alexis bailly vineyard

After many years of wonderful experiences, a special moment was ruined by a staff member at Alexis Bailly. Six of us showed up to celebrate a special day and were refused service. Apparently, because we showed up in a limo instead of 2 cars.Saddened that this former treasure had now been ruined.There's a wonderful little place in Prescott that welcomed us even though they were quite busy. Try the Valley Vineyard instead....

The wines were exceptional. And I've been to over 35 wineries in the midwest. But what makes a midwest winery a hidden gem for me is the building and the people. The building is knotty pine and all you'd expect in minnesota-little benches outside to sit on and a dog that greets you with an old stuffed toy. The gentlemen that served us, all three, knew the stories behind the names of the wines, what they would go best with for food, and how to make them into wonderful cocktails. Stop and visit you won't be disappointed.

This was my third trip to Alexis Bailey and every time I have enjoyed it. They had seven wines on the list, five of which I tried, two I really enjoyed. The grounds are fantastic with several seating areas a couple bocce courts, vines and sculptures. This is a great place to bring a lunch or some cheese and crackers and enjoy a bottle of wine.

they were Minnesota's first commercial winery which was a good thing for the area but they have kept too many of the first generation grapes that were only OK for wine production in MN..other newer wineries have used more of the newer U of M grapes. with better results. I did love the Chocolate Frontenac desert wine, and really liked the ice wine but not at almost $40 a 750 ML bottle!! Again this is a very pretty Vineyard and has a nice tasting room to enjoy a glass or two in.

We love Hastings and always stop at our favorite winery. The setting is beautiful with a very knowledgeable staff. You can't believe the the wine they produce here in Minnesota. It rivals anything we have had from California.As they say Minnesota is where the grapes go to suffer! Try this place if you love great wine!

My husband and I stopped at this winery late on a Sunday afternoon. (They are open until 5:30). We decided to taste all of their wines. (8 wines for $5 and if you want to try some of the dessert wines they are an additional $1 each.) The staff was very friendly. As they poured our samples they even suggested going outside and walking the grounds in between tastings. There are two Bocce Ball Courts, a sculpture garden of sorts and many spots with tables to sit and relax. You can bring your own picnic or buy cheese, crackers and sausage here.This is the first Winery we have been to where all the wines we tried were very good. (We've been to wineries all across the country.) After talking to the staff and reading the descriptions we also tried the dessert wines. So glad we did! My husband liked their Solaris, I liked the Ratafia but we both LOVED the Chocolate Reserve (Port)!!! Needless to say we had to take some with us. I saw that some weekends there is live music but there wasn't anything special going on when we visited which was ok because there was a smaller crowd. Nan the owner, gave us a little background of how her dad started the winery and now she is continuing in his footsteps.This was a very fun stop on our way home from a visit to relatives in Wisconsin. We can't wait to come back and bring some friends with us. We are also excited to try the wines we brought home!

I have reviewed Alexis Bailly previously, but thought it was a good time to add some additional comments. When I had previously written my review that was my first visit, since then I have visited over a dozen times. There are many reasons and I will try and get to them all. 1, the employees (who are more like family) are welcoming and very knowledgeable on the wines. I have to give kudos to Mark, David, and Joan for their remarkable service! There are many many others but I cannot remember them all, but each of them is just as great. 2, the wines are amazing and very well priced. My favorites are Isis, Solaris, Ratafia, Hastings Reserve, and Chocolate Reserve. There are also some exclusive wine club member wines that are simply amazing as well. I think you would find a wine that is suitable for your palate. 3, The property is stunning, from the drive up through the vineyard to the tasting room, and the bocce ball courts. There is plenty to look at while sipping on your glass (or bottle) of wine. 4, Something is always going on at the winery. In the summer months you can enjoy Jazz in the vineyard on Sunday's. Twice a year there are wine and food pairings. In the Fall wine members can help with harvest. At the end of the year there is an End of Season Sale to stock up for the winter. You can also bring your own lunch/snack and enjoy your meal with your wine in that perfect location throughout the property. If you forget your lunch, the gift shop has a wide variety of cheeses, meats, crackers, and chocolates. You do not even need to bring your own plates or silverware as the winery will provide you with everything you need. 5, The only winery I have been to thus far that has a wine club membership. The membership includes 6 wines in the Spring and 6 in the Fall, these are specialty wines just for members. The wines would be well worth the cost, but also included is a free tasting or glass of wine for you and 3 others everytime you visit. The more you visit the more you get. Which is why I go so often because of the great value! When you purchase a glass of wine you get a $1 off, and also recieve bottle and case discounts. Finally, you get invited to private events only for wine club members. If you want to support local business I would highly recommend joining the wine club. Not only do you reap in many benefits, but Nan (Owner/Winemaker) is able to keep producing high quality wines for years to come. I could keep writing but I will save those comments for my next review. If you are in the Hastings/Red Wing area then Alexis Bailly is a place you must stop. They will make the stop worth it, and if you are not pleased with a wine I am sure they would be happy to find one you like!

