Tokyo Celebrates Nouveau in Style

Today marks the release of Nouveau wine around the world. At midnight on the third Thursday of November, the sounds of corks popping can be heard from all around as wine drinkers celebrate Nouveau!

Nouveau wine has been a French tradition for centuries. It is the first wine out of each year’s harvest to be released. French tradition does not allow the wine to be released until midnight on that third Thursday.

Through the years Nouveau parties have become more and more original and unique, but I have to say, after reading today’s article on Fox News about Tokyo’s bash, I think they’ve taken the cake. . .

While the Japanese may be toasting this season's release of the Beaujolais Nouveau wine with the traditional "kanpai!" or "dry glass," keeping their glasses dry would prove to be difficult as they bathed in a sea of the red wine at a new spa, the U.K.'s Telegraph reports.

• Click here to view photos.

Revelers on Thursday donned swimsuits and, wine glasses in hand, descended into the red water of the Beaujolais Nouveau spa, part of the Hakone Yunessun spa, where guests are able to bathe and swim in the wine while drinking it.

Japan is the biggest export market for the Beaujolais Nouveau, consuming about 11.5 million bottles, or nearly a quarter of the entire vintage.

"To us Beaujolais nouveau means France, it allows us to experience a little bit of French culture," Nippon News Network journalist Akiko Yajima said earlier this week.

Kansas Governor Needs Some Wine Education

Today we were sent an article about the Governor of Kansas, Kathleen Sebelius, who probably, nonchalantly said “If you ever see Kansas wine, don’t drink it”. Naturally we were compelled to post it.

As seen in our recent post on favorite bloggers, we mention how our favorites have an open mind to wine. For many years the general perception was that only good wine came from France. About a decade ago, wine lovers realized there were also great wines from California and eventually the entire west coast. What many people do not realize is that there are wineries in every single state of the US. Great wines are being created all over our great nation and it is quite disheartening when the head of state doesn’t even realize there are wineries there.

In the past we have not followed the politics of Governor Sebelius so this is not a political bash, however this would be a great opportunity for some wine education.

Sebelius makes quip about Kansas wine


It might not be a good idea to serve Kansas wine to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

At a fundraiser Tuesday for Gov. Chris Gregoire of Washington state, Gregoire praised her state’s wine, says the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

“You should be thankful we don’t make wine in Kansas,” Sebelius said. “If you ever see Kansas wine, don’t drink it.”

Norm Jennings, manager of a Salina, Kan., winery, didn’t find the joke funny: “It hurts.”

Spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said Sebelius was making the point that Washington produced more wine than Kansas. “She then made a poor attempt at humor but says she won’t do that again!” she said.

White Owl Winery to Speak at National Wine Conference

WHITE OWL WINERY FOUNDER TO SPEAK AT NATIONAL WINE CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND IN NORTH CAROLINA

(For Immediate Release from Birds, Illinois)

It’s amazing where your hobby can take you! So begins the presentation by one of the founders of White Owl Winery, near Birds, Illinois.

Joy Neighbors will be presenting two one-hour-and-15 minute seminars entitled: White Owl Winery, From a Wine-Kit to a Winery this Friday and Saturday, November 2 and 3 during the 40th Annual Conference of the American Wine Society in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Neighbors is the Marketing Director of the winery and has been the originator and coordinator for the successful Murder Mystery and Comedy Improv Dinners held at White Owl for the past six years. She will speak on how the winery began, the obstacles encountered in growing a small winery in Illinois and the successful outlook for the future. She will also discuss the growth of wineries and vineyards throughout the state and the benefits of being an Illinois winery.

Neighbors was invited to speak by Gene Spaziani, National Program Chairperson for the American Wine Society. She will be the first person ever to speak from the state of Illinois. Over 6,000 attendees are expected to attend this weekend.

Before opening the winery in 2000 with her husband Brian, Neighbors spent 20 years in the broadcasting industry as a writer, producer/director and talent. She began her radio career at WAOV in Vincennes, Indiana and then moved to WTAY in Robinson, Illinois before moving to Ohio to begin a career in television.

Neighbors speaks regularly to groups and associations about the winery, marketing and agri-tourism.

Some of our Favorite Bloggers

The IWA was basically founded during the legislation of HB0429 regarding wine shipment in Illinois. The governor's signing of the bill is a travesty to wine consumers, and to growing Illinois wineries, despite the various press articles mentioning it's positive effects.

IWA President / Founder, Fred Koehler (also President of Lynfred Winery) is currently creating a 10-point check list regarding the negatives on the bill which we will post later this week. In the meantime there are some outstanding and passionate authors, reporters and bloggers out there fighting the fight and sharing our plight. Here are some of our favorites:

Bill Daley, Food and Wine Writer for the Chicago Tribune. Mr. Daley eloquently and passionately shares his love of food and wine with his readers without bias. What do we mean by bias? For years there has been an idea that only good wines come from California. Years before that it was 'only good wines come from Europe'. Due to open-minded drinkers the general population has learned that great wines can be made anywhere and Mr. Daley is one of those writers we salute. You can read his articles every Wednesday in the Tribune's Good Eating section (<- link to the STEW) and in Sunday's Tribune as well. Be sure to check out his podcasts online.

Tom Wark, Executive Director of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association. Mr. Wark's media and PR expertise is second to none when it comes to wine. If you look up an article on HB0429 you will probably find a quote from him. His passion is seen in his statements but especially in his actions. When he heard about the bill's hearing in Springfield he called Lynfred Winery and said he would be there alongside Lynfred's Fred Koehler and Galena Cellars' Scott Lawlor; and he was. Tom's blog, Fermentation, is one of the most influential, informative and thought-provoking blogs out there.

Christine Blumer, a.k.a. the Wine Diva. Ms. Blumer's knowledge of wine is infectious and her blog fabulous. She shares the love of wine with everyone from novices to connoisseurs and reels in new wine drinkers daily. Her interviews on the Steve Cochran show are informative, down-to-earth and completely enjoyable. Thank you for keeping your readers informed!

Chuck Sudo, Food & Drink writer for the Chicagoist. Chuck Sudo has been following HB0429 like a bloodhound on a hunt. His articles have been precise and, it seems to me, up before anyone else has any of the legislation details. Another great writer to follow.

Know of any other outstanding bloggers featuring current state legislation? Let us know at wineinfo@lynfredwinery.com

