Villa Bellezza

Villa Bellezza in Pepin, Wisconsin, pairs wines from cold-hardy grapes with an Italian-village setting built around a fountain-centered piazza. Derick and Julianne Dahlen’s vision gives the tasting room, Il Forno restaurant, and surrounding porticos a shared center—and visitors a reason to stay beyond a tasting. This is a strong choice for a wine stop that doubles as lunch along the Wisconsin Great River Road.

Head winemaker Derick Dahlen leads a blending-focused program using grapes from the winery’s vineyards and other growers. Marquette, Frontenac, and Petit Pearl are among the reds; La Crescent, St. Pepin, and Itasca feature among the whites. The Villa Bellezza vineyard covers 5.5 acres, with additional plantings at Casa della Pantera and Sopra del Lago. Reds age in oak, while acacia wood also plays a role in aging whites. Most finished wines are blends, making the blending table central to the winery’s identity.

Tastings cost $7.50 for three wines; a four-bottle purchase covers tastings for two. At Il Forno, chef Antonio Cecconi’s twice-baked pizza comes from a limestone oven fired with oak logs and grapevine prunings. Outdoor tables sit beneath café lights in summer, while heated porticos extend outdoor dining into winter. Cecconi also leads hands-on cooking classes, limited to 20 participants, with reservations required.