Wine in MN?? Absolutely a must see. This quaint vineyard has great wines. The wine tasting is reasonably priced and the staff is very helpful. Check it out.

We've visited this winery several times over the last year. It has always been a very pleasurable experience. Today we brought friends from Minneapolis and were quite disappointed. The annoying barking dog inside the building was just the beginning. The staff behind the bar were all new and the pours for the tasting were pitifully small. In the past we've raved about this to our friends. After today I won't be raving.

We have been going here for years, and has always been a nice romantic place to go, sometimes with the children.However, more recently, the staff behind the wine bar has taken a left turn. Our romantic little place in the grapes doesn't seem to represent a larger spectrum of visitors anymore, and seems to be a little bit more about the staffs "show" than the beautiful venue that Alexis Bailly really can be. The straw hats and sharp attitudes don't match the Alexis Bailly easy going atmosphere.Also, small changes like blocking off the beautiful front door, and entering a tiny side door seem to detract from the grand entrance that we used to enjoy.

I have been to many wineries and this is one of my favorites. It really is a hidden gem and wish I have been here before now! The vineyard and property upon arrival is a view in itself. We tried the wine tasting and Mark was really knowledgeable about the wines and made the experience really fun. We got to talk to other staff, who were working around the property and got to know the history of the vineyard. The wines are amazing, so much that I joined their membership club so I can try new wines in the spring and fall! This would be a nice place to go in the summer/fall when everything is in full bloom. You can even bring your own food and have a picnic! Alexis Bailly is a must see...and of course, a few glasses to drink!

This is located off 170th street just south of Hastings. The wine is very good. In the summer you can listen to free jazz outside---bring your chairs & snacks---while you enjoy the music and their wine. You can buy a bottle or a glass. Jazz is July & August on Sundays.

I've been to Alexis Bailey many times, yet never remembered to review it. Small winery with a good variety for every taste. The special tasting events with food pairings are a must. The grounds are nice, with outdoor seating all around, a fire place inside for the colder days. I have yet to make it to a summer concert, but can imagine that it would be really fun. You can taste the wines, purchase wines and have a picnic with your just-bought wine. You don't even need to remember the corkscrew! Or a plate, cutting knife, napkins…they'll provide it all.Also available for sale are various gifts, glassware, books etc, plus locally raised cheese and meats. Friendly, good wine, accommodating, plus there's a dog. What more do you need?

We visited AB during their latest pairing event. What a nice surprise! There were 9 different stations with various wines and either cheeses or sweets to accompany them. It would have been great to be outdoors but that didn't lessen the experience. There were some great pairings that made this unexperienced wine drinker consider getting more into wine. They had an interesting chocolate cheese that we could have sworn was fudge. The building was on the smaller size but was able to handle a large crowd and was beautiful. Unfortunately, they ran out of cheeses but we were able to grab the last of the chocolate one, the smoky cheddar and a bottle of wine to go with it. Since it was only drizzling, we still walked around the grounds. We'll have to return during warm weather when the grapes are on the vines. Well worth the trip!

We visited on a sunny Sunday and enjoyed some outdoor music along with our wine tasting. We met some interesting people while we did our tastings outside. They were very busy inside and needed more servers. The gals on the retail part of the store were not helpful and very rude. They need more bathrooms! All in all it was enjoyable.