Lake Country Wines

01/13/2024

06/07/2018

Business is closed. Owner has retired.

04/26/2018

I sold the last of my inventory and equipment today and am officially retired. I want to thank all my customers/fellow winemakers for your support and fellowship over the years and hope that you all continue making wine at home.

03/09/2018

My last day in business (and first day of retirement) will be April 30, 2018. Everything in the store must be sold by then.

Everything must go down to the bare walls. No reasonable offer will be refused.

It's not too late to stock up on juice kits and supplies. I still have a fair number of wine juice kits, beer kits, fermenting buckets, carboys (3, 5 and 6 gallon) and related supplies for making wine.

Call when you plan to stop in and I will be here to help you.

Mike Cleary
Lake Country Wines
320-290-4490

01/09/2018

Retirement Announcement

I announced this past Spring that I wanted to sell my business and retire. Unfortunately, it does not look like there will be a new owner for Lake Country Wines. As a result, I have begun the process of liquidating my inventory, equipment and supplies.

Effective immediately, everything in the store is for sale at 25% off. I still have a good selection of wine juice kits and will continue winemaking in the store for the rest of January, 2018.

I will be open on most Fridays and Saturdays and may be available in the evenings. As always, please call ahead to make sure I am open.

Thank you for your business and support over these past seven years. I look forward to helping you get set up to make your own wine at home.

10/24/2017

Tired of having to wait until noon to start drinking? Have you thought about spreading a little wine jelly on your breakfast toast? I just made my first wine jelly using wine that was looking to escape from my wine cellar. The first batch was a Pinot Noir and the second was Peach Chardonnay. Each batch made 10- 4oz jars of delicious jelly and it was incredibly easy to do.

03/16/2017

Just Arrived - New Orchard Breezin' Wine - Plum Passion
This elegant wine offers aromas of fresh, succulent red plums and floral notes on the nose. The palate is juicy and complex with hints of spice and floral notes coming through on the finish.

Samples will be available in 4 weeks.

03/03/2017

MARCH 2, 2017 | BY LIANE GILLIES
Orchard Breezin’ – The Beer Alternative

Close your eyes. Now picture what you will be doing in just a few short weeks. The sun is bright and giving off enough warmth to make socks and long sleeve shirts completely optional. The patio furniture, fresh out of the shed, is set up for another season. The bbq has a full cylinder of propane. Steaks were marinated all morning and are now sizzling on a hot grill. And while you wait for the meat to brown, you open up a bottle of your favorite beer.

Wait a minute. If you are like me, that whole scene worked up until the last few words. I love sunshine, patios and bbqs – but I am just not a beer drinker. Luckily for folks like us, there are always other options to the traditional summer brew – especially if you are a craft winemaker. In only four weeks, Orchard Breezin’ wine kits make refreshing wines that are full of fruity flavors, but are not as sweet as so many commercial wine coolers. Better still, at less than 7% alcohol, you can sip Orchard Breezin’ all afternoon and well into the evening – kind of like light beer – but with a much better taste.

Perhaps the best thing about fruit-flavored wines, like Orchard Breezin’, is their versatility. One of my favourite ways to enjoy them is as a wine spritzer. People have been adding soda water to wine for centuries. In fact, it is said that this was done to make wine “sparkling”, even before bottled sparkling wine was a thing. I make my Orchard Breezin’ spritzers simply by adding equal amounts of soda water to my wine. Then, I like to add a splash of lime juice and a slice of lime to my glass for a little extra pizzazz.

Next time you want to make a spritzer, have fun with your Orchard Breezin’ and try adding different kinds of fruit – kind of like a spritzer/sangria fusion. Orchard Breezin’ Blueberry Bliss, soda water and a handful of frozen blueberries (instead of ice?). How easy is that? Or how about Orchard Breezin’ Rocking Raspberry Rosé with frozen raspberries, or really any frozen fruit. Now your Orchard Breezin’ spritzer is not only a refreshing drink, but it is also a tasty dessert.

You know what I like best about my Orchard Breezin’ spritzers (besides that they pair so well with patios)? I don’t even have to wait until 3:00 p.m. to start sipping. I can make a batch sometime after brunch to last me the whole day. Who needs to drink beer when there are so many alternatives available to those of us who craft our own wine? Not me.

11/04/2016

We have six delicious desert wines to choose for your holiday entertaining. Call now to make an appointment.

11/04/2016

Just finished bottling the first batch of Vinilla Fig Desert Wine (new flavor this fall) and it is delicious. Come on in and sample this great new wine. There is still time to make it for Christmas gifts if you hurry.

09/23/2016

The RJ Spagnols Orchard Breezin Cranapple Celebration Kit is back in stock. This white wine features tart green apples balanced out by smooth white cranberries to create an easy drinking wine with a crisp, refreshing finish. Shared with family and friends, it will warm the hearts and the palates of all of your guests.