Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery

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My husband and I became fans of visiting wineries (and cideries) while we lived in Virginia last summer…so this past weekend we were thrilled to find a lovely winery near us here in Minnesota! Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery is located near St. Peter, MN, and is just minutes from Hwy 169, for you local folks! 🙂

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I first heard of the Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery on a highway billboard, actually!  Bjorn and I found ourselves with a couple extra hours in the area, and the weather was just so fall-crisp and golden-bright, so we decided to spend our time at this cold-climate winery, tasting wines and wandering the grounds. We really loved our afternoon at Chankaska Creek and we definitely plan to visit again!!

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^^ What was especially fun was the fact that for $7 each, we each got 5 “chips.” We could “buy” one sample of any wine on their (extensive) menu for 1 chip. This was great because it meant we really could customize our tasting experience, instead of just being handed a set list of the tasting wines. Also a plus: the wine was some of the best we’ve ever had! Here’s to cold-climate wineries! 🙂 ^^

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^^ 60-some degrees in late October means that Minnesotans would prefer to sit outside!! 🙂 ^^

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After our wine tasting, we spent a while strolling the grounds behind this beautiful building. The trees were lush and dripping in jewel tones, and only a couple other people were out on the paths, which really made the experience feel that much more classy (less touristy) and peaceful.

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^^ There were even sheep grazing amongst the vines in the vineyard – an idyllic fall scene if I ever saw one. 🙂 ^^

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This winery has hours throughout the winter as well and we heard that there is live music some times, and even outdoor bonfires on others! Also, they’ve got a great-sounding menu complete with pizzas from their wood fire grill. We really look forward to going back. Who wants to come with us? 🙂

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[ Psst – Like the {TAKE ME TO} travel series? Find all of our past adventures HERE. Want to stay up-to-date on new posts? Follow Just Bee on Bloglovin’ and on Instagram! ]

3 Comments

  1. Wow, this looks gorgeous! We don’t have any wineries where I live but I remember visiting a few over the years with my parents in BC and I just LOVED them (even though I don’t like wine), I’d love to go out and visit some this summer.
    It looks like such a beautiful time of year to visit.

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