Hold your horses, oenophiles! While Alaska might not immediately conjure images of sprawling vineyards and clinking glasses, it’s quietly aging its own intriguing wine story. But before you start packing your corkscrew for the Last Frontier, let’s set some expectations.
Alaska has a small but surprisingly serious collection of fruit wineries, think blueberry, rhubarb, gooseberry, and wild berry blends, and a handful of genuinely excellent wine bars spread across the state. We’ve spent decades working and living in Alaska, and while whiskey was usually the call after a long shoot day, the state’s wine scene deserves its own moment. Here’s what you need to know.
Quick Guide to Alaska Wine
My Experience With Alaskan Wine
I worked right down the road from one of Alaska’s only wineries. For years I worked on a the Discovery Channel show “Alaska: the Last Frontier”, a doc-series about homesteaders in Homer, AK. Turns out they didn’t live that far from town, and thank goodness because that town is home to, Bear Creek Winery.
While most of my time in Homer was spent fervently working as hard as I could to bring quality television to the masses, I did manage to break away from time to time and enjoy some wine. While Homer didn’t lack in quality watering holes, it was nice having the option of trading my regular three fingers of Irish whisky in for a nice blueberry Mirlo.
Alaskan Wineries
To say Alaska has a “wine scene” might be a tad ambitious. The state’s harsh climate and short growing season make traditional grape cultivation extremely challenging. Currently, only a few commercial wineries operate in Alaska, focusing on fruit wines (berries, rhubarb, honey) rather than grapes. So, don’t expect Paul Giamatti to take a road trip north just yet. But if you’re in town and fancy yourself an aficionado, why not sample some of the local offerings.
These are the main players in the less than crowded field that is, Alaska wine.
Bear Creek Wines
Owner and operator Bill Fry started making fruit wine blends in his garage back in the 90’s. They’ll take, say a merlot, and mix it with blueberry juice from local berries and boom! Blended Alaskan fruit wine! What started as a hobby quickly grew into a massive operation, and a true Alaskan success story. Currently, the winery boasts two distinct brands, selling approximately 100,000 bottles of wine annually. The original Bear Creek brand features nine year-round wines and five seasonal wines. The winery doubles as also a lodge for those who forget to spit after they sip. Is that still a thing?
📍 Homer, AK | bearcreekwinery.com
Glacier Bear Winery
Bill, handed over operations of Glacier Bear Winery, Bear Creek’s sisters company, to his son in law in 2013 and things haven’t slowed down since. The spin off brand slings five different non-blended wines crafted entirely from berries and fruit grown in Alaska. Both brands received multiple awards at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition held in Rochester, New York, with the winery’s 2019 entries securing three silvers and three bronzes.
📍 Homer, AK | glacierbearwinery.com
Alaska Berries
Also located on the Kenai Peninsula, but in the town of Soldotna, Alaska Berries is another wine maker pumping out fruit wine from ingredients grown locally. I recommend their Gooseberry Wine, it won a Bronze Medal at the NorthWest Wine Summit in 2018, and drinks like a dry white.
They claim “We grow the fruit and berries used in the production of our handcrafted wines and jams. “From the bush to the bottle” allows us complete control of the entire process. This insures the highest quality fruit is picked at its peak of ripeness.”
📍 Soldotna, AK | alaskaberries.com
Ravens Ring Brewing Co. – Anchorage
Ravens Ring is the only winery in Anchorage, and probably the most under-the-radar operation on this list. Licensed as both a brewery and winery, they produce beer, wine, and mead in-house, including a Concorde grape wine and rotating mead flavors like rhubarb. The taproom has a low key neighborhood feel with occasional food trucks and live music. Worth knowing about if you want to taste Alaska made wine without driving to the Kenai Peninsula.
📍 12150 Industry Way, Anchorage | Wed–Fri 4–8pm, Sat–Sun 2–8pm
Best Wine Bars in Alaska
Now Alaska might not be known for growing the best grapes, but they still have places to drink good wine, even if it’s not from the state. So for all you yuppies and puppies sick of dirty dives and smelly breweries, here’s a list of our favorite wine bars in Alaska. Go on and toss that pinky out!
Crush Bistro – Anchorage
Crush has been the anchor of Anchorage’s wine scene since 2008. Over 40 wines by the glass, an attached bottle shop called the Cellar directly upstairs, and a food menu that’s all over the place in the best way. Mexican carnitas, scallop pad Thai, ricotta gnocchi, and a burger that holds its own against all of it. The atmosphere is low-key and unpretentious, which is a harder thing to pull off than it sounds for a place with this level of wine. Wine Enthusiast named it one of their 100 Best Wine Restaurants in 2012, and the quality has held. Glasses run in the $10–13 range, so you can actually afford to explore the list.
📍 328 G St, Anchorage | Tue–Sat 5–9pm | crushak.com
Crow’s Nest – Anchorage
If Crush is the accessible option, the Crow’s Nest is the occasion. Perched on the 20th floor of the Hotel Captain Cook in downtown Anchorage, it offers 360-degree views of the city, Cook Inlet, and the Chugach Range, paired with a 10,000-bottle wine cellar and a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence it’s held since 2016. Fine dining menu, dress code (no shorts or sandals), and you’ll want a reservation. Worth every bit of it for a special night.
📍 939 W 5th Ave, Anchorage (Hotel Captain Cook, 20th floor) | Tue–Sat 5–10pm | captaincook.com
Corks and Hops – Eagle River
Eagle River doesn’t have a lot of fine dining options, and Corks & Hops has quietly become the best of what’s there. Family-owned and open since 2020, it’s the spot between Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley that travelers in the know stop at. The wine list skews toward well-curated reds, the pizza is legitimately good, and the charcuterie board is a reliable opener. The rustic, warm interior punches above what you’d expect for a strip-mall address. Open Tue–Sun.
📍 12551 Old Glenn Hwy Unit A, Eagle River | corksandhops.com
Queen of the North Wine Café – Juneau
Juneau’s first dedicated wine café, and probably the most surprising entry on this list. Located in a city better known for its breweries and rainy weather than its wine scene, Queen of the North runs a focused wine list alongside paninis, daily soup specials, and a weekend brunch. If you’re passing through Juneau on a cruise or doing any time in Southeast Alaska, this is the wine stop.
📍 Juneau, AK | Mon–Thu 11am–8pm, Fri 11am–9pm, Sat–Sun 10am–9pm
Map of Alaska’s Wineries & Wine Bars
Alaska Wine FAQ
Can I buy Alaskan wine outside of Alaska?
Yes. Bear Creek Winery ships to most states in the lower 48 directly through their website at bearcreekwinery.com.
What types of wine do Alaska wineries make?
Almost exclusively fruit wines. The climate makes grape cultivation impractical, so Alaska’s wineries work with locally grown berries — blueberry, gooseberry, rhubarb, raspberry — plus honey. The results are genuinely unlike anything from a traditional wine region.
Can I visit Alaska wineries for tastings?
Yes. Bear Creek and Glacier Bear in Homer welcome visitors, and Alaska Berries in Soldotna does tastings as well. Hours vary seasonally so check ahead before making the drive.
Is the Kenai Peninsula a wine region?
That would be a stretch. Homer is home to two of the state’s commercial wineries (Bear Creek and Glacier Bear), which makes it the closest thing Alaska has to a wine destination. Soldotna is a short drive away and home to Alaska Berries.