Elmaro Vineyard & Winery, Trempealeau

Nestled in the Driftless Region with views reminiscent of California Wine Country, Elmaro Vineyard is a beautiful place to enjoy their wine creations. One of their slogans is “Your Napa, Close to Home.” A family operation, Elmaro (a name formed from three of the family members’ first names) draws inspiration from the 300-year-old white pine on their property, which was originally homesteaded in the 1850s. The Delaney family – you might have noticed the name of the road upon which you arrive – has been on this property for nearly 150 of those years, farming the land until they decided to plant vines in 2006 and then go full-bore as a winery by 2010.

Working on innovative grape varieties that thrive in this hearty Midwestern weather, Elmaro Vineyard focuses on Marquette, St. Pepin, Reliance, La Cresent, Summerset Seedless, and Bluebells.

The airy winery building has a roomy tasting room and plenty of great choices for purchase and tastings. The partially-covered patio gives you the option of sun or shade as you gaze over the expansive vineyards, framed by the bluffs on the edge of the Mississippi River in the distance.

Wines at Elmaro Vineyard include an extensive selection of whites, reds, rosés, fruit wines, sparkling wines, and a few reserve options. They include:
White Wines: Gold St. Pepin, Vidal Blanc, La Crescent, West Prairie White, Edelweiss, Duet Blanc, Homestead White blend, Tra La La blend, Moscato, and Frontenac Gris.
Red Wines: Chambourcin, a barrel-aged Barrel Select Chambourcin, Marquette Reed, Red Tail Reserve, 3 Cheers blend, Homestead Red blend, Elmaro Rosa blend, and Currant Affair, a dessert wine.
Rosés: Marquette Rosé, Sab Rosé, Blush, Sweet Cheeks, and Wild Spice.
They also have a fruit wines named Delicious (an apple wine) and Cranberry (you can probably guess what this is made from) as well as a Melacato sparkling wine and two reserves as of January 2021: Fire of 1888 Reserve and Big River Currant.

If you want to pair some food with your wines, Elmaro offers a variety of cheese plates, some with salami, French bread with a variety of dipping oils and spreads, plus olives and smoked pistachios. Basically, they’re all nice complements to the wines.

You’ll find Elmaro just off the Great River Road, Highways 35 and 54, in southern Trempealeau County west of Galesville and northwest of Trempealeau. The Mississippi River and Trempeleau National Wildlife Refuge are just over the bluffs. It’s about a 35 minute drive from La Crosse via U.S. 53 and Highway 35; it’s also about 15 minutes from Winona, Minnesota.