Let Your Voice Be Heard

CHICAGO, Jan 19, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Past legislative initiatives that have harmed Illinois consumers' access to wine have spurred a group of Illinois wine and free trade lovers to announce the formation of the Illinois Wine Consumer Coalition (IWCC). The Internet home of the IWCC can be found at http://www.illinoiswineconsumers.org.

The mission of the new consumer-advocacy group reads in part:
"The Illinois Wine Consumer Coalition and its members provide a voice for Illinois wine consumers. Our foundational principle is that Illinois consumers should have full access to the wines of their choice from both Illinois and out-of-state sources. A well-regulated and efficient wine market should provide full access to all wines for adult Illinois consumers."

PASSAGE OF ANTI-CONSUMER WINE BILL SPURS GROUP'S CREATION
"Our goal is to educate Illinois consumers, Illinois media and Illinois lawmakers on the issue of consumer access to wine and the benefits of free trade," said Gretchen Neuman, a member of the IWCC steering committee. "In addition, we will be working with other advocacy groups and growing our membership and our voice with the goal of giving Illinois consumers access to wines via direct shipping -- access that was stripped from Illinois consumers with the implementation of HB 429 in 2008."

Illinois wine consumers were stripped of their right to purchase wine from out-of-state wine retailers in 2008. The passage of HB 429 removed this right after Illinoisans had enjoyed full access to the American wine market for 15 years. The fact that consumers were never taken into account during deliberations over HB 429 helped give impetus to the creation of the IWCC.
"As a voice for Illinois consumers, we fully believe that wine sales should be well regulated and taxed," said Neuman. "However, this can easily be accomplished while still providing Illinoisans with full access to the American wine market."

WINE LOVERS ACROSS ILLINOIS INVITED TO ADD VOICES TO COALITION
"The recent restrictions on consumer access to wine in Illinois that resulted from HB 429 were clearly nothing more than payoff to the well-heeled Illinois alcohol distributors, the only group that benefits from restricting access to wine," said Neuman. "In the past five years Illinois alcohol distributors have given more than $3.5 million dollars in political contributions to help grease the wheel's of anti-consumer wine legislation."

Wine lovers and supporters of free trade across Illinois are invited to join the IWCC. As members they will get regular updates about the state of consumer access to wine in Illinois. In addition, the IWCC will encourage its membership to reach out to lawmakers, media and other wine consumers to assure they are very clear where Illinoisans stand when bills concerning wine and consumers are being considered in Springfield. Finally, the IWCC will be actively working to overturn the anti-consumer aspects of HB 429.

"Illinois wine consumers have been ignored and punished in the past and the principles of free trade shelved for the sake of special interests," said Neuman. "That won't happen again as long as the IWCC is watching and participating in the process."

For more information on the Illinois Wine Consumer Coalition visit http://www.illinoiswineconsumers.org.

Join the fan page on facebook too!

We're Back With Friends

It has been one busy summer but now that the grape harvest has begun we are back to work and rejuvenated with ideas for the Illinois Winemakers Alliance! We have spent the summer researching wine legislation in Illinois and the United States. We have specifically been meeting and collaborating on ways to keep the public and wine consumers in ‘the know’ with wine legislation news. One way to do that was to create a group called ‘Friends of Illinois Wineries’. Our friends will not only get special treatment at participating Illinois wineries but will also be kept up to date with news and mailings. Here’s some more information on ‘Friends of Illinois Wineries’:

Sponsored by the Illinois Winemakers Alliance, the ‘Friends of Illinois Wineries’ program will help support efforts to minimize the cost of wine to consumers by protecting each winery’s right to ship directly to the retailer and to you.

A $10 donation gives you special access to promotional offers at participating Illinois wineries!

With your donation you will receive a card to present at each winery to redeem discounts, wine tastings and other special offers.

