Taste wine tastings through Northern Illinois wineries – Shaw Local

Forget Napa Valley, because here, in our own backyard, a thriving wine scene is developing.

Nestled between rolling hills and charming towns, Northern Illinois wineries offer a delightful escape for both wine lovers and casual drinkers. From award-winning varietals to scenic vineyards and inviting tasting rooms, these wineries promise a relaxing and flavorful experience.

This guide will introduce you to some of the region’s best wineries, highlight their unique offerings, and help you plan your perfect wine weekend.

August Hill Winery

You can enjoy August Hill Winery’s wines at its tasting room in Utica or visit its vineyard in Peru, which hosts Wine on the Hill and Cave Tasting events. The family-owned winery, which opened in 2002, serves a selection of crisp whites, bold reds and refreshing rosés, as well as dessert wines and sparkling wines from its Illinois Sparkling Co. August Hill’s wines include Chardonel, Vignoles, Chambourcin, Blackberry, Caramel Apple and more. Small snacks are available in the tasting room, as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Relax in the lounge area or on the patio. The tasting room is located at 106 Mill St., Utica, and the vineyard is located at 21N 2551st Road, Peru. augusthillwinery.com

Bishops Hill Winery

You’ll feel like royalty when you enter the beautiful castle building of Bishops Hill Winery in Joliet. The property, which overlooks the Des Plaines River, was once home to the Catholic Diocese of Joliet. The castle-like building that now houses the tasting room was built by a German master brewer and has been fully restored. Wine tastings are held Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Pizza and charcuterie platters are available for purchase. Bishops Hill offers a monthly wine tasting class as well as outdoor yoga classes. Bishops Hill’s wines include reds such as cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and petite syrah; whites include chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio. 310 Bridge St., Joliet. bishopshill.com

Prairie State Winery

Opened in 1998 by two former teachers, Prairie State Winery in Genoa prides itself on its high-quality wines and friendly service. The winery produces more than 35 wines, including unique varietals not found anywhere else from grapes grown in Illinois. Available reds include Bacio Di Sole and Recovery Noir, whites include Edelweiss and Honey Orange Blossom, and fruit and dessert wines include Prairie Fire, Cranberry and Honey Apple Crisp. The tasting room also offers craft cocktails, as well as paninis, flatbreads, shareable snacks and more. During warmer months, the vineyard hosts Music in the Garden events on the second and fourth weekends. Prairie State Winery is located at 222 W. Main St., Genoa. prairiestatewinery.com

Fox Valley Winery

Fox Valley Winery specializes in handcrafted, small-batch wines, available in its Oswego tasting room, which is filled with artwork from local artists. Relax on a sofa in the warm and inviting tasting room, or sip outside on the spacious patio. Fox Valley Winery offers traditional varietals like Merlot and Syrah, as well as fruit wines like cranberry and apple, dessert wines and sweet wines. Live bands perform there. 59 Main St., Oswego. foxvalleywinery.com

Galena Cellar

Galena is always a popular destination for a weekend getaway, and while you’re there, be sure to stop by Galena Cellars’ tasting room downtown or the rural vineyard. The family-owned winery opened in 1985 in a restored 1840s granary in Galena, and the Lawlor family bought a farm outside of town in 1990 to start growing their own grapes. Wines include dry reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Eric the Red, and Petite Syrah; whites include Seyval White and Moscato, and fruit wines like caramel apple, cherry, and honey rhubarb. Sparkling, holiday, and dessert wines are also available. The vineyard hosts live music on weekends, and you can also enjoy views of the Galena countryside with a glass of wine. The tasting room in downtown Galena features live music as well as signature cocktails, shareable plates, sandwiches, flatbreads, salads and more. The downtown tasting room is located at 111 N. Main St., Galena, and the vineyard is located at 4746 N. Ford Road, Galena. galenacellars.com

Waterman Winery

Waterman Winery and Vineyards in southern DeKalb County owns a 12-acre vineyard with 40 varieties of red and white grapes from which they make their award-winning wines. The winery produces 20 varieties of unique, handcrafted regional wines, including Royal Red, DeKalb Red, Waterman Red and several other sweet and dry reds. White wines include Wine Dog White, DeKalb County Niagara and Reflection. Waterman Winery also produces seasonal fruit wines such as Harvest Pumpkin and Cherrylicious. Self-guided vineyard tours and wine tastings are available on Saturdays and Sundays. The winery is located at 11582 Waterman Road, Waterman. watermanwinery.com

Acquaviva Winery

Located in the village of Maple Park in western Kane County, Acquaviva is a family-owned winery on 85 acres of vineyards. The 1,858 square-foot facility includes a wine production area visible to the public, a tasting bar and a pizza bistro with food pairings to accompany the wines. Acquaviva produces a wide variety of red, white and specialty wines. Varieties include reds such as Don Giuseppe 2019, Piacere 2020 and Marquette 2020 and whites such as Fiora Della Vigna 2018, Donna Mia 2019 and Bianco Bello 2019. 47W614 Illinois Route 38, Maple Park. acquavivawinery.com

Other wineries in northern Illinois include Fergedaboutit Vineyard & Winery in the small village of Hanover in Jo Daviess County, Rocky Waters Winery, also in Hanover, Massbach Ridge Winery in Elizabeth, Illinois, about 30 minutes from Galena, Vigneto del Bino Winery in the northern suburb of Antioch, Sable Creek Winery with its new location in Romeoville and Lynfred Winery in the suburb of Roselle.