shared a eggroll on a stick and watched the grape stomping competition which was kinda fun. We were glad that we didn’t participate since it was pretty messy. Afterwards, I got my kettle corn and picked up our wine at the retail store. The bus stop wait was ridiculous since we got there early enough but the traffic was horrible. We waited close to an hour and the first bus told us to wait another 20 minutes for the next one. Afterwards, we got dropped off later at the hotel at around 1:30ish so didn’t get back home until 4:30PM. Ugghhh, I guess next time it would better if buses ran more frequently but next time, if we come again, then we will just bring the car. Otherwise, the event is pretty huge but we finished it in 2 hours. For a 2.5 hr drive from Twin Cities, I think we can skip next time and just visit the winery instead of this event. However, as wine goes, this one is better than others we have been to.

Fantastic and charming winery in Alexandria. A must do when in the area. Today they had beer! Now only if they got into craft beer! Hiya!

I have been back several times over the past few years, and love how it just keeps getting better and better. Great hosts, great wines and great music. You betcha blush, and music by Katie Ray today… Both are great

I grew up in Minnesota and only recently learned that my home state features a winery via a wedding invitation. While initially skeptical, I was pleasantly surprised by the caliber of the wines (turns out the U of M developed a type of grape that’s frost-​resistant) as well as the homeyness of the tasting room. Folks were walking around in cut-​offs, denims, and all manner of other casual wear, suggesting that there was no need to bother with one’s country club best out here.
I didn’t manage to try too many wines, but of the few I sampled, I highly recommend the Zinfandel. It’s a fruity red with a deep rich sweetness of plums. I’m more a beer girl, but I could sip that zin on the reg.
If you’re ever passing through or by Alexandria, I highly recommend making a pitstop at Carlos Creek to get a taste of the best that Minnesota’s frost-​resistant grapevines have to offer.

First class operation. Nice, clean, modern facility. Worth the trip. The wine is not excellent (much too sweet), but viewed as a destination, it is worthwhile.

Fun place to go on a rainy day when staying in the Alexandria area, however the wine is nothing special. It’s on par with other wine that you’ll find made in the Midwest, very sweet. They focus a lot on fruit type wines and such… not my favorite. They have a nice location with a descent sit down café and outdoor sitting area. Worth swinging in if you have the time.

Wines are actually really good, just realize that they are sweet wines due to the climate here. The winery is really fun and affordable!

I’m originally from the area so when I saw a Groupon pop up for Carlos Creek, I snatched it up and planned a trip home to visit the family (and taste some wine). Despite being born and raised nearby, I’d actually never been to Carlos Creek before so it was a fun experience for me.
The Groupon I bought was for two free wine tastings (regularly $ 6 for 5 samples), two glasses of wine, and two bottles of wine. We also went on a tour of their facility and got to keep the glasses we used during the tasting. A pretty good deal for $ 30!
Sure, it’s not the best wine I’ve ever had, but it was a great way to spend the afternoon and I did enjoy most of the wines. They were definitely more to my taste than my BF’s since I’m a much bigger fan of sweet wines. They also serve pizzas and paninis for those who want some sustenance with their wine.
If you’re in the area, check this place out! The area is beautiful (especially in the summer) and the atmosphere is casual and fun.

Carlos Creek is a great MN winery, that should be compared with other MN wineries. The names of the wines, the friendliness of the staff, the price of the tastings (5 for $ 5) and the yumminess of the food at the new «Minnesota Nice» restaurant inside the tasting room and gift shop exceeded my expectations. My only complaint is that i found the prices a bit steep.

Okay, so we all know it’s not Napa here, so let’s just get over that right now. We love this place & go every year because it’s a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. $ 5 gets you 5 tastings and you get to keep the glass. The grounds are beautiful, this place has a ton of charm and they always have good music. It’s a wonderful little gem in Alex that I recommend checking out, grabbing some Christmas gifts and catching an afternoon wine buzz.

A group of friends and I have been attending the September Carlos Creek Winery Grape Stomp for a number of years. The winery is charming, the grounds are beautiful, and the events (stomping, shopping, music) are a lot of fun. Personally, I am not a fan of the Carlos Creek wines, but I always enjoy the festivities of the weekend. I have sampled a number of the wines and have not yet found one that fits my tastes; however, one never knows what the future might hold.

I LOVE Carlos Creek Winery!
I’m from California and recently visited this winery. I have to say that I LOVED IT! The scenery is gorgeous and their wines are delicious! Their was live music, and a wedding going on that day which made it feel more magical.
Its hard to find young wines that taste that good! I fell in love with the white Marquette. I got try 5 other wines and this one is my FAV.
I plan to go back in July and you bet ya… I will visit again ;)

the place is beautiful as one reviewer puts it. We drove 2.5 hours on sunday march 18, 2012 and will definitly go back again. the Apple cranberry wine was very good. I only wish that they would of had food to eat with our wine. bottles were $ 15 -$ 20.

This place is beautiful. The wine tasting is not expensive at all — $ 5 per person: you get five tokens to try just about a wine per token and you get to keep the glass :) There’s a beautiful out-​door seating area where they often have live music. And in the summertime there are sweet little shops set up in the barn area.
If you’re in the area, and you enjoy wine, nature and/​or crafts be sure to check it out.

Minnesota is to wine-​making as California is to ice-​fishing, but here’s why I am a fan of Carlos Creek Winery:
1) Charming facility in the middle of Minnesota’s beautiful lake country
2) Some tasty sweet wines
3) A small row of craft vendors to wander thru
4) A chance for locals to explore and get introduced to wine and wine-​making, without traveling thousands of miles
Don’t expect Napa quality wine — I’ve been all over Napa, Sonoma, Santa Rita, and Mendoza, Argentina, and I’m here to tell you that if you are looking for that kind of wine, you’ll be disappointed.
Stick to the sweets like «Wobegon White», «Raspberry Road» or «Apple Strawberry» and you’ll be content and perhaps even pleasantly surprised.