Participating Wineries Include:

Lynfred Winery
10% off the purchase of wine bottles or cases

Glunz Family Winery & Cellars
10% off the purchase of wine bottles or cases

Massbach Ridge Winery

20% off first bottle of wine purchased

Hidden Lake Winery
10% off the purchase of wine bottles or cases

Illinois River Winery
10% off the purchase of any wine bottles, cases, or merchandise


Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery
10% off the purchase of wine bottles or cases

August Hill Winery
Two Tastings for the price of one, plus 5% off wine purchased

Kensington’s Wine Auctions
One free tasting of four Illinois wines of the customer’s choice

Tasting deVine (Wheaton)
10% off the purchase of wine bottles or cases

Tasting deVine (Naperville)
10% off the purchase of wine bottles or cases


To Become a Friend of Illinois Wineries Click Here

IWA Meeting This Wednesday

Illinois Winemaker’s Alliance (IWA)
Agenda
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Cooper’s Hawk Restaurant & Winery
Burr Ridge, Illinois
Lunch: 11:30 AM
Meeting: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

I. Call to Order (Fred Koehler)

II. Report of Executive Director (Tom Stone)
A. Progress Report
B. Current Member List

III. Treasurer’s Report (Fred Koehler, Acting Treasurer)

IV. Legislative Update (Fred Koehler)

V. “Friends of Illinois Wineries” Discount Card Update

VI. Presentation by Jerald O’Kennard, Director, Beverage Testing Institute (BTI)
A. How BTI Tests Wines

VII. Presentation by Steve Puccini, http://www.winefather.com/
A. Illinois Wineries on Web site
B. Kensington’s Wine Auction Facility in Chicago

VIII. Review / Discuss IWA Web Site (Links and Blogspot)

IX. Other Business

X. Adjournment


At this meeting, we will make the final decisions and launch our Friends of Illinois Wineries program, the BTI Quality Improvement program, and new legislative initiatives. We will also hear from Steve Puccini of WineFather LLC about a new marketing opportunity for all Illinois Wineries.

Please RSVP to Tom Stone

The New Illinois Wine Law

Today CLTV starting airing a new piece regarding the new Illinois wine bill that will go into effect on Sunday, June 1, 2008. It is a bill that the Illinois Winemakers' Alliance has been fighting and will continue to fight. WATCH THIS STORY UNFOLD .

The governor and many other individuals consider this bill to be beneficial to Illinois wine consumers and even market it as a great thing for the Illinois wineries. What has actually happened is that the three largest wineries, creating over 60% of the wine made in Illinois, have had their rights stripped from them. Before HB 0429 passed 2nd class wineries (wineries producing over 25,000 gallons of wine per year) in Illinois were able to sell 10,000 gallons of wine direct. With the new bill, 1st class wineries (wineries producing under 25,000 gallons of wine per year were given the ability to sell 5,000 gallons direct per year, while the large wineries were stripped of all direct shipping abilities.

What does this mean to the consumer? It means that if someone loves Cooper's Hawk, Galena Cellars or Lynfred wines and wants to buy them at a restaurant, they will be paying more. The reason? The second class wineries now must go through a distributor; tacking on dollars to the consumer. We find that to be discriminatory. We are living with liquor laws from the 1930's. Ridiculous.

Tom Wark, Executive Director of the SWRA, had a commentary in the Chicago Tribune the other day that truly sums it up. Bill Daley from the Tribune followed it up with a blog, too.

Want to know more! Let us know! Email us with your questions or post a comment.

So True. So True.

The Southern, an Illinois newspaper, posted an article on Friday called ‘Ups & Downs’ mentioning some of the good vs. evil in Illinois this year. What caught my eye was this quote:

“Thumbs down – to Gov. Rod Blagojevich for putting state support for the burgeoning Illinois wine industry on the chopping block. It is now, as the industry is experiencing phenomenal growth, that it needs expert guidance for grape growing and winemaking if it is to produce quality wines. What's a near $400,000 state investment in return for an estimated $60 million direct economic impact that includes state taxes and state license fees? We know the state budget is strained, but this expense looks more than justified by the return on investment.”

