Door County Wine & Drink

Lake Fire Winery: a waterfront Door County winery in Baileys Harbor

By The Butler’s for WiscoLens · Updated September 4, 2026

Most Door County wineries ask you to picture a view: rows of vines, a red barn, maybe a slice of the bay if you’re lucky. Lake Fire Winery skips the imagining. Sit on the patio of this Door County winery in Baileys Harbor and Lake Michigan is right there, close enough that the water is the view, not a backdrop to it. That’s not marketing language, it’s the actual layout: Lake Fire is the only waterfront winery in the county, built on the shoreline instead of near it.

This guide covers the wine list, the hours, the family behind the tasting room, and how Lake Fire stacks up against the rest of WiscoLens’ Door County wineries lineup.

What makes Lake Fire the Door County winery worth the drive

Here’s the part worth saying plainly: the wine at Lake Fire is good, but the wine isn’t the whole reason people drive up WI-57 to get here. It’s the setting. A flight of four 2-ounce pours runs $12, reviewers call that price fair, and the pours span dry reds through dessert and port-style wines, plus hard cider and wine cocktails for anyone who wants something lighter. But you could get a comparable flight at half a dozen other Door County tasting rooms. What you can’t get anywhere else on the peninsula is open Lake Michigan water twenty feet from your glass.

Reviewers back that up. One Tripadvisor visitor called the outdoor garden “absolutely magical.” Another wrote “WOWZA” about the patio, not the wine list. That’s the tell. When people remember the view before the vintage, the winery has built something more specific than a tasting room.

The wine list: what to taste at Lake Fire

Lake Fire keeps a wide range on the menu rather than narrowing to one style. Expect dry reds, whites, fruit wines, sparkling wine, dessert wine, and port-style pours, plus hard apple cider, wine cocktails like mimosas and wine slushies, and non-alcoholic soda for anyone driving or under 21.

• Standard tasting flight (4 x 2 oz pours)$12
• Reviewer favoritesLavender, Cab Franc
• Also on the menuHard cider, wine slushies, mimosas, whiskey flights

The wine itself is currently produced at Forgotten Fire Winery, a sister operation the same family owns near Peshtigo-Marinette. The Baileys Harbor location plans to add small-batch wine and cider production of its own later in the year, according to a Door County Pulse feature on the family, so a return visit down the line may pour something made on-site. Whiskey flights are on the menu too, so it’s not a wine-only stop if part of your group would rather sip spirits than wine.

Location, hours, and what to expect

Baileys Harbor sits on the quiet, Lake Michigan side of the peninsula, a short drive north of Sister Bay. Walk-ins are fine for a regular tasting, but private or group tastings need a reservation. Bring outside food if you want a real picnic. The food service on-site is limited (a few reviewers said as much), and the patio is built for exactly that kind of bring-your-own lunch. Leashed pets are welcome outdoors, and the space is wheelchair accessible.

The story behind Lake Fire Winery

Lake Fire is a family operation, run by Melissa Joppe and her husband Chris. Melissa grew up in Brussels, Wisconsin, a Door County native from the start, and the couple picked Baileys Harbor because the town’s character matched what they wanted the business to feel like. Nearly everyone working there is family in some form, which is the kind of detail that explains why the service reads as warm instead of scripted in review after review.

The building has its own local history. Before it was a winery, it was home to The Yum Yum Tree, a candy and ice cream shop plenty of longtime Door County visitors remember. Melissa put the family philosophy simply in a Door County Pulse interview:

“It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a family to run a business.”

That’s a good line, and it happens to be an accurate description of how the place runs.

We can back up the water view firsthand. We sat right on the patio, ordered a wine flight and a whiskey flight to split, and the lake was close enough that it was still the main event even with two flights on the table. That’s the thing about Lake Fire that a menu description can’t quite capture: you’re not glancing at Lake Michigan between sips, you’re sitting a few feet above it.

How Lake Fire compares to other Door County wineries

Door County has no shortage of wineries. Stone’s Throw, Door Peninsula Winery, Lautenbach’s Orchard Country, Harbor Ridge, Simon Creek, von Stiehl, and Door 44 all have loyal followings, and WiscoLens breaks several of them down in our Door County wineries guide. Most of those built their reputation on the wine itself, on orchard settings, or on being an easy stop along a driving wine trail.

Lake Fire didn’t exist when that guide first published, and it’s worth adding to the list for one reason: it’s the only entry on the peninsula where the pitch starts with the shoreline, not the vintage. If you’re planning a full Door County wine trail day, put the other stops on for the wine and put Lake Fire on for the water. Neither category cancels the other out. They’re just answering different questions about what you want out of an afternoon.

FAQ

Is Lake Fire Winery really the only waterfront winery in Door County?

Yes. Lake Fire Winery bills itself as the only waterfront winery in Door County, with a patio that sits directly on Lake Michigan in Baileys Harbor rather than looking out over vineyard rows.

Does Lake Fire Winery take reservations?

Walk-ins are welcome for regular tastings. Private and group tastings need a reservation, so call ahead if you’re bringing a party.

What are Lake Fire Winery’s hours?

From May through October, Lake Fire is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Winter hours run shorter and the winery is closed Tuesdays November through April.

Is Lake Fire Winery family- and pet-friendly?

Yes. Lake Fire welcomes kids and leashed pets on the patio, and the owners run it as a family business themselves.

How much does a wine flight cost at Lake Fire Winery?

A standard tasting flight is four 2-ounce pours for $12.

Where is Lake Fire Winery located?

Lake Fire Winery sits at 8054 WI-57 in Baileys Harbor, directly on the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Quick answers

Can I bring outside food to Lake Fire Winery?

Yes, picnics are welcome. On-site food service is limited.

Does Lake Fire make its wine on-site?

Not yet. Wine is currently produced at the family’s Forgotten Fire Winery near Peshtigo-Marinette, with small-batch production planned for Baileys Harbor.

Are dogs allowed at Lake Fire Winery?

Yes, leashed pets are welcome on the patio.

Is there a lake view from indoors?

The tasting bar is indoors. The full Lake Michigan view is from the patio.

What’s the best time to visit for the view?

Early evening, before closing, June through August for the longest daylight.

Does Lake Fire have non-alcoholic drinks?

Yes, non-alcoholic soda is on the menu.

Is Lake Fire Winery wheelchair accessible?

Yes.

How far is Lake Fire Winery from Sister Bay?

About 10 to 15 minutes south on WI-57.

Plan your visit: a simple checklist

Final thoughts

Door County has plenty of wineries worth a stop, and most of WiscoLens’ existing Door County wineries guide still holds up. But none of those spots can do what Lake Fire does, which is put a working tasting room right on Lake Michigan. If you’re building a wine trail day around the peninsula, this is the Door County winery that earns its stop on the view alone, and the wine holds up well enough to make it an easy add either way.

Sources:
Lake Fire Winery, Door County Wine Trail
Lake Fire Winery, Travel Wisconsin
Wine Trails: It Takes a Family at Lake Fire Winery, Door County Pulse
Lake Fire Winery reviews, Tripadvisor