Hand-Poured Candles at Rustic Roots Winery: Scandia Workshop & Tasting

At Rustic Roots Winery, on 20168 St Croix Trail N in Scandia, Minnesota, a candle-making workshop flips the script on typical winery visits. Here, amid sun-dolled vineyard rows and the low hum of the tasting room, participants blend from more than fifty essential and fragrance oils to craft a 14-ounce soy candle they pour and take home. The experience marries sensory play with the slow conviviality of a small winery: you sip a flight or a mocktail while evaluating scent families—citrus, resin, green, spice—and learning simple scent layering techniques. The session runs about three hours and is designed for beginners. An instructor guides a small group through scent profiling, measuring, and the pour process, with all materials supplied. The room fills with surprising combinations—brown sugar and wine oak, spruce and tangerine—that echo the place’s blend of agricultural roots and craft hospitality. Rustic Roots Winery’s tasting room and workspace become part classroom, part social table, making the workshop both a creative craft and a low-key social outing. What makes this an especially local outing is the setting: Scandia sits along the St Croix Trail, and the address—20168 St Croix Trail N—puts you within the agricultural landscape north of the Twin Cities. The winery’s practical focus on small-batch production mirrors the DIY ethos of the class; you leave with a hand-poured, labeled candle and a new appreciation for scent as a travelable memory. This is not a factory tour; it’s an intimate maker’s session that pairs well with an afternoon of winery hopping, a farmer’s market stop, or a drive through oak-lined county roads. Practical notes: classes accommodate all ages who can safely work with hot wax; expect to stand intermittently and to handle measuring equipment. Book in advance—spots are limited to keep the group size small and the instruction hands-on. Bring a reusable bag for your finished candle, and allow time afterward to enjoy the tasting room. For visitors, this workshop is a way to take home something personal that also tells a local story. It’s ideal for couples, friends, or solo travelers looking for a tactile, relaxed experience anchored in place. If your trip to eastern Minnesota includes a search for low-key, craft-driven activities, the Rustic Roots Winery candle workshop is an unexpectedly satisfying addition to a seasonal road trip. Workshops make strong gifts, and Rustic Roots often hosts private groups for bachelorette parties, team outings, and birthday gatherings; contact the booking link to request a private date. The venue generally provides aprons and protective mats, and the soy wax is chosen for cleaner burning and easy scent blending. Expect clear safety instruction around hot vessels and wicks, plus a printed scent recipe to replicate your blend at home today.