Kudos to the Southern! Finally someone has it right! Before prohibition Illinois was the fourth largest wine producing state in the US (New York, Ohio and Missouri being the top three). If Illinois wine is going to continue to grow we need the help of our state and local governments.

Well said Southern, well said. . .

Quality Assurance Program

Canada is doing it; so is Pennsylvania; why not Illinois? At the last meeting of the IWA members discussed the prospect of submitting Illinois wines, from member wineries, for analysis. The analysis doesn’t award the wines with bronze, silver and gold but with a stamp of approval.

There is such a plethora of wines available to consumers that having a ‘stamp of approval’ could give assurance to buyers that the wine has been tested and is well worth their money. It’s a project that IWA is doing research on and was just delighted to see someone else trying it out.

Member News: Blue Sky Winemaker Dinner

April 12, 2008 – 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Save the date for an opportunity to enjoy award-winning Illinois wines and 4-star quality food at Blue Sky Vineyard. Learn the basics of wine tasting and the rules of wine and food pairing. Meet our winemaker Karen Hand, "Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Associations" - Vintner of the Year 2006, and enjoy a delicious, catered 5-course meal.

After the class join our winemaker for a tour of our cellar. Each person that attends the course will receive a 10% off coupon good towards a purchase made that day at the vineyard.

Read what some of our guests said about our first "Wine & Food" course:

"I enjoyed this very much. This was my first wine class. I would like to repeat it someday, just to refresh. Thank You!" - Wine Drinker for 7 years

"This class was very well presented and easy to understand and best of all, a lot of fun. Great wine, great food, and great information!" - Deb Browning

"Great workshop! Very informative. - A nice way to spend an afternoon! - Wine Drinker for 20 years

Caterer and Menu Information Will Be Available March 5, 2008

For More Information Contact:

Blue Sky Vineyard

3150 S. Rocky Comfort Rd. Makanda, IL 62958
Phone: 618-995-9463 Fax: 618-995-9763

Senate Bill 2121 Submitted

PHOTO: The picture above is of Lynfred Winery owner, Fred Koehler, breaking a bottle to recognize the opening of the winery in 1979. 29 years ago, when Lynfred first opened, Mr. Koehler was only allowed to produce 2000 gallons of wine per year. Today Lynfred produces about 80,000 gallons per year, and are about to hit the state’s limit of 100,000 gallons.


The IWA has been planning how to fight HB0429’s passing in 2007. The way for us to begin 2008 is by submitting a counter bill. Senator Carole Pankau, with the approval of IWA has submitted Senate Bill 2121 for review.

The Senate Bill would allow 2nd Class Winemakers (Illinois winemakers producing over 25,000 gallons) to purchase a self-distribution license. Current legislation (HB0429) takes away that right from the larger wineries in the state, which in turn, would raise the price of wine to consumers.

Chicagoist writer, Chuck Sudo, mentioned the new bill today in his article ‘More Wine Bills Working Their Way Through Springfield’.

The executives of IWA will be meeting in Springfield on Wednesday and we’ll have more updates later this week. If you have any questions in the meanwhile please email us at wineinfo@lynfredwinery.com

1st Quarter Meeting Summary

Thanks to IWA members, our First Quarter 2008 General Membership Meeting was a great success. We have three great challenges ahead of us:

. to influence Illinois legislators to pass laws governing winemakers that protect our right to growand prosper while preserving reasonable access andcosts for consumers, and

. to introduce consumers to Illinois wines and wineries through various cooperative promotional programs, and

. to improve the quality and reputation of Illinois wines by establishing quality standards according tothe tenets of the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI).

The Second Quarter General Membership Meeting will beheld in May on a date and in a location to be determined. We will hear the reports of the Marketing and Legislative Action Committees and the BTI StudyTeam at that time.