IWA's Thoughts of Current Legislation

chicagotribune.com Editorial October 8, 2007

Corking the wine trade

When the Supreme Court struck down state laws barring individuals from buying wine directly from out-of-state wineries, one lawyer called it "the best day for wine lovers since the invention of the corkscrew."
The 2005 decision was a victory for consumers, an advance for open trade and a boon to vineyards with something special to sell. It turns out, though, that the celebrations may have been just a bit premature.
You see, one of the states that imposed limits on interstate wine sales was Illinois -- and it turns out some people here are not that keen on all-out, interstate competition. So they joined together to place new shackles on the wine trade. Last week, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a bill that limits significantly the freedom to buy and sell pinot noirs and chardonnays.
The bill allows all winemakers to ship directly to consumers who are of legal age. In the past, in-state vineyards could sell unlimited supplies to residents, but out-of-state competitors could ship no more than two cases per year to any one person. Now, the limit will be 12 cases, regardless of where the company is located.
That may not sound so bad, but there are worse provisions. Though they enjoy a new liberty to buy from out-of-state vineyards, Illinois oenophiles will no longer be able to order directly from out-of-state wine shops and other retail merchants -- something they have been doing for the last 16 years.
It looks as though about 500 California vineyards that are not officially registered as wineries won't be able to sell to individual buyers here either.
Meanwhile, Illinois' largest vineyards, unlike their smaller counterparts, won't be able to sell directly to stores and restaurants: They will have to go through wholesale distributors. That rule is bound to increase the price of a drink.
What gives? The governor's office proclaims that the bill "represents an agreement between Illinois wineries and liquor distributors." State Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago), a sponsor, boasted that it will "advance our growing wine industry."
Notice anything missing from those pronouncements? Only the needs of ordinary wine drinkers. The clear intent is to protect the profits of favored businesses -- and never mind if consumers, and the state's most successful wine producers, lose out.
Even some of the retailers who are being protected from out-of-state competition have spoken out against the new barriers, fearing they will provoke retaliation from other states.
"Bills like these are bad for consumers," Brian Rosen, the president and CEO of Chicago-based Sam's Wines & Spirits, told Crain's Chicago Business. "If every state's borders were open to wine sales, we could sell $50 million in wine a year outside Illinois."
For years, Illinois laws have interfered with the wine market in ways that do nothing to benefit the average tippler. It's time for the state to get out of the way and let buyers and sellers work out the arrangements that suit them best.

Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
Illinois Winemaker’s Alliance Reply to be Posted in October 13, 2007 Tribune:

On behalf of Illinois winemakers, I would like to thank the Tribune editors for recognizing the untold story and inequities of the bill recently signed by Governor Blagojevich, limiting the direct shipment of wine by winemakers to consumers in Illinois. (“Corking the Wine Trade,” October 8, 2007)

What is lost here, in addition to the right of the consumer to purchase the wines of his choice and have them shipped direct to him, is the right most successful wineries in the state to provide a wanted and needed service to that consumer and to profit from that transaction, and the right of all Illinois winemakers to continue to grow without being penalized by a law that unreasonably limits their profit margins.

Under the terms of this bill, Illinois wineries that produce more than 25,000 gallons of wine must conduct all wine shipments through a distributor. What this means is that, not only can they not ship direct to their customers, but they are also restrained from shipping to their own satellite retail outlets. The result is an additional cost to the consumer of up to 20% on all wine purchases—a penalty to both producer and consumer that benefits only the middleman!

The Illinois Winemakers Alliance is a coalition of wineries whose legislative mission is to eliminate this penalty for the state’s most successful winemakers, for those winemakers who will soon achieve production levels that will earn this penalty for them, and for the Illinois wine consumer who bears the ultimate cost of this unfair legislation.

Governor Signs the Bill

Free the Grapes!: New Illinois Law to Expand Consumer Choice for Winery-to-Consumer Shipments from 5 to 50 States, But Corks Out-of-State Retailers

NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich yesterday signed House Bill 429 which goes into effect June 1, 2008. The new law dramatically expands consumer choice for winery-to-consumer purchases made by Illinois wine consumers. Under the new law, wineries in all 50 states may purchase a permit to ship. Under the old law, wineries in just five states, including Illinois, were allowed to direct ship to Illinois consumers. The trading network of states with so-called ‘reciprocal’ wine shipping arrangements has decreased from a dozen to just five: New Mexico, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon (changes to permit law in January 2008) and Illinois (changes to permit law in June 2008).

Next year, Illinois will join the majority of U.S. states (34) who have either replaced reciprocity language, or replaced an outright shipping ban, with the successful model direct shipping bill.

“The new law is a boon for winery-to-consumer shipments, and long overdue, but unfortunately it corks out-of-state retailers. An amendment, widely supported by Illinois consumers and Free the Grapes! would have allowed out-of-state retailers the same privileges as wineries. It was defeated by powerful Illinois retailers and wholesalers,” said Jeremy Benson, executive director, Free the Grapes!, a winery-consumer grassroots coalition.

Under the new law, wineries from every state will have the option of purchasing a permit from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission that allows them to ship up to 12 cases per individual per year, among other provisions.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on direct shipping in May 2005, winery-to-consumer shipping has become legal in 34 states, which collectively represent 78% of wine consumption in the U.S. Most states have successfully implemented the model direct shipping bill, which allows wineries to purchase a permit, pay taxes, mark boxes, and consent to the jurisdiction of the state, among other provisions. Free the Grapes! is a national consumer grassroots coalition of more than 300,000 members and supports legal, regulated direct-to-consumer wine shipments.

Illinois' Grape Expectations

A look at this season's grape expectations

September 19, 2007
Naperville Sun Times

Autumn is the time of year when grape growers all over the world lovingly harvest their crops and celebrate their bounty.

However, the recent adverse weather could put a damper on much of the merriment. Our world's shifting weather patterns have made it challenging for grape growers across the globe. Locally, with the recent rainstorms and flooding, I was concerned about its impact on Illinois wine production.

Harvest forecast

Overseas, it has been very difficult for grape growers. France experienced a cold, wet summer and had widespread attacks of vine mildew, translating into lower production this year. South Africa and Argentina also have repeated poor harvests. Parts of Australia have suffered from a very hot, dry growing season and fires. The resultant ash will dominate their grape juice with notes of smoke and bacon.

On the other hand, California experienced ideal growing conditions. Grapes love warm, sunny summer days, cool nights and light rain. Winemakers check the grapes pH, acidity and brix (the amount of sugar, which is available to convert to alcohol) levels. When right, the growers rush to pick the crops before any heavy fall rains occur. Grape growers prefer a drier, warm summer as it creates some vine stress (resulting in better wine) and allows a grower to add, through irrigation, the amount of water the crop needs. You can always add water, but cannot take it away.

Locally, our Illinois winemakers had a more challenging year. Kori Faltz of the Fox Valley Winery reported the early summer provided weather the grapes love. The heavy rains in August adversely affected the grape pH, acidity and brix, so more time was needed on the vine to hopefully restore the grapes to the proper levels. The recent Labor Day sun helped. Assuming some fall sunshine, our wet August will delay the harvest and only affect the winemaker's production schedule.

Andres Basso, the Director of Winemaking at Lynfred Winery of Roselle informed me they source some grapes in Illinois and Michigan, but the majority of grapes come from California and Washington. Given the West Coast's good harvest conditions, they are confident in the quality of their 2007 vintage.

Wine festivals

This past weekend, there were three separate festivals celebrating the fall harvest. The Naperville Wine festival was held at the Naper Settlement. Your entrance ticket included a souvenir wine glass and 10 tastings from more than 200 wine selections. Geneva celebrated the 25th anniversary of their Festival of the Vine. Twenty local restaurants offered their signature dishes along with 14 wines to sample. Local merchants offered Festival specials and horse drawn carriage rides were available. The Fox Valley Winery offered grapes in large vats for stomping, and participants received a complimentary shirt with space for their grape stained footprints. One of the state's largest wine festivals was held at Starved Rock State Park. This festival featured wines from 20 award-winning Illinois wineries. Both days featured Illinois grape seminars.

There's still time to enjoy this fall tradition. Coming up, there are two local wine festivals that are well worth checking out:

• Harvest Fest When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Held at the Faltz Family Vineyards, 2714 N. 4251st Road, Sheridan.
Who: Fox Valley Winery
What: This fun day includes vineyard tours, wine tastings, a vintage baseball game, grape stomp and grape spitting contests and musical entertainment.
For more information: www.foxvalleywinery.com.

