“May the wine flow and the laughter linger.” — Anonymous

North Dakota. It’s not a place you expect to find a vineyard that grows and harvests a variety of grapes that comprise a wonderful line-up of Bear Creek Wines. I was there for a wine tasting along with charcuterie and had the opportunity to meet the owners and learn more about this picturesque vineyard, their wines, and this special spot that has houses great wines and an historical bridge. If the weather is nice – and even if it isn’t — this is a place to stop when you’re North of Normal (otherwise known as Fargo).

Bear Creek Wines

It all started with Rod and Sue Ballinger making fruit wines as a hobby. I’ve heard this story before, at various wineries I’ve discovered along my travels, and I’ve come to learn that when hobbies become a business it’s usually because they’re just that good! The Ballingers knew they had something great and within years, they moved their enterprise to its current location and began concentrating solely on cold-climate grapes and producing fine wine here in the Fargo-Moorhead region.

Within minutes of opening for the afternoon at 4:30, cars began streaming into the parking lot and the wine began flowing. Guests to the winery have oodles of space to spread out and savor their wine in groups along the Red River, or on one of the covered patios, at picnic tables dotting the picturesque hillside by the bridge, or they can wander out to see the grapes.

But this is Fargo, North Dakota and the days of being able to sip wine outside are limited. So Sue and rod began hosting different events to bring people to the winery in the winter. Imagine having your knitting group come and sit and sip wine while you knit or quilt.

Some nights they invite people to come and work jigsaw puzzles or engage in board games. They plan to do Sip & Paint sessions, mahjongg games and all sorts of activities to get people out of the house and socializing together over good wine. The people in this region know how to pass the time together when the days are short and the nights are long. I can imagine spending cozy evenings having wine with my friends at Bear Creek Winery, for sure.

The Next Generation

After 22 years of work and turning Bear Creek Winery into a community destination, Rod and Sue began to pull back into more of a hobby-mode again as their grown sons took over the family owned and operated business. With new blood comes new ideas some in the form of blending/creating new varietal grapes that can acclimate and thrive in the brutal cold weather of the northern plains. Bear Creek Winery is now a fully functional (and expanding!) winery and research center.

Son Sean Ballinger is working on new hybrid grapes that not only thrive in the fertile clay soil of the Red River Valley but also survive the harsh winter climate. His scientific approach along with the family’s commitment to using their hands to make every batch of wine is what makes Bear Creek special. Those hardy grapes certainly produce fantastic flavor!

Sean’s favorite hybrid grape is called the Crimson Pearl. We tried a glass of this. It was lovely, but at the end of our tour, I went home with bottles of Old Truck, a nostalgic red blend that Sue and Rod created.

As I start RVing more extensively, I will be sure to head back to Bear Creek Winery and revisit the grounds there while I stock up on wine. I know Fargo will be just one of the stops as I travel across North Dakota next time. I got a taste of what they have in Fargo and a few of the nearby smaller towns. Can’t wait to share more about all the places to explore in this overlooked state. There are so many surprises when you go a little North of Normal.

Are there any family-owned wineries you’d recommend? I’d love to plan some winery visits on my journeys!