ABOUT US

 

 

The story of AxeBridge

Aaron and Ashley Schram began their wine journey in 2008 when they took a leap of faith and bought a small farm in Waconia, MN to start a vineyard. Leaving their Minneapolis abodes, they settled into the country life, growing cold-hardy grapes, starting a family and eventually opening their first winery, Schram Vineyards, at their Waconia location in 2013. Aaron’s passion for making quality wine with local grapes and providing a guest experience that is both educational, fun, and memorable made their winery a success. With a desire to continue to grow and develop the local wine industry, it was a natural fit to bring this wine experience back to the city to showcase locally made artisan wine using both locally grown cold-hardy grapes as well as grapes from the west coast.  
The story of AxeBridge is threefold. 1. A family name as it is a combination of the Schram children, Axel and Bridget. 2. An “axe” and a “bridge” are nice visual representations of the North Loop area where the winery resides. Being located next to a steel bridge as well as the many famous bridges throughout the city.  The North Loop was also home to lumberyards back in the day. 3. A metaphorical meaning. Making wine in Minnesota and having an urban setting winery are two things that may still be met with skepticism. Axing any preconceived notions of what a winery “should be” and bridging the gap from agriculture to city by making locally produced wine and the experience of a winery more accessible. The name became a serendipitous union of a Minnesota urban winery story, a piece of local character, and a personal family connection.

Learn About Sister Winery – Schram Vineyards

Learn About Brewery – Schram Haus

 

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

We had a tasting room experience with Scott. He was very knowledgeable! We ended the tasting with a flight of wine each with his recommendations. Ambiance was very fun, outdoor patio allows dogs and has plenty of shady and coveted space too. We had a great time, would definitely visit again!

Amanda Frisque (shared on Google)

What a great find while in town in July, 2021 from Connecticut! The manager and all the girls were very friendly and the wine is fantastic. We purchased a couple of bottles and then we visited a second time for a glass or two, which we rarely do after visiting a winery. The atmosphere is one of the best we’ve visited and we’ve been to wineries across the country and this atmosphere was one of our favorites!

Melanie Galton (Shared on Google)

What a great space and idea! This is just what the North Loop and Minneapolis needed. I have not had a specified place to go get wine in the Minneapolis area until now! I love the interior and how much room there is here, the ambiance with the barrels and brick walls is really cool. The patio is also gorgeous and a perfect outdoor space to catch up with friends. For being MN wine, I expected it to be average tasting, but I have been pleasantly surprised and every glass I have tried has been really good! The employees know the wine well and are very friendly. I haven’t yet tried the food options but I have been really impressed with the choices. This is the perfect place to stop before dinner or spend the evening at. I have gone back multiple times since my first trip and will definitely be returning.

Hannah Moland (shared on Google)

My wife and I booked AxeBride Wine Co. as the venue for our wedding rehearsal dinner, and we were so happy with the space and service we received! They had a number of tables reserved for us when we arrived, including a private bar with our own bartender for the guests. Alex, our bartender, was a big hit! A number of our guests came up to us to say how much they were enjoying the wine and to compliment Alex. The price point was also very reasonable to book the tables and some finger food, which allowed us to keep the bar open for our guests without breaking the bank. We would strongly recommend AxeBridge for hosting an event, and we’d recommend bartender Alex in particular!

We had a tasting room experience with Scott. He was very knowledgeable! We ended the tasting with a flight of wine each with his recommendations. Ambiance was very fun, outdoor patio allows dogs and has plenty of shady and coveted space too. We had a great time, would definitely visit again!

Julian Pinkham (shared on Google)