• Lynfred's Annual Oktoberfest, Pig Roast and Grape Stomp
When: 3 to 9 p.m. Sept. 29 and noon to 7 p.m. Sept. 30
Where: 15 S. Roselle Road, Roselle.
Who: Lynfred Winery.
What: Lots of wine, food and fun are guaranteed at this annual event. Activities for the whole family with German sing-a-longs, grape spitting, grape stomping, cork tossing and barrel races! Plentiful food with roasted pig, warm German potato salad and all the fixings plus bratwurst and "heavenly" sweet corn. Tasty desserts are also available.
For more information: www.lynfredwinery.com.

Bill Garlough is a Level One Master Sommelier. He also is an owner of My Chef Catering of Naperville, the 2007 Recipient of the US Chamber of Commerce's Small Business of the Year Award. He can be reached at www.mychef.com or winepairings@mychef.com.

Vintage Illinois Venue Change

Vintage Illinois is in 5 more days!

Change of venue alert:

Due to recent flooding at Starved Rock State Park, the Vintage Illinois Wine Festival has been moved to Matthiessen State Park at the Vermilion River Area entrance. The Matthiessen/Vermilion River Area entrance is located just two miles south of Starved Rock State Park on Route 178.
Click here for information on beautiful Matthiessen State Park. Click here for directions.

Vintage Illinois at Starved Rock 2007

September 15 & 16

Saturday: 11am - 6pm

Sunday: 12pm - 5pm

An Extraordinary Wine Tasting Event!

sponsored by Prairie State Winery and August Hill Winery

Feasting on Asphalt: Nauvoo Vineyard

Congratulations to Brenda Logan of Baxter's Vineyard, on her awesome interview with Food Network's Alton Brown!

Illinois Wine Grape Stomping on Fox News Chicago

Saturday, September 1, kicks off the 3rd Annual Illinois Wine Month! To commemorate Illinois Wine Month's third year, many of the state's almost 70 wineries are celebrating throughout fall with wine and food festivals, grape stomps, the introduction of exclusive new vintages and festive special events.

To kick things off, Scott Lawlor of Galena Cellars will be showing the Fox News Chicago morning team how to stomp grapes and enjoy Illinois’ finest vintages. Tune in Friday morning to Fox News Chicago (Channel 12) between 8:30 and 9:30 am to see the fun!

September is Illinois Wine Month

Illinois Wine Month events

BY SUZANNE BOYLE

News-Democrat

Forget the West Coast. September marks the third annual Illinois Wine Month, when wineries across the state go all-out to offer travelers festivals, tastings, grape stomps and the chance to meet with and learn from Illinois vintners.

Midwest wines may not have the same cache as the big vineyards of California, but Illinois isn't about to let that get in the way of a tourism concept that will draw visitors and their dollars to more than 60 wineries statewide -- more than half of which are located downstate.

"Over the past few years, wine tourism has become popular across the country, but travelers don't need to go to the coasts for an authentic wine country getaway," said Paul Renzaglia, president of The Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association "With new and bigger events across the state and more people visiting our wineries than ever before, this year's Illinois Wine Month is positioned to be our most successful yet."

Late August and September is the traditional grape harvesting season, when Illinois vintners begin the winemaking process. With the recent heatwave, winemakers already are picking grapes because the sugar is up in many varietals due to the hotter than usual temperatures.

Illinois Wine Month events include the following events in the Southern and Southwestern regions, which includes the metro-east. For more information about wine events in other parts of the state, visit www.illinoiswine.com:

Illinois Wine Festival, Aug. 25-26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.-- Hidden Lake Winery, Aviston. Kicking off Illinois Wine Month is the annual Illinois Wine Festival. The Heartland Rivers Wine Trail wineries will be exhibiting at this special festival, along with other Illinois wineries. Wine seminars, arts and crafts treasures, gourmet cuisine and music throughout the two days. For more information visit www.illinoiswinefestival.org.

Shawnee Hills Wine Festival, Sept. 1, 2 (noon-6 p.m.)-- Alto Vineyards, Alto Pass. Shawnee Hills Wine Festival: Join all nine wineries from the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail for a weekend-long celebration in the heart of Illinois Wine Country. The event will feature great wines, Cajun and Southern-style barbecue and the sounds of the blues. The $15 entrance fee includes a souvenir glass and $5 towards purchase of a bottle of wine at the festival. 893-4898, www.shawneewinetrail.com.

Vintage Illinois at Starved Rock 2007 September 15 (11 am-6 pm) & 16 (noon - 5 pm)
An Extraordinary Wine Tasting Event! Taste the wines of over 20 wineries at the beautiful Starved Rock Park. Tickets are $10 and additional $1 tasting tickets may be purchased. www.vintageillinois.com Call Starved Rock Lodge 1-800-868-7625 or Prairie State Winery 1-815-784-4540.

Grape Stomp, Sept. 15 (registration for stompers, 11 a.m.; stomping competition, 1 p.m.) -- Black Diamond Vineyards, Nashville. The third annual Grape Stomp will raise funds for the Illinois Brain Injury Association. The sounds of bluegrass will play as stompers compete for the most juice produced, best "stomping style," "I Love Lucy" look-a-like contest and the "Grand Stomp-Off." Tours of the winery are included in the admission. 336-5700,

www.blackdiamondvineyards.com

Art & Wine Festival, Sept. 15 (11 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Sept. 16 (noon-6 p.m.) -- Carlyle Lake Visitors Center, Carlyle. Festivalgoers will enjoy a wide variety of activities, with more than 50 local artisans, a world-renowned sand sculpture, varietals from up to 13 wineries, live music and gourmet food. 594-2484, www.carlyleartandwine.org.

Harvest Festival, Sept. 15 (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.) -- Ravissant Winery, Belleville. Harvest Festival. Celebrate the grape-harvesting season at the winery's largest annual event. Enjoy live entertainment, a grape-stomp competition and food. Free admission. 233-WINE, www.ravissantwinery.com

Heartland Rivers Wine Trail, Sept. 22-23 and Sept. 29-30 -- This is the trail's grand opening kickoff. Participating trail wineries will offer a variety of entertainment, culinary treats and tasting of fine wines in the relaxed country atmosphere of Southwest Illinois. For more information visit www.heartlandrivers.org or 234-9463.

Crab & BBQ Festival, Sept. 22 (2-7 p.m.) -- Alto Vineyards, Alto Pass. Alto's award-winning varietals are paired with delectable tastes of two-time world barbecue champion 17th Street Bar and Grill. Live Cajun music performed by Dennis Stroughmatt & Creole Stomp will keep the crowd dancing. A $3 admission fee includes wine samplings. Wine is sold by the glass for $5, with refills for $3. 893-4898, www.altovineyards.net

Lynfred Winery Oktoberfest, Pig Roast & Grape Stomp, Sept. 29 (3 p.m. – 9 p.m.) and Sept. 30 (noon – 7 p.m.) When the grapes begin to arrive at Lynfred and the crush begins we all know what’s right around the corner. . . Lynfred’s annual Oktoberfest! The celebration of Oktoberfest at Lynfred began over two decades ago and continues to be a festival that is remembered by all. Two days of German sing-a-longs, grape spitting, grape stomping, cork tossing and barrel races! Bring your friends, bring your family and bring your appetite! Free admission and entertainment. Tickets may be purchased for food and wine. www.lynfredwinery.com

Illinois Wine & Art Festival, Sept. 29 (11 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Sept. 30 (noon-6 p.m.), Southern Illinois Artisans Shop and Visitors Center at Rend Lake, Whittington. With presentations by more than 50 of Illinois' best-known artists, live musical entertainment, local food vendors and varietals from more than a dozen Illinois wineries. Free admission; open-tasting tickets for $10, which includes a complimentary festival glass. 629-2220, www.wineandartfestival.com

Illinois Wine Festival This Weekend at Hidden Lake Winery

Kick off Illinois Wine Month in style at picturesque Hidden Lake Winery in the pristine ‘Silent Forest’ of Aviston, Illinois.

