WHAT DOES THE NORTH LOOP NOT HAVE? A WINERY... FOR NOW...

A new winery will be opening up in the heart of the North Loop next year. It’s ok, we’re squealing with excitement too.

Aaron and Ashley Schram have owned Schram Vineyards Winery & Brewery in Waconia for the last 13 years. They know the wine business well and have had tremendous amount success with their winery being packed week after week. The two felt that it was time to share their delicious wines with Minneapolis and have set their sights on the North Loop.

When their unnamed winery and production facility opens next spring, it will occupy 20,000 square feet of space within the Internet Exchange Building located at 411 N Washington Avenue. The building is just across the street from Crisp & Green in case you need something to reference.

Schram Vineyard Winery uses a French-hybrid grape that was developed by the University of Minnesota, which by the way has one of the top wine research programs in the country. The hardiness of the grape allows it to grow in cooler climates like the Midwest which has helped expand the somewhat unknown winery scene within the region.

The Schram’s are making an effort to ensure that their new winery isn’t like a typical wine bar. The environment will focus on the production of wine which means all those barrels and tanks used in the production process will be in plain sight. They’re even working on plans where you yourself might be able to help contribute to the production of their wine. Anyone up for crushing some grapes?

THE LOCATION

The building in which they will open is directly next door to CPM and Swervo Development’s 10 story commercial project that is currently under construction. In building that project they added a skyway connection on the third level of the Internet Exchange Building which will connect to the second level on the new building.

Sounds like a direct route to happy hour for those office workers, right?

When the Schram’s winery opens it’ll fill a large void within the North Loop neighborhood. The area is filled with a number of breweries, cideries and of course bars but no wineries. When it comes to hunting down a winery, you’ll have to travel to Urban Forage Winery & Cider House on East Lake Street as it’s the closest.

So, now that we’ve informed you of this great new winery coming, we understand that that Spring 2020 is practically a year away. Might we suggest a trip to Waconia to tide you over?

Stop your wining (see what we did there?), it’s not that far. Fine, we can carpool.

Oh yeah, Happy National Wine Day. :)