Balsam Ridge Vineyard is a family-owned vineyard and winery nestled on a scenic sandy hill near Jacobson, Minnesota. What began as Gary Morin’s curiosity about growing grapes has grown into a vibrant destination featuring more than 3,000 grapevines spread across five acres. Alongside his wife Martha and their daughters, Gary transformed the land into a welcoming place where craftsmanship, agriculture, and community come together.

The vineyard grows a wide range of cold-hardy grape varieties including Itasca, Frontenac, Marquette, La Crescent, and St. Croix, along with fruits such as elderberry, apples, and rhubarb. Many wines are crafted using ingredients harvested directly on the farm, including maple syrup, with additional fruit shared by family, friends, and neighbors. This strong sense of community is at the heart of everything they do.

Gary built the winery and tasting cabin himself using lumber milled from the homestead, creating a warm, rustic space to enjoy wine indoors or outdoors on the porch and grounds. Open Fridays through Sundays, Balsam Ridge Vineyard invites guests to relax, gather, and enjoy handcrafted wines, live music, and the beauty of northern Minnesota in a setting designed for making memories together.