Enjoy a veritable treasure trove of award winning Illinois Wines (14 wineries in all), delectable food, arts and crafts and fabulous music. Picnic to the sounds of Garrison Starr, The Veltz Family, and more with concerts all day, both days.

The festival is this Saturday and Sunday, August 25 & 26, from 11 am to 6 pm each day. For more information visit the official festival website at www.illinoiswinefestival.org

Visit Valentino Winery

From the vine, came the grape

Valentino Vineyards & Winery carries on wine-making tradition in Long Grove

August 22, 2007
BY LONG HWA-shu

Award-winning wines from Long Grove?

You'll be surprised. Valentino Vineyards & Winery at 5175 Aplakisic Road has won over 30 medals, including three this year, since it opened in 2001.


A sampling of the wines offered at the Valentino Vineyards & Winery in Long Grove.
"They include gold, silver and bronze medals, and Best of Class, from Illinois state competition and the Indianapolis International Competition," said Rudoph Valentino DiTommaso, owner.

DiTommaso makes over 20 different wines, including Marechal Foch, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Merlot and his signature blend, a red. He produces 12,000 bottles a year. They are sold to restaurants and specialty stores, as well as to the general public from his winery where he holds tastings.

A wine-tasting is currently conducted at the Mambo Italiano restaurant in Mundelein, he said.

The Napa Valley north of San Francisco is known as the wine country. But out here, in his 20-acre vineyard in Long Grove, DiTommaso said the soil and the climate are just as well.

"The soil conditions here are good, sandy with a high ph. We have nice, hot summer days. At night it cools off in the 60s. They are very good for growing grapes," he said, noting that the climate here is similar to some parts in Italy where fine wines are made.

The DiTommaso family has a wine-making tradition, starting from his grandparents, immigrants from Italy.

"I began helping my grandparents making wine in Chicago when I was 8," he recalls.

He began making wine on his own when he was 28 in Buffalo Grove. "My neighbor gave me some grapes from vines in his backyard. I made some red wine and gave it to them and friends. They liked it. That's how I got started."

DiTommaso bought the land, a former nursery, in Long Grove in 1990, and started growing vines from cuttings given to him by Dr. Will Enders who has a vineyard in Port Byron, Ill. He also bought grafted vines from a nursery in upstate New York. The vineyard, with 6,000 vines, boasts 19 grape varieties with Marechal Foch the dominant variety.

"We harvested 30,000 pounds of grapes in 2005. For this year, harvesting will begin next week," said DiTommaso, who employs two full-time workers plus several part-timers.

Both he and his daughter Briana Valentino, a wine maker, work full-time at the business. She also has her own blend, a white wine under the Valentina name which, he said, is selling very well.

"Two thousand seven will be a good year. It has been dry and now it is finishing off with rain," he said, adding: "We never had a bad year."

Growing grapes and making wines, DiTommaso acknowledges is a lot of hard work. "But I enjoy it. I wouldn't be doing this otherwise," he said.

And there's room for expansion. "I can grow another 6,000 vines here," he added.

Valentino Vineyards & Winery has also become a tourist attraction with tours which cost $5 per person and wine tasting at $8, which includes 5 wines. Tasters get to keep a glass etched with the company name.

Tastings are from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. There's no need to call or make reservations. Groups of 20 or more people who want to visit weekdays, should call in advance at (847) 634-2831.

Grape Harvest Begins

Grape Harvest in Southern Illinois

Cobden -- Grape harvest is in full swing right now at vineyards across Southern Illinois. But yields are expected to be much lower than last year because of harsh weather more than 4 months ago.

Grape Growers are blaming lower yields this year on the Easter Freeze. Brad Ganung, general manager at Owl Creek Vineyard said, it "took out a lot of our primary buds, so we're mostly on the secondary buds as far as the fruit goes, so its been very challenging for grape growers." This group of pickers is harvesting nearly 2 tons of grapes at Owl Creek Vineyard this week.Ganung says his vineyard is producing at only 50 to 60 percent. He says, "we're going to get good fruit out of this whole thing. The grape sugar is right where they need to be, we're getting nice acidity, so their will be a good structure to the wine."

Ganung says other than the Easter Freeze, the growing season has been exceptional-- and a bumper crop would have been possible.He says, "at least the weather the rest of the summer has been fantastic. We had rain at the right time, a lot of sun, a lot of heat. So it seems Mother Nature is trying to make up for the freeze." As the grapes make their way through the crusher and the de-stemmer, and is pumped into the press. Ganung is just happy to see a grape crop at all.

Now he's just hoping the rain will stay away. He explains, "the grapevine would push up a lot of water into the berries, which would dilute the juice. Sugars would come way down, Ph would go sideways and our acids would go off. It would delay our ability to harvest." A harvest that Mother Nature has been toying with from April till now. Owl Creek Vineyard harvested 50 tons of grapes last year producing nearly 12 thousand gallons of wine.

IWA Meeting Today

Lynfred GM / Director of Winemaking, Andres Basso,
and Lynfred Winery President/CEO & IWA Founder,
Fred Koehler heading out to the IWA Meeting this morning.


Another meeting of the IWA is today at the Northern Tourism Development Office in Belvidere, Illinois. Just to keep you informed, today’s agenda is:

Illinois Winemaker’s Alliance (IWA)
Agenda
I. Call to Order (Fred Koehler)

II. Report of Executive Director (Tom Stone)

A. Progress Report May 3, 2007 Meeting
B. Current Member List
C. Treasurer’s Report (Fred Koehler, Acting Treasurer)
D. Legislative Update

III. Selection of Committee Chairs
A. Budget Committee (Treasurer)
B. Marketing Committee
C. By-Laws Committee
D. Legislative Committee

IV. Review / Discuss IWA Web Site

V. Marketing Plan Ideas
A. “Friends of Illinois Wineries” Discount Card
B. Wine Discount Card (Percentage?)
- Sample Letter of Agreement
C. Vanity License Plates
D. Regional Wine Trails
E. IWA Standards
F. Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) Stamp of Approval
G. Other Ideas
VI. New Member Recruitment

VII. Executive Director Compensation (Executive Session)

VIII. Other Business

IX. Adjournment

Today's Tribune Article

Winemakers vow to fight shipping bill

Bill Daley

August 15, 2007

Some sour grapes are fermenting over a new Illinois bill governing the direct shipment of wine to retailers and consumers. The state's largest wineries claim the legislation, which was passed by both the House and Senate, discriminates against them. And they vow to fight.

