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

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. . .

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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!