The monks at Assumption Abbey became involved in the sale of table wines in the early 1960s as part of an effort to help fund education at the Abbey Schools. While the Abbey seems to be famous throughout the region for making fine wines, it is a reputation that has gotten a little ahead of the facts in the matter. The truth is the monks have never made any wine beyond a bit for personal consumption.

In the 1950's the Abbey allowed Brookside Winery of Guasti, California, to sell wine under the "Assumption Abbey" label. The Abbey received a royalty for the use of its name. Labels were printed in Germany, and the quality of the wines produced under this arrangement was praised in many guides. In the mid-1980s the Brookside winery was sold to a food conglomerate which planted a housing subdivision where once grape vines had flourished.

At that time the monks of made an arrangement with the San Antonio Winery of Los Angeles. This winery uses grapes from the Sonoma County and Central Coast regions of California. Now, Assumption Abbey Press prints the wine labels in Richardton; they are
sent down to California and they come back with wine bottles glued to them!

Much of the wine is bottled for sale as "altar wine." The Abbey sells its wines to churches in a four-state area. As a sideline, the monks sell table wines from their wine cellar in Richardton.

To order Altar Wine for you parish or church, please call 701-974-3315 and ask to place an order.

To visit the Wine Cellar, you may stop by the Visitor's Center and a smiling monk will be able to open it for you. The Wine Cellar has a good selection of good quality wines with affordable pricing.