"We're surviving a bitter defeat," said Fred Koehler, president and chief executive officer of Lynfred Winery in Roselle. "You can bet your last dollar we'll be back in Springfield."

The new law, which was passed by the Senate last week and now awaits the governor's signature, would allow smaller wineries making under 25,000 gallons of wine -- that's 98 percent of all the state's wineries -- to sell up to 5,000 gallons (about 2,100 cases) directly to stores and restaurants. Larger wineries that make more than 25,000 gallons have to sell via wholesalers. Currently, they can sell up to 10,000 gallons to retailers and restaurants.

For Illinois consumers, though, one of the biggest changes will be that they can now buy up to 12 cases of wine per person per year directly from any Illinois winery; same holds for buying from out-of-state wineries that obtain the necessary permits. The old law allowed unlimited shipping of wine by Illinois wineries to state residents but limited to two cases the wine that could be sold directly to Illinois consumers from wineries in states that had so-called reciprocal shipping privileges with Illinois.
Ted Penesis, industry education manager for the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, said that most out-of-state wineries doing business in Illinois are expected to apply for a direct shippers license. Buying wine directly from the winery should ultimately result in a cost savings for consumers, he said.

Retailers in Illinois can continue to ship wine to customers across the state. But Illinois residents won't be able to purchase wine from out-of-state stores (including online businesses), brokers or auction houses as before.
The impact could limit consumer choice, said Tom Wark, executive director of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association. He said only allowing out-of-state wineries to ship wine to Illinois consumers could possibly trip up at least 500 California wine operations selling here that aren't officially licensed as wineries. Winemakers who lease space elsewhere or use facilities they do not own are licensed in California as "retailers" or "distributors," he said.
"They are locked out of Illinois," Wark claimed.
Paul Kronenberg, president of the Family Winemakers of California, wouldn't comment on whether Wark's numbers are correct.
"His point is valid in the sense innumerable wine producers are not considered wineries by Illinois and other states because they're not licensed as wineries in California," he said. "Choices will be limited."

Stay calm, Penesis advised.
"No rules have been drafted yet," he said. "To say specific wine operations in California would be locked out of Illinois would be incorrect."
Hector Cardinez, the governor's press secretary, wouldn't say whether Gov. Rod Blagojevich will sign the bill. "We need to review it first," he said.
If the bill is signed into law, its provisions would go into effect on July 1, 2008.

The impetus for changing Illinois law was a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Granholm v. Heald, involving the states of Michigan and New York. The justices ruled a state could not discriminate against out-of-state wineries when it came to direct shipping. In the wake of the ruling, states across the country have rushed to re-write their laws.

"We think this is a good result for the vast majority of Illinois wineries and consumers," said David Stricklin, lobbyist for the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association. "We had to make sure we could ship directly to our customers and make sure the smallest, newest wineries could self-distribute in order to enter the market."

But Scott Lawlor, general manager of Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery, said the new law is discriminating against him and other large wineries in the state. He said being forced to sell via a distributor will mean higher prices.

"It's going to cost restaurants 27.5 percent more," he said. "They probably won't buy from me anymore."
Lawlor said direct sales to retailers accounts for 20 percent of his business.

"This will really hurt us," he added. "We built our businesses up. Our families worked hard and now they're taking it away from us."

Roughly 40 percent of all wine produced in Illinois is made by Galena Cellars and Lynfred, Lawlor said.

Illinois' wine industry has experienced strong growth in recent years. There are now more than 68 wineries producing 500,000 gallons of wine per year, with an annual economic impact of $250 million, according to the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association.


The non-profit organization supports the new legislation because it allows small wineries to continue with direct sales to retailers, said Nathan Kraft, an association spokesman. Small winery owners had feared they would be "locked out" because of their size if forced to go through the state's established three-tier distribution system, he said.
Koehler and Lawlor have now formed a group, the Illinois Winemakers Alliance, to fight the legislation. About a dozen wineries are listed as members on the alliance's Web site, illinoiswinemakersalliance.com.

"This is so unfair, we got buried," Koehler said.
"I understand their point of view," Stricklin said of the larger wineries. "I understand their disappointment and why they opposed the bill."

"With any membership-based organization you won't see 100 percent consensus," Kraft said. "This [bill] supports 98 percent of the wineries in Illinois. The [association] supports whatever benefits the majority."
But the two winemakers insist smaller wineries will eventually feel a pinch because they claim the bill punishes success. And Koehler vows to put heat on legislators who backed the bill.
"It's very plain who is for Illinois wineries," he said.

August Hill Winery Wins in Competitions

August Hill Winery has had a successful summer at three wine competitions. The La Salle County winery earned eight medals in the 2007 Illinois State Fair commercial wine competition, including a gold medal for its Niagara, also named the best white wine in Illinois.

Competing against 339 entries from 37 Illinois wineries, August Hill also won a silver medal for its Okoye and bronze medals for its Chambourcin, Chardonel, Sweet Catawba, Traminette, Trapolino and Vignoles.

August Hill earned gold medals for its Ginocchino and Augies' Blackberry wines at the 2007 Indy Internation Wine Competition. This is one of the largest wine competitions in the United States, with nearly 3,300 wines from 17 countries. The Ginocchio was in competition with wines from France, Australia, Spain and California. The Chardonel also won a silver medal at this competition.

August Hill WInery received a gold medal in the Wine Label Series competition, silver medals for its Ginocchio, Muscato and Traminette, and bronze medals for its Chardonel, Chambourcin, Okoye, Sweet William and Trapolino at the 2007 Mid-American Wine Competition.

August Hill's three-acre vineyard stands stop a bluff overlooking the Illinois River in Peru. The first grape vines were planted in 2003, with each hole dug by hand and each vine hand-planted.

The vineyard includes a wide variety of grapes and a large experimental section. This year will be the first year August Hill will be harvesting its grapes, as workers have been busy netting grapes to protect them from birds and preparing them for harvesting and crushing.

The August Hill Winery is adjacent to the vineyard and was built in 2004. All phases of wine-making from harvesting, crushing and fermentation to barrel aging and bottling are monitored by the winemaker, Mark Wenzel. Wenzel holds an engineering degree from the University of Florida and has developed his winemaking experience by taking viticulture and winemaking courses and working closely with people in the wine industry.

The August Hill Winery Tasting Room is in Utica. In addition to the handcrafted wines, the Tasting Room offers artwork by Tara Ginocchio and other artists, gourmet chocolates, artisan cheeses and more.

For more information, call the August Hill Winery at 815-667-5211 or visit www.augusthillwinery.com .

Vintage Illinois

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with Maria Mamoser, of Prairie State Winery, one of the founders of the Vintage Illinois Festival in Starved Rock.

It is only 35 more days until this magnificent festival opens, featuring twenty-three Illinois wineries. The event is only open to 23 participants and spaces fill up immediately! This years’ event runs Saturday, September 15 – Sunday, September 16.

The two day festival includes live music, wine instruction by Bradley Beam, the state enologist, and of course, wine tasting! For more information and ticket details visit www.vintageillinois.com

Never. Give. Up.

Many thanks to Chuck Sudo of the Chicagoist for keeping tabs on this legislation!


HB 429 Passes, Litigation Imminent

Yesterday the Illinois House approved legislation regarding how customers will be able to buy their wine. It's a story we've been keeping tabs on here at Chicagoist for a while.

