2023 Events Announced

Picture


​St. Patrick's
​Wine Dinner
​Saturday, March 18
See the menu/RSVP here.
Picture

5K Wine Run
Sun., May 28
​Sign up/more information here.
                            

Not Your Typical Winery

Picture
​Wonderful wine, cozy tasting room, charming country setting, vineyard views. We've got your winery visitation expectations covered. And then some. 
We  offer: 
* Estate wine, which means we use our own grapes (not all wineries do). 
*  Our own draft, craft ​​beer.
*  ​Grape powder and chocolate made with our grape powder by world-famous Seroogy’s Chocolates in Green Bay.
*  Fine dining events.
*  Glamping (scroll below).​    
* We also are a licensed trout hatchery. We grow grapes and trout (we’re not named Trout Springs for nothing.) Makes sense--trout are the wine of fish, after all. (Watch the video about our hatchery produced by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute here.) 
Picture

​Behind the Scenes and Behind the Counter
Unlike some establishments where hired hands dispense samples, at Trout Springs husband-and-wife Steve and Andrea DeBaker--the owners and winemakers--are the only ones doing the pouring. Learn about the winery and the delectable wine you're tasting directly from the experts! ​    

Glamping--It's More Romantic than it Sounds!

Picture
​​     For those romantics and nature lovers who think camping is cool but not for you—no bed, no hotel, no amenities, no way—we've got something that might make happy campers out of you: glamour camping, or glamping as it's called.
     And we recently upped our glamping game. We replaced our tent with a spacious 240-square-foot, three-seasons cabin. Our Little Cabin in the Vineyard is perched on a  platform and outfitted with a queen-size bed and furniture, refrigerator, microwave, and lights. The personal porta-potty is the extent of roughing it. Meals are optional, wine essential.
     ​For more information about our glamping packages, click here.​​

We Turned the Fox Valley into Napa Valley
(and Were Named Winery of the Year for That)

     Trout Springs Winery is the birthplace of the Wisconsin Ledge. That’s a real big deal in the wine world.
     Long story short, we grow great grapes because our area’s temperate climate rivals that of some of the best grape-growing regions on earth. Like Napa Valley. The Federal Government officially identifies prime grape-producing locations as American Viticultural Areas (AVA).
     We figured wine lovers should know about the pedigree of our grapes. So, with proof and paperwork in hand, we went to the Fed. In the winter of 2005 just after opening the doors at TSW, Steve J. DeBaker, owner and winemaker, petitioned the Federal Government to establish just under 2.5-million acres to be designated a prime grape-growing region based upon the Niagara Escarpment.  After several years of numerous evaluations, more paperwork, and persistence, a petition was passed in 2012 establishing the Wisconsin Ledge, a bona fide AVA—just like Napa Valley—in the land of Lambeau, beer, and booyah.
​     And for that we were named the 2014 Winery of The Year by the Wisconsin Grape Growers Association.​ (Read more about the Wisconsin Ledge here.)

​Wedding and Event ​Space Available
​Add that extra touch of romance to your wedding. Put some pizzazz in your next special event, business luncheon, corporate retreat, or seminar.
     We offer custom packages ranging from  full dinners to receptions. As for weddings, our charming vineyard makes a great romantic setting! For more information, click ​here.

News & Events

Co-Owner Steve DeBaker AKA
TV's Retired Rambler
Watch Steve talk about Wisconsin Ledge related topics and sights of interest on his monthly Retired Rambler segments on WFRV-TV's Local Five Live.

Feb. 21, 2023 ... Coral Reefs in Wisconsin?!  Yep, some scientists believe Wisconsin was home to some of the world’s first coral reefs. And did you know Wisconsin has a state fossil?  On this episode, geologist Don Mikulic presents some  fascinating facts that you can learn at the Weis Earth Science Museum in Menasha (watch here).

Jan. 17, 2023 ... Protecting the Ledge's Lakeshore  With Steve this month is Tom Mlada, Executive Director for the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership. They've been working to improve and protect the land and water surrounding Lake Michigan in this unique section of Wisconsin for 20 years (watch here).

Dec. 20, 2022 ... Interested in Spelunking? Steve is joined by Maribel Caves Historian Gary Soule who tells viewers how they can explore and tour wild caves in the area (watch here).

Nov. 15, 2022 ... Glaciers, Grapes, and Gales Steve shows how the glaciers shaped Wisconsin and created the Wisconsin Ledge wine region while Kevin Cullen from the Wisconsin Maritime Museum tells how Lake Michigan creates its own micro-climate, which can lead to hurricane-strength winds (watch here).

Oct. 18, 2022 ... Grape Harvest Wrap-up: Local Wineries are in it Together
​Steve is joined by Jim Ploetz from Duck Creek Winery in Denmark to talk about this year's grape harvest, wine, and other local wine byproducts (watch here).

Sept. 20, 2022 ... The Park That Needs No Introduction: Peninsula State Park 
Steve highlights perhaps the gem of the Wisconsin state park system (watch here).

Aug. 16, 2022 ... Happy 10th Birthday Wisconsin Ledge!  Trout Springs Winery is the birthplace of the Wisconsin Ledge AVA. After seven years of Steve's hard work, the Federal Government in 2012 officially designated the Wisconsin Ledge as a prime grape-producing location known as an American Viticultural Area (AVA)--just like Napa Valley. Read more in the story on the home page and watch the video here.

July 19, 2022 ... Whitefish Anyone? Steve Visits Susie Q Fish Co. in Two Rivers
Special thanks to owners Peter and Paul LeClair along with Captain John Kulpa and First Mate Ken for a day of fishing (1,200 pounds of whitefish!) and showcasing Susie Q. They embody the entrepreneurial spirit of a five-generation business on Lake Michigan.  Watch here.

June 22, 2022 ... Explore the Wisconsin Ledge with a New interactive Map:  Steve and Sustainable Tourism & Heritage Strategist Susan Kennedy unveil the new Wisconsin Ledge Rambler map (watch here). Find points of interest, cultural centers, shops, restaurants, hiking spots, and all the great places the Ledge has to offer. Access the map at wiledge.org.

May 18, 2022 ... The Importance of Native Plants :  Would you like to include native plants specific to Northeastern Wisconsin in your landscape? Joining Steve is Justin Kroening from Stone Silo Prairie Gardens in De Pere. Watch here to learn how to work with native plants.
 
April 19, 2022 ... A Place Where You Can Make an Earthquake?! : Imagine a place where you can walk through a mine tunnel, shoot off a quarry blast, and yes, make an earthquake. Don Mikulic, Curator of the Weis Earth Science Museum on the Oshkosh Fox Cities Campus in Menasha, joins Steve (watch here). 

​March 15, 2022 ... Artisan Goat Cheeses & Milk: Learn about the award-winning products at La Clare Family Creamery in Malone. It's a great place to tour, shop, and dine. Find out more here.

Feb. 15, 2022 ... Caves and Maple Syrup!?: Steve introduces viewers to a place that has both--and more: the Ledge View Nature Center south of Chilton. (Save the date for Maple Syrup Sunday on March 20.) Find out more here.

Jan. 18, 2022 ... Winter Fun in Kewaunee County: Steve highlights the appropriately named Winter Park and another County gem – the Bruemmer Park & Zoo right across the street. Watch the episode here.

See 2021 segments here.