Last weekend Jason and I went down to Hastings to visit an apple orchard. When we arrived at Afton Apple we were told that we were one weekend too early to pick Honeycrisps. It was not-so-secret that I wasn’t terribly excited to visit an apple orchard, so took this as a sign that we should continue south the visit Alexis Bailly Vineyards.

It was a quiet, cute little farm. Volunteers were picking grapes for harvest. Some bachelorettes were eating soft cheeses on the patio. I scraped together $5 to taste 10 of their wines.

I tasted in this order: Seyval Blanc, Country White (my top pick for white), Rose Noir, Country Red, Frontenac, Voyageur (my top pick for red), Hastings Reserve, Chocolate Reserve Port, Ratafia, and Isis Ice Wine (yum yum yum yum yum yum!).

Before we left, we even got to try the Ratafia mixed with the Country White then mixed with Seyval Blanc. The Ratafia was good, but it was just so sweet—mixing it with one of the whites helped lessen the intensity.

The Chocolate Reserve Port tasted just like a tootsie roll.

I could’ve chugged all of my tastes within 5 minutes, but I decided it was best to keep it classy. It’s somewhat difficult to make each taste of wine last 10 minutes, though I did my best.

Dude, it’s Alexis Bailly.

As we left, Jason and I couldn’t remember the name of the Ratafia, so now it’ll always be known as the Rastafarian. This is funny, but probably not for the best.

Grapes grapes grapes. They tasted just okay (I only ate one, I swear).

After our visit to the winery, Jason and I toured Hastings.

He made up fantastic lies about Hastings that I probably would’ve believed.

And we stumbled upon the Saturday Night Cruise-In.

I don’t know anything about cars, but I do know that the old ones always look good in photographs.

Especially up close.

It’s interesting to see what some people are obsessed with. (Scooby Doo? Really?)

This car had actual holes in the door. Real or fake? And if they’re fake, why why why?

“La Dolce Vita”

It certainly is.

Downtown Hastings also has some excellent facades.

Before we got back in the car to head home, we sat on a bench along the Mississippi and ate cheese curds and mini donuts. Excellent dinner, really.

We also went to Wisconsin for a minute. Why not? We got to see a very lovely sunset during our return to Minnesota.