Supporters of the bill champion HB 429 as a victory for Illinois consumers. They claim that the uniform 12-case limit shared by in- and out-of-state wineries, and the establishment of a permit system allowing smaller out-of-state wineries to sell their product directly to retailers, will broaden the variety of wine available to consumers. Opponents of the bill say that HB 429 is not necessary; since Illinois was already a state with "full reciprocity," arguing that consumers already had unfettered access to a wide array of wine through out-of-state retailers and wine clubs. Chicagoist received a press release from Specialty Wine Retailers Association Executive Director Tom Wark detailing this argument. You can read it here (Adobe PDF file).

Additionally, HB 429 saw substantial opposition from the state's two largest wineries, Lynfred Winery in Roselle and Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery, who argue that they and similar sized wineries in Illinois will see a substantial drop in revenue from direct sales, by having to utilize a wholesaler to sell their wine, under the new measure. Neither of these points were reported in the AP wire story referenced by Crain's yesterday.

Indeed, it looks as though the state's wholesale distributors are the big winners in all this. They've been lobbying hard for this legislation for close to two years, putting substantial amounts of money into the campaign funds of many of the bill's sponsors. If anything, the bill ensures that wholesalers are the first in line and get to have the pick of the litter. Wark has previously promised that SWRA would take HB 429 to court if it passed, and an e-mail we received from Lynfred marketing director Christina Anderson-Heller indicated that neither they nor Galena have given up the fight.

We have to ask: the state legislature can't agree on a budget and state employees are days away from not being paid, yet this bill managed to pass. We're currently wondering where their priorities lie.

By Chuck Sudo

Not Saying Cheers.

Not all saying Cheers! to wine deal

Lynfred Winery, Galena Cellars oppose state plan

By John PattersonDaily Herald State Government Editor jopatterson@dailyherald.comPosted Wednesday, August 08, 2007
SPRINGFIELD – How wine is bought and sold in Illinois could change under a proposal lawmakers approved Tuesday and sent to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

And while most Illinois wine makers appear to welcome the changes, some suburban wineries fear the changes could price them out of business.

The proposed law would limit to 12 cases a year the amount of wine someone could buy directly from a winery, whether the winery is in Illinois, California or anywhere else. The limit had been two cases per person per year.

And the law would prohibit wine purchases from out-of-state wine retailers, something critics said will restrict what wines Illinoisans have access to and likely result in higher prices.

Tom Wark, executive director of the California-based Specialty Wine Retailers Association, predicted the law will ultimately be declared unconstitutional and struck down.

The proposal is in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said states must treat out-of-state and in-state wineries the same.

The deal that cleared the Senate on Tuesday was viewed as preserving Illinois’ unique system of wine maker, distributor and retailer.

Some supporters said Illinois could ultimately see more wine business if out-of-state wine retailers decide to set up shop in Illinois to avoid the proposed law’s restrictions.

But some lawmakers said successful Illinois wineries would suffer as well and the new regulations would punish them for growing. As proposed, the largest Illinois wine producers would lose the ability to sell directly to restaurants and retailers and instead would have to enter into agreements with distributors.

Local wineries such as Galena Cellars in Geneva and Lynfred Winery in Roselle have said signing agreements with distributors could make their wines too expensive for the common connoisseur.

Distributors want a piece of the profit in exchange for carrying the relatively few bottles of wine small wineries create. That could ratchet wine prices up to $30 a bottle for companies like Galena Cellars and Lynfred Winery.

Both companies have about a year to strike a deal with a distributor to continue direct sales of their wines.

Fred Koehler, owner of Lynfred Winery, could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but he previously decried such severe direct shipping limits on his business as a possible kiss of death.

“It’d put us out of business,” Koehler said when such changes were first proposed in 2005. “That’s how serious it is. Why does the state want to put up more challenges for businesses when we’re an industry that’s trying to grow?”

Supporters said such provisions were necessary to show the proposed law didn’t unfairly target only out-of-state wineries.

There are nearly 70 wineries in Illinois. Most are represented by the Illinois Grape Growers and Vinters Association, which called the new law a victory for 95 percent of Illinois’ grape gurus.

David Stricklin, a consultant for the organization, said the vast majority of wineries in the state are much smaller than the Galena Cellars or Lynfred Winery operations. While those companies produce in excess of 85,000 gallons of wine a year, most other local growers fall below the 25,000-gallon mark.

That is now the threshold that triggers mandatory agreements with distributors to continue direct shipments of wine.

“This is a good bill for consumers, and will be a bill that furthers the dynamic growth in our industry,” Stricklin said. “For the bulk of wineries in Illinois, this is an extremely good result.”

Sadly It Effects the Growth

Unfortunately a battle has been lost that we have been fighting for quite some time now. The Illinois Wine Industry has grown from nothing to 70 wineries in the past 30 years and sadly a defeat upon its growth has occurred. We sincerely thank you for your letters to senators and all your efforts! Don’t worry, we’ll prevail!!!


State senate OKs wine sales proposal

By Kurt Ericksonkurt.erickson@lee.net

SPRINGFIELD -- The state Senate approved legislation Tuesday that would change how wine can be bought and sold in Illinois.

The measure, which was sent to the governor’s desk a 49-5 vote, would place a 12-case limit on how much wine a consumer can purchase directly from any winery. The current limit is two cases.

At the same time, it would bar consumers from buying wine directly from a wine distributor. Instead, they would have to buy the product from either a winery or a retailer.

The measure, in negotiations for more than two years, was triggered by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that requires states to treat in-state and out-of-state wineries the same.

The legislation is viewed as positive for about 95 percent of the industry in Illinois, which is comprised of 70 mostly small wineries.

Alexa Tuntland, owner of the Waterman Winery and Vineyards in northern Illinois, said the legislation has been a ’’big concern’’ among her colleagues in the industry.

’’We don’t want to lose the ability to be able to distribute our wine,’’ said Tuntland.

"It’s a good deal for me," added Rick Mamoser, owner of Prairie State Winery in Genoa. "It helps the vast majority in our industry."

Under the proposal, a small winery will be limited to distributing 5,000 gallons directly to retail stores and restaurants.

’’It’s good for consumers, we believe,’’ said Robert Myers of the Associated Beer Distributors Association of Illinois.

But larger wineries say the measure could hurt their business because it forces them to use a distributor to sell their product.

Fred Koehler, president of Lynfred Winery in Roselle, said the legislation could cost his company $150,000 to $200,000 a year.

’’It just isn’t fair,’’ said Koehler.

Scott Lawler, president of Galena Cellars in northwest Illinois, said the legislation will hurt Illinois’ fledgling wine industry.

’’This is going to shut the door on what we’ve accomplished,’’ said Lawler, whose winery also is considered among the largest in Illinois.

The legislation is House Bill 429.



Always fighting the fight. . .



Christina Anderson-Heller, with the Illinois Winemakers’ Alliance

Help Us Win the Grape Battle!

HELP US FREE THE GRAPES!!!

About a week ago I posted a blog regarding House Bill 0429 and Senate Bill 0123. We were fighting the fight and everything was quiet for a while, but now we know there will be a hearing before the Executive Committee in Springfield this coming Monday.

We want to tell you why you should know about and vote NO to Senate Bill 0123 (more information can also be found at http://www.ilga.gov/ ).

First of all, the Senate bill will be affecting large Illinois wineries ability to direct distribute any wine (currently at 10,000 gallons annually, will be reduced to zero gallons).

