Red River Valley ND Wine

The Red River Valley along North Dakota's eastern border with Minnesota is the state's most favorable wine territory. The Red River itself, flowing north into Canada, creates a broad, flat valley where glacially deposited soils are rich in nutrients and slightly warmer than the exposed western prairies. Cold-hardy University of Minnesota varieties, primarily Marquette, Frontenac, and La Crescent, are the only viable options in a climate where winter temperatures regularly drop to -30 degrees Fahrenheit. Pointe of View Winery near Burlington and 4e Winery in Mapleton are among the most established producers. North Dakota wine tourism is as much about the experience of visiting a genuine frontier operation as it is about the wine itself.