Sip and stay

When picturing North Dakota farming, sprawling fields of crops or quaint dairy farms probably come to mind. But did you know that grape vineyards also thrive in this region?

Among the oldest is Red Trail Vineyard, just 30 miles from Fargo in Buffalo. With its delicious wines, family-style Friday night suppers and spacious RV park, visitors from around the globe flock to this scenic destination.

The start
Red Trail Vineyard was started by Rodney and Susan Hogen. It’s named after the historically significant Old Red Trail, one of the first established routes for automobile travel through the northern part of the United States.

In the spring of 2003, Rodney decided to plant 1,000 grapevines to give winemaking a try. Unfortunately, grapes that can survive our harsh winters are in limited production, and Rodney learned that most vineyards requesting cold-climate grapes had placed their orders for vines the previous autumn.

Instead of securing the 1,000 vines he had initially planned, Rodney could only plant 120 vines of two different varieties. That first year, the vines were nurtured and began to thrive.

The following year, Rodney was able to plant another 900 vines, adding eight more varieties to their collection.

As the vineyard began to flourish, curious visitors flocked to the Hogen farmstead to witness the excitement. Recognizing the need for a gathering space, a 100-year-old granary/bunkhouse was discovered near Casselton and relocated to the vineyard’s foundation in 2004.

With the structure relocated to the vineyard’s foundation, work began right away to transform it into a tasting room. It was later discovered this building came from a site along the Old Red Trail – a fitting detail considering the vineyard’s name. Cass County Electric Cooperative energized the site in September 2004, and in 2005, Red Trail Vineyard’s tasting room was complete.

They celebrated with an official grand opening, and prominent guests such as the North Dakota agriculture commissioner, the former first lady of North Dakota, and city of Buffalo officials delivered speeches, marking the occasion. The community’s presence added to the celebration, and the tasting room was officially brought to life.

A tasteful success 
In the following years, more varieties of grapes were planted, and the second phase of the business was well underway and proving successful. Tours of the vineyard occurred every week, and meetings and events were also hosted at the vineyard’s site. In 2006, they hosted the first annual North Dakota Wine and Grape Harvest Festival. This event helped promote and celebrate the North Dakota wine and grape industry and featured various activities, along with tours of the vineyard and grape stomping.

After expanding into events and hosting, the kitchen in the tasting room was commercially approved, so meals could be prepared at the vineyard for tours and events. Soon, the Hogens started the Friday Nite Supper Series.

This one-of-a-kind event features a family-style supper that brings people together and has received rave reviews from attendees. The reputation proceeds as the reservation-only suppers are typically booked two weeks in advance.

You can find more information about the Friday Nite Supper Series on the Red Trail Vineyard Facebook page and website, including the schedule of suppers and reservation information.