Secondly, HB 429, if passed as written, would prohibit you, the consumer, from purchasing wine from out of state wine retailers. You have possessed this right for 15 years. Now it will disappear. This means that you will no longer be able to search the Internet for hard to find wines or look for the best prices on a wine.

There is no justification for stripping you of this right other than it would benefit a small group of power wine distributors who would benefit by taking even greater control over the Illinois wine market. Write to the members of the committee and tell them to assure your right to by wine from out-of-state retailers is protected or to vote against HB 429.

We beg and urge you to contact your Illinois Senator and tell them to vote NO for Senate Bill 0123 and House Bill 0429!!! Find and contact your Illinois Senator by visiting http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx. We also urge you to send a note to Executive Chairman, Senator Ira Silverstein, at silverstein@senatedem.state.il.us .

Let’s FREE THE GRAPES!

Illinois Wine Trails Getting Attention

Northern Illinois wineries received some nice press today as the food section’s lead story in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Illinois uncorked
Considering a trip to wine country? Skip the flight and head to one of our area's wineries

August 1, 2007

BY CHUCK SUDO

When people talk about planning a daytrip to a vineyard, the regions that come to mind first are obvious: Napa, Sonoma, Oregon, Washington, even Michigan and New York.
What about Illinois?

It isn't so far-fetched. According to the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association, the state's grape growing and wine industry is growing by leaps and bounds. A January study by the association and MKF Research, a valuation firm specializing in wine business, counted 68 wineries and 450 grape growers in Illinois. Of the wineries, 10 have opened in the last two years. Two-thirds of Illinois' 450 counties have at least one vineyard.



Last November, the Downstate Shawnee Hills region was designated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as an American Viticultural Area for the distinctive climate and geographic characteristics that make it suitable for grape growing. Wineries in the region can list the Shawnee Hills designation on their labels when 85 percent or more of the wine they produce comes from grapes grown in that region.

But wine snobs, fans of the movie "Sideways" and folks just looking for a quick day trip to a winery don't need to pack up the car and head Downstate. For Chicago area residents, getting to a winery can be as simple as hopping on a Metra train -- or even a bus to the South Side.

Roselle, about 25 miles northwest of Chicago, is home to the Lynfred Winery, the oldest and largest operating winery in Illinois. Situated on one acre, Lynfred produces more than 50 varietals and 25,000 cases of wine a year, according to marketing director Christina Anderson-Heller, who works closely with founder and president Fred Koehler to raise awareness of Lynfred Winery and Illinois wine in general.

"We ship all of our grapes to the winery, with about 90 percent coming from the West Coast -- California, Oregon and Washington state," Anderson-Heller says. "We also bring in some grapes from Michigan, New York and Downstate Benton and Ava."

Lynfred Winery's winemaker, Chilean-born Andres Basso, is a veteran of Concha y Toro, Napa Valley's Merryvale Vineyards, and Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards in Washington. Basso's wines have clean, prominent fruit flavors and tangy finishes. Lynfred's wines were recently awarded two double golds at the Amanti del Vino festival in Mystic, Conn., and a "best in show" award for its rich, jammy Cabernet/Shiraz blend. Lynfred's Petite Verdot recently earned a double gold from the prestigious Tasters Guild.

Lynfred Winery has two "Tasting deVine" tasting rooms in Naperville and Wheaton. A four-suite bed-and-breakfast is located at the winery. Each room pays homage to the world's classic wine regions -- France, Italy, Germany and America. Guests are treated to elegant meals prepared by Elk Grove Village native Chris Smith. His fresh-baked bread from a wood-burning oven is not to be missed.

Lynfred wines can be found at Shaw's Crab House, Tin Fish in Tinley Park and Oakbrook Terrace, Rooster's Barn and Grill in Bloomingdale and Pilot Pete's at the Schaumburg airport.

The seven-year-old, family-owned Fox Valley Winery has three tasting rooms in Geneva, Oswego, and Sandwich. The winery cultivates 27 acres of grapes at the Faltz Family Vineyard in Sheridan, near the Sandwich tasting room. The grapes are harvested and shipped in refrigerated trucks to the Oswego location for venting.

"The grapes grown at our vineyard are in varying stages of maturity," says general manager Kori Faltz, "so we bring in different grapes from the Shawnee Hills region to compensate."

Fox Valley's wines have hearty fruit overtones made from chambourcin and chardonel grapes. Folks interested in pairing food with Fox Valley's wines can do that at Emmett's Ale House in Downers Grove and Oswego, Walter Payton's Roundhouse in Aurora and Stockholm's Vardshus in Geneva.

Tours of the Faltz Family Vineyard are held throughout the year. A harvest festival is held every September, complete with grape stomping and re-enactments of baseball as it was played in the 1800s. This year's festival is Sept. 22.

Urban dwellers who prefer to stay within the city limits can head to the Wild Blossom Meadery & Winery in the Beverly neighborhood on the South Side.

Located in a wine- and beer-making supply store on the dry side of Western Avenue, owner Greg Fischer and vintner/meadmaker Kazys Ozelis, produce an amazing array of fruit wines and meads. Meads are fermented wines traditionally made from honey, but may also be made from some fruits.

The selections at Wild Blossom range from the light and dry blanc de fleur, a wildflower wine; "Sweet Desire," a traditional mead aged in bourbon barrels and teeming with dark fruit flavors, and a very dry sparkling cran-nectar.

Wild Blossom also offers winemaking classes. Classes range in price from $95-$185 and yield up to two cases of wine or mead. The winery also sells supplies for making wine or mead at home.

Chuck Sudo is a Chicago freelance writer.

World's Largest What?

This Sunday morning, while watching the news, I heard of a town here in Illinois who were trying to create the world’s largest ketchup packet. That’s right. . . ketchup packet.

It happened this weekend in Collinsville, Illinois and was a fundraiser for the local school. The goal was to create a 1500 pound packet of ketchup to submit to the Guinness Book of World Records. I have always liked people who think big.

So this got me thinking; why couldn’t the Illinois Wineries create the largest grape stomp ever?! You know, the whole Lucy & Ethel dream so many people have could come true. A weekend of purple feet and world records. Hmmm. . .

Illinois Isn't The Only State With These Problems

As mentioned in previous blogs, the Illinois Winemakers' Alliance has been working with the Specialty Retailers Association to battle HB 0429 and SB 0123. Looks like Wisconsin wineries will be fighting their own battle:

Free the Grapes! Fate of Wine Direct Shipping in Wisconsin Rests with Conference Committee, Governor

NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For 20 years, Wisconsin’s wine lovers have been able to purchase wine directly from wineries licensed to do so, as well as from in-state wine retailers. But consumers will lose these privileges if the Budget Bill passes as it is currently written, according to Free the Grapes!, the national consumer grassroots coalition (www.freethegrapes.org).

“These anti-consumer provisions were slipped into the Senate version of the 384-page, $66 billion, two-year Budget Bill, rather than being considered in the light of day,” said Jeremy Benson, executive director, Free the Grapes! The association is encouraging consumers to visit its website at

www.freethegrapes.org and use the website to send personalized letters to state legislators and Governor Doyle. The organization points out three provisions that will effectively cut-off consumers from their favorite wines and wineries, and punish Wisconsin’s emerging wine industry:

· A Low-Tech Throwback to Paper Signatures: Each of the growing number of states (34) that allow legal, regulated direct-to-consumer shipments, including Wisconsin, allow electronic signature at the point of delivery by freight companies like FedEx and UPS. The Budget Bill’s language would require freight companies to gather paper signatures of the recipient and report these paper documents to the State, a process they probably cannot comply with. Additionally, the language requires that drivers collect a written “attestation” that the recipient was not intoxicated at the time of delivery.

