Wine Tastings and More at This & That Wisconsin Store
Attendees of Stratford Community Days can get a free taste of Wisconsin at the beer garden at Klemme Park on Saturday.
This & That Wisconsin Store is sponsoring a complementary wine and beer tasting from 11-4 p.m. with products sourced from state wineries and craft breweries, giving tasters an opportunity to try something new and learn more about the product while supporting the Stratford Fire Department. Afterwards, purchase a beer or novelty can of wine all weekend long to enjoy during the festivities, such as the ATV Pulls at 1 p.m. and the Jerry Schmitt Band performance at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Those who can’t make Stratford Community Days still have a few more opportunities this summer to sample wine during This & That’s popular weekly tastings at the store off Highway 97. Guests can sample four wines they can savor on the outdoor patio between 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24 and 31. Try free samples of favorites or a newly released wines, learn about the winery it came from, the fruit used to make it, and the flavors they create.
Tasters can purchase a bottle to take home along with local cheeses and sausages, a few of the many state-themed products available at the family-owned store. “We try to feature products that are made in Wisconsin,” said Bernie Wenzel, owner. “The state has a lot of talented people out there that make a lot of cool stuff.”
The store’s specialty is in wine, and the Wenzels feature around fifteen different wineries, including Munson Bridge (Withee) and Autumn Harvest (Chippewa Falls). “That makes us a little more unique. You can come to our place and it’s like you’re visiting fifteen wineries,” Wenzel said. “It’s a great experience to know that company and get to meet the winemakers.”
Craft beer fans can find a rotating selection of around a dozen to twenty kinds in the cooler. Those who check out the store will find a variety of products sourced locally from around the state.
This & That began in 2013 and is a family operation by Bernie, his wife Jen, and their five children, who all pitch in. With suggestions from friends and their young children, the Wenzels began selling a variety of Wisconsin products, from wine to ice cream, to cheese, which recalled the old days for Bernie and Jen when cheese factories sold their products out of small storefronts.
The Wenzels are active supporters of the community, between Chamber of Commerce events or helping out with their children’s after-school activities, such as wrestling, cross country, softball, and baseball. They also help organize the Star Club little league program, drawing people to the community, and are active members of their church.
“It’s what everyone should take part in – helping out and make the place live a better place,” Wenzel said.
This & That Wisconsin Store
M607 WI-97, Stratford, WI 54484
