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

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

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.

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.