Hit the Wine Trail
Imagine relaxing on the patio, looking out onto the rolling hills of southern Illinois as the sun slides between the rows of grapevines. In one hand you hold a glass of late harvest wine made with grapes grown in a nearby vineyard. In the other hand, you have some Roquefort cheese. You swirl the wine in your glass, sniff, sip & savor. Sound like an evening in the Napa Valley? The Bordeaux Region in France? Think again. This is Illinois, where you are welcome to sample all kinds of wine ranging from fruity apple to dry chardonel.
Whether you're a wine connoisseur or someone who simply sips wine at a holiday meal, you'll enjoy a tour of an Illinois winery. Learn about the winemaking process from fermentation to degustation, join a grape stomp during harvest time, pick up a bottle for your evening picnic, or stop for some free samples. You're sure to find just the right wine for your palate, as there are more than 30 wineries in the state.
Surrounded by spectacular hills or nestled within woodlands, the southern Illinois wineries offer picturesque settings for tasting wine and snacking on cheese. Von Jakob Winery in Pomona invites guests to relax on its spacious deck in the national forest. At Alto Vineyards in Alto Pass, one of the oldest and largest wineries in southern Illinois, you can stroll the 10-acre vineyard, located a mile from the landmark Bald Knob Cross. Or relax at a picnic table and uncork one of the vineyard's award-winning wines, most of which are made from French-American hybrid grapes. Consider a bottle of Shawnee Gold, a sweet white wine made from Vidal Blanc grapes, or a bottle of Chardonel, a dry white wine. Next, tempt your taste buds at Pomona Winery in Pomona, which specializes in wines made from apples, peaches and blueberries grown in the region.
In addition to vineyards along the Wine Trail, you will find other charming wineries in southern Illinois. Pheasant Hollow Winery in Whittington is housed in a cozy log building in the woods, and Waterloo Winery is situated in a historic farmhouse in Waterloo. Most wineries contain gift shops stocked with the vineyard's wines, corkscrews, decanters and picnic baskets, plus extras such as local artwork and handcrafted glassware. At Lau-Nae Winery in Red Bud you can personalize your wine bottle. Hand-painted and etched bottles have choose-your-own emblems perfect for wedding gifts, or designs commemorating local attractions such as Fort de Chartres in nearby Prairie du Rocher. Waterloo Winery will also customize labels for you.
Throughout the year, many wineries across the state throw memorable harvest celebrations or offer special samples of newly released wines. Take off your shoes, roll up your pants and smash some grapes the old-fashioned way.