Lautenbach's Orchard Country

Door County fruit wines and hard ciders from a family farm with roots in 1955

Best known for: Estate-fruit wines and hard ciders, especially cherry wines

Lautenbach's Orchard Country in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, combines a working Door County fruit farm with a winery, cider mill, and substantial farm market. The family's farming roots reach back to Bill and Ruth Lautenbach's purchase of the property in 1955. Today, four of their son Bob's children help run the business, and a restored dairy barn houses the winery and cider mill. Most wines and hard ciders use fruit grown on the property.

Cherries deserve attention here, but fruit wine does not automatically mean sweet wine. Dry Cherry and Sweet Cherry mark different ends of the range, while Cherry Chardonnay and Cherry Riesling bridge fruit and grape wines. Gewürztraminer and St. Pepin offer grape-focused alternatives. Across roughly 50 wines and hard ciders, the choices extend from dry to sweet, with sparkling and spiced options.

Visitors build their own tasting flights and settle into the rustic cupola room or, seasonally, outdoor patios and covered spaces. Service is first-come, with no reservations, and the bar closes 15 minutes before the market. Charcuterie, cheese, and seasonal cherry pie make this more than a tasting stop. The orchards and vineyards are open for strolling, though guided tours are not available.