· Cumbersome Shipping Limits: While shipping limits are standard in other states, Wisconsin’s current Budget Bill will limit shipments per individual rather than per winery, the standard in most other states. Because wineries cannot be sure how much wine an individual has purchased directly from others, wineries will not risk the penalties of non-compliance. Only Indiana and Massachusetts have included a per consumer aggregate purchase limit in their existing statutes; these two states are considered “prohibited” by wineries and FedEx. The proposed language also reduces consumer benefits of legal direct shipping by lowering the case limit from three cases per winery per consumer, to three cases per consumer (from all wineries).

· Regressive Licensing Fees. The Budget Bill is proposing the most regressive and onerous winery licensing fees of any state. For many wineries, the license fee will exceed the profit on wines shipped and wineries will be forced to cut-off consumers from their wine club programs

The next step for the budget bill is in the conference committee to reconcile differences in the budget between the Senate and Assembly versions.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on direct shipping in May 2005, consumer shipping has become legal in 34 states, which collectively represent 78% of wine consumption in the U.S. Most states have successfully implemented the model direct shipping bill, which allows shippers to purchase a permit, pay taxes, mark boxes, and consent to the jurisdiction of the state, among other provisions. Free the Grapes! is a national consumer grassroots coalition of more than 300,000 members, and supports legal, regulated direct-to-consumer wine shipments.

First Sideways, Now Ratatouille

The first time I tried telling my boss about the movie Ratatouille was quite a fiasco. Here’s how it went down. . .

Being in the wine business, any new movie featuring food and wine gets my attention! So I decided to ask my boss, a devout foodie and owner of Lynfred Winery, if he was going to take his grandkids to go see the new Disney cartoon ‘Ratatouille’. He said he had not heard of it. I, of course, said ‘oh, you HAVE to go! Not only would your grandkids love it but so would you!’ He then asks what it is about. This is where everything goes downhill.

The first words out of my mouth were ‘so it’s about this rat who wants to be a chef’. That is all I needed to say, before I could go on he was talking about how horrifying that must be, the travesty! ‘A rat as a chef? Ridiculous!’ Needless to say, I made him watch the trailer and he’s already planning a date with the grandkids.

So that leaves me with the pondering question. How will people perceive a wine with a rat on it? Well, if it goes over as well as the movie has, I would predict quite well. Here’s an article I found regarding the new ‘Ratatouille Chardonnay’:

July 26 (Bloomberg) -- Will a cartoon-movie rat on the label of a French-made chardonnay entice drinkers to pick it up?

We'll find out next week, when 2004 Ratatouille, named for Disney-Pixar's charming animated foodie flick, goes on sale for $12.99 at Costco stores in 18 U.S. states. This licensed bottling ushers in what may be a whole new trend for wine and the movies.

Plenty of films feature real wine brands, including 2004's ``Sideways,'' which doubled sales of California pinot noir. That's why wineries use product-placement agencies to get their labels on the screen.
The 2004 Ratatouille is the reverse version of this promotion strategy: It's the first movie-branded wine, and it's going retail.

The Disney wine doesn't spring from anything specific in the film's story of an ambitious young country rat named Remy who has haute-cuisine dreams and finally makes it as a four-star chef in Paris. The few wines in the film are big-deal bottles. I spotted a Cote-Rotie, a 1961 Chateau Latour and, in the scene when feared restaurant critic Anton Ego orders the legendary 1947 Cheval Blanc, what turns up on his table is Lafite- Rothschild.

Ratatouille wine is more modest, a crisp white from the Macon region of Burgundy. Louisiana-based importer D.C. Flynt M.W. Selections, which handles many wine projects for Costco, sourced the wine from an historic estate, Chateau de Messey. Owner Marc Dumont produced it from grapes in his Cruzille vineyard and put the movie label on a mere 500 cases of his regular Bourgogne chardonnay.

Costco Wine Program
The wine tie-in idea surfaced at a Disney-Costco summit in California, says Annette Alvarez-Peters, who oversees the Issaquah, Washington-based retail chain's wine program. She is coy about financial arrangements with Disney, but a typical licensing royalty is 8 percent to 12 percent of the retail price. Given the small numbers, it's hard to view the wine as more than a promotional gimmick.

But there may be a future for a limited number of movie- and TV-branded wines on retail shelves. Surely the wineries featured in ``Bottle Shock'' and ``The Judgment of Paris,'' two films now in production, will pick up on the idea and offer movie-labeled cuvees when they hit theaters next year. Both tell the story of the famous 1976 tasting in Paris when a handful of California wines beat out the best of France.

The future for real brands on the screen seems bright. Producers and set designers may be influenced by gift bags with free bottles, but serendipity sometimes reigns.

Free Publicity
Consider the appearance earlier this year of Kendall- Jackson Vintner's Reserve cabernet in the opening scene of a TV episode of ``The New Adventures of Old Christine.'' Star Julia Louis-Dreyfus pulls out a bottle hidden under her bathrobe, announces she's keeping ``Mr. Kendall Jackson'' company tonight and takes the bottle into her bedroom.
``I nearly fell out of my chair,'' recalls George Rose, head of public relations for the giant California winery, who was watching the show. He says L.A. product-placement agencies call regularly, pitching a $100,000 budget to place the brand, but this, he reports gleefully, ``cost us nothing.''

For tiny brands, the results can be big. When Demi Moore seduced Michael Douglas with a Napa Valley cult chardonnay, 1991 Pahlmeyer, in the 1994 thriller ``Disclosure,'' owner Jayson Pahlmeyer was inundated. ``I could have sold 400,000 bottles,'' he says, ``but I only made 400 cases.'' Pahlmeyer provided two free cases to the film and paid no fee.

Product Placement
Usually, though, an ``integrated entertainment marketing'' agency is the go-between. Six years ago, Napa Valley's Clos du Val was the first small winery to pursue on-screen product placement, and it paid an agency, Set Resources of Culver City, California, a $5,000 monthly retainer. Soon after, James Gandolfini was pouring Clos du Val on ``The Sopranos.'' Since late 2005, the wines have appeared in 25 TV shows and nine films, including recent figure-skating comedy ``Blades of Glory.''

Clos du Val's distinctive terra-cotta-colored label is easy to identify on the screen, where instant recognition is essential. Champagne Mumm's Cordon Rouge, with its red sash on the label, has a long movie history -- from the Bogart and Bergman scene in ``Casablanca'' (where he says ``Here's looking at you, kid'') to the more recent ``Pearl Harbor'' and ``A Beautiful Mind.''

Hollywood sells, so the bottles of 2004 Ratatouille will surely go quickly. The mystery is why Disney got involved. Profit on 6,000 bottles is a blip in the hundreds of millions the company will earn from consumer products in fiscal 2007. Maybe it's part of Disney's push to attract sophisticated adults with items like furniture.

On the other hand, how sophisticated is a cartoon rat? For movie-magic chardonnay, if budget is no object, I think I'll stick with 2005 Pahlmeyer ($70), which doesn't have a rodent on the label.