3150 S. Rocky Comfort Road
Makanda, IL 62958
618-995-wine
–Part of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail in Southern Illinois
In the fall of 2000, the first seeds were planted; since 2005 there doors have been opened. I love this winery, filled with an exquisite tasting room, knowledge staff, great at handling crowds of people, beautiful landscaped property, outside and inside tables, bread with olive oil and spices and other food choices or simply grab some cheese curds or craft cheese from the refrigerator. It was Labor Day weekend and traffic in the winery was heavy, yet I was served immediately as there were tastings available at the bar area, wines by the glass sold inside and out and staff running around to please their customers and not have them wait long.
I cannot say enough about this winery, as its charm and wine selections reflect Illinois so very well. The tasting fee was nominal ($ 2.00) and tried some great Chambourcin, Riesling (from New York), Norton grapes. Seyval and Cab Franc (lighter than usual, but interesting). I purchased several bottles and particularly enjoyed the Seyval wine, as it was a 90+ temperature day. (Illinois is known for grapes that can handle cooler climates such as Chambourcin, Norton and Seyval varietals.) My wine consultant was very knowledgeable about what grapes were grown on their land and which grapes came from other regions. The wine cellar is downstairs within this building and this charming young lady understood and worked several aspects of this winery. Having someone so personable and knowledgeable only makes your wine tasting experience a positive experience. A must to go visit when down in our state of Illinois, as folks have commented that this is one of the best wineries on the wine trail.
The grounds at Blue Sky Vineyards.