Kewaunee County, WI — As Parallel 44 approaches the 20th anniversary of the first vine planted at its vineyard in Kewaunee County, the winery is preparing for a new chapter in its history.
The winery announced it will consolidate its operations at its Door County location, which will become the consolidated home of Parallel 44 & Door 44 under the Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery name.
To mark the transition, the winery will host a month long celebration from now through April 25 honoring “The Vineyard That Started It All.”
The Kewaunee County tasting room will remain open through April 25.
Founded in 2005 by Maria and Steve Johnson, Parallel 44 began as an effort to prove that high-quality wines could be produced in Wisconsin using Northern grape varieties.
Over the past two decades, the winery has grown into one of the state’s most recognized wine producers.
Parallel 44 has:
- Sold more than 2 million bottles of wine
• Become the most awarded producer of Wisconsin Origin wines
• Earned hundreds of awards in regional, national, and international competitions. The most recent being the 4th most awarded winery in the largest North American wine competition the 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
“While this vineyard will always be where our story began, this transition allows us to focus our efforts and build an even greater future for the Parallel 44 brand,” said co-owner Steve.
Door County has grown into Wisconsin’s premier wine tourism destination, attracting visitors from across the Midwest.
By consolidating retail and production operations there, the winery plans to continue its same level of yearly production, expand its regional reach, strengthen distribution efforts, and create a more immersive winery experience for visitors.
The Kewaunee location will conclude its month-long celebration with a Final Vineyard Toast on April 25 at 4:00 PM.
Parallel 44 will continue producing its award-winning wines under the leadership of winemaker Steve Johnson, with the same commitment to Wisconsin-grown grapes.
About Parallel 44 and Door 44 Wineries
Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery in Kewaunee, Wis. was started in 2005 by husband and wife team Steve and Maria Johnson, pioneers in Wisconsin wine making. Steve grew up in Green Bay, ergo a die-hard Packer fan, where his father experimented early on with growing grapes in Wisconsin. Maria came to the winemaking tradition honestly too, as her Italian-born father made wine for family celebrations. The winery is on the same latitude as the storied wine regions of Bordeaux, France and Tuscany, Italy – thus the name Parallel 44. It’s located in the American Viticultural Area (AVA) known as the Wisconsin Ledge Appellation for the Niagara Escarpment ledge that dominates the landscape in the region. The winery’s 35-acre estate includes more than 7,000 vines.
The winery’s northern varietal grape vines can withstand minus 30-degree temperatures in the winter and still rebound beautifully in the summer. There are nearly 25 wines in the line-up now; they’re available for purchase at the winery, online at https://www.44wineries.com, and at select retailers and restaurants throughout Wisconsin.
In summer of 2013, the owners opened their second winery, Door 44 Winery, just north of Sturgeon Bay, the gateway to the Door County peninsula and interestingly, also located on the 44th latitude. Just as with Parallel 44, Door 44 also specializes in wines made from grapes grown in Wisconsin. The address for Door 44 is 5464 County Road P, Sturgeon Bay and features a 20 acre estate with 6 acres of grapes vines. Door 44 wines are available at the winery and at select retailers.
Over the years, Steve has also been a leader in the Wisconsin grape growing industry and has cultivated relations with seven other grape growers, allowing Parallel 44 and Door 44 to produce 100% Wisconsin grown grapes wines
As the New Era begins, Parallel 44 and Door 44 will be consolidating production and retail sales at their Door County location, under the name Parallel 44 Vineyard & Winery.
Award highlights and recognition for Parallel 44 and Door 44 Wines:
- Winery of the Year 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 Intl Cold Climate Competition
- 32 – 90 pts or more ratings
- 66 – Double Gold Medals
- 69 – Gold Medals
- 60 – Best of Class/Division Awards
- Best Wines of WI –6 years
Comments