Meeting Thursday, February 7

Attention IWA Members:

This Thursday, April 7, 2008 will be the first-quarter meeting of the IWA for 2008. The meeting will be held at Lynfred Winery in Roselle and will start at 11:30 am. Here’s the agenda:


11:30 AM Buffet Lunch
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Call to Order (Fred Koehler)

Report of Executive Director (Tom Stone)
Progress Report
Current Member List

Treasurer’s Report (Fred Koehler, Acting Treasurer)

Legislative Update (Fred Koehler)
Impact of Illinois HB429 (scheduled for enactment July 1, 2008)
IWA Activities to Combat Passage of HB429
Legislators Representing IWA in Springfield

Marketing Plan Ideas
“Friends of Illinois Wineries” Discount Card
Frequently Asked Questions about Discount Card Program
IWA Wine Quality Standards
Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) (How BTI Tests Wines)
Other Ideas

Selection of Committee Chairs
Budget Committee (Treasurer)
Marketing Committee
Legislative Committee
By-Laws Committee

Review / Discuss IWA Web Site (Links and Blogspot)

Other Business

Adjournment

Please RSVP by calling Tom Stone at 773.549.4071

Be Informed

The passing of House Bill 0429 in 2007 has left the Illinois Winemakers’ Alliance with a battle on their hands. Our battle will begin with first informing our consumers of what HB0429 will do. Here is the letter we will be sending out to our mailing lists:


Dear Illinois Wine Consumer,

I am writing to you in regards to current wine legislation that will affect Illinois wine consumers. Recently House Bill 0429 was signed by Governor Blagojevich and will become law July 1, 2008. The media has portrayed this bill as beneficial to all Illinois wine consumers and Illinois wineries, while it actually strips the rights of the consumer and stunts the growth of the Illinois wine industry.

We want to inform you of how the bill will affect you as a consumer:

HB0429 Ignores you, the Illinois wine consumer
HB0429 Strips your rights as Illinois citizens to buy wine from out-of-state retailers
HB0429 Increases the cost of wine to you, the consumer
HB0429 Stops the function of the free market
HB0429 Is an Illegal restraint of trade and commerce
HB0429 Prevents industry competition
HB0429 Limits fair access of Illinois wines to the retail market
HB0429 Creates an Imbalance of distribution among state wineries
.
While the private interest of the commercial entities in the industry is artificially protected from the challenges of dealing with the changes in the market place, there is no noticeable advancement of the public welfare.

We will be contacting Illinois Senators and Representatives to review the Illinois Alcoholic Beverage Laws and Regulations. The Federal Trade Commission, the federal agency in charge of consumer protection and anti-trust enforcement, will be looking into wine distribution in various states.

We urge you, the Illinois Wine Consumer, to contact your state representative and senator. Further information can be found at www.illinoiswinemakersalliance.com as well as links to contact your local and state representatives.

Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us at 630.529.9463 or at wineinfo@lynfredwinery.com. In the meantime we, as Illinois Winemakers, will be planning our next move.

Sincerely,

Fred Koehler
President
IWA

Scott Lawlor
Vice President
IWA

Tom Stone
Executive Director
IWA

This letter will be followed by similar letters to our state representatives, senators and the members of the press. We urge you to share this letter with fellow wine lovers anyway you can, email, blog, anything! Help us fight the fight!

Back with a Force

After a long holiday season we are back to blog! The holidays are a busy time for wineries and wine retailers and I apologize for the lack of blogs but now we’re back in force.

The Illinois Winemakers’ Alliance is still fighting the effects of HB 0429 in Illinois and today the newspapers and media outlets are abuzz with the revelation of wholesaler’s political donations.

The SWRA has released monetary donation charts of the wholesaler’s political contributions and Wines & Vines printed the article today. The Sun Times and The Chicagoist also picked up on outrageous donations. Take a moment to read for yourselves and you’ll realize how hard it is for the Illinois Wineries to fight these battles, the wholesaler’s just have the money.

Stay tuned for upcoming political action by the IWA.

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