The best wines of Illinois
Discover the best wines of Illinois as well as the best winemakers of Illinois and estates of Illinois to visit. Explore the popular grape varieties of Illinois and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Top wines of Illinois by region
Looking for a good wine of Illinois among the top wines in the region? Check out our tops of the best red, white or effervescent wines of Illinois. Also find some food and wine pairings that may be appropriate with these exceptional wines. Learn more about the region and the wines of Illinois with technical and enological descriptions.
Great red wines of Illinois
See the top 100 best red wines of IllinoisWant to buy a red wine of Illinois cheap or sell a red wine of Illinois at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a red wine of Illinois
Red wines from the region of Illinois go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of celine's version of moussaka (5th meeting), pastasotto pepper merguez (risotto style pasta) or rabbit with kriek and cherries.
Organoleptic analysis of red wine of Illinois
On the nose the red wine of the region of Illinois. often reveals types of flavors of non oak, earth or oak and sometimes also flavors of red fruit, black fruit or spices. In the mouth the red wine of the region of Illinois. is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
The best vintages in red wine of Illinois
- 1994With an average score of 5.00/5
- 2009With an average score of 4.50/5
- 2005With an average score of 4.20/5
- 2017With an average score of 4.11/5
- 2012With an average score of 4.06/5
- 2015With an average score of 4.04/5
The most used grape varieties in red wine of Illinois
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Frontenac
- Malbec
- Petite Sirah
- Tempranillo
The best wineries and winemakers for red wine of Illinois
A wine route planned in the region of Illinois? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best red wine of Illinois.
- Winery Massbach Ridge Upper Mississippi River Valley Illinois with Peggy Harmston as winemaker
Discovering the wine region of Illinois
Illinois is a U. S. state located South of the Great Lakes region and bordered by Missouri to the west and Indiana to the east. The state is one of the fastest-growing wine producers in the United States; the number of wineries doubled in the late 1990s and now stands at over 100.
Illinois covers 150,000 square kilometers (58,000 square miles) between latitudes 36°N and 42°N, similar to northern California. However, the unpredictable and often Harsh winters of the Midwest mean that viticulture is not as widespread as in the key Californian regions of Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Most Illinois vineyards are located in the south, where they can take advantage of slightly warmer temperatures and increased exposure to sunlight. Illinois has a Long and successful wine-growing history dating back to the mid-19th century, when settlers planted grapes along the banks of the Mississippi River to make wine.
By the turn of the century, Illinois was the fourth largest wine-producing state in the United States. Like many states, this thriving wine industry was devastated by the advent of Prohibition in 1920, when most of Illinois' vineyards were uprooted in favor of grain crops.
Great white wines of Illinois
See the top 100 best white wines of IllinoisWant to buy a white wine of Illinois cheap or sell a white wine of Illinois at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a white wine of Illinois
White wines from the region of Illinois go well with generally quite well with dishes of shellfish, spicy food or lean fish such as recipes of mussels with curry, rigatoni with courgettes and tomatoes or cioppino (fricassee of the sea with tomatoes).
Organoleptic analysis of white wine of Illinois
On the nose the white wine of the region of Illinois. often reveals types of flavors of earth, microbio or oak and sometimes also flavors of tree fruit, citrus fruit or tropical fruit. In the mouth the white wine of the region of Illinois. is a with a nice freshness.
The best vintages in white wine of Illinois
- 2004With an average score of 4.30/5
- 2017With an average score of 4.20/5
- 2005With an average score of 4.20/5
- 2009With an average score of 4.10/5
- 2012With an average score of 3.96/5
The most used grape varieties in white wine of Illinois
- Chenin Blanc
- Riesling
- Chardonnay
- Muscat Blanc
- Moscato
- Sauvignon Blanc
The best wineries and winemakers for white wine of Illinois
A wine route planned in the region of Illinois? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best white wine of Illinois.
- Winery Massbach Ridge Upper Mississippi River Valley Illinois with Peggy Harmston as winemaker
Discover the grape variety: Malbec
Malbec, a high-yielding red grape variety, produces tannic and colourful wines. It is produced in different wine-growing regions and changes its name according to the grape variety. Called Auxerrois in Cahors, Malbec in Bordeaux, it is also known as Côt. 6,000 hectares of the Malbec grape are grown in France (in decline since the 1950s). Malbec is also very successful in Argentina. The country has become the world's leading producer of Malbec and offers wines with great potential.
Great sparkling wines of Illinois
See the top 100 best sparkling wines of IllinoisWant to buy a sparkling wine of Illinois cheap or sell a sparkling wine of Illinois at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a sparkling wine of Illinois
Sparkling wines from the region of Illinois go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or pork such as recipes of pork tongue with tomato sauce and pickles, lamb mouse with figs and grapes or cannelloni of meat.
Organoleptic analysis of sparkling wine of Illinois
On the nose the sparkling wine of the region of Illinois. often reveals types of flavors of tree fruit, citrus fruit or red fruit and sometimes also flavors of vegetal.
The most used grape varieties in sparkling wine of Illinois
- Shiraz/Syrah
- Chardonnay
- Catawba
- Chambourcin
The word of the wine: Brilliant
Said of a very limpid robe whose reflections shine strongly in the light.
Great pink wines of Illinois
See the top 100 best pink wines of IllinoisWant to buy a pink wine of Illinois cheap or sell a pink wine of Illinois at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a pink wine of Illinois
Pink wines from the region of Illinois go well with generally quite well with dishes of game (deer, venison), spicy food or beef such as recipes of duck pot au feu, original francesinha (portugal) or piglet shoulder with melting baked apples.
The most used grape varieties in pink wine of Illinois
- Chambourcin
- St Croix
- Pinot Noir
- Petite Sirah
Discover the grape variety: Vidal blanc
An interspecific cross obtained by Jean-Louis Vidal, between Ugni Blanc and 4986 Seibel or Golden Ray, its foliage reminiscent of that of Ugni Blanc. It can be found in the United States and Canada, but is little known in France.
Great sweet wines of Illinois
See the top 100 best sweet wines of IllinoisWant to buy a sweet wine of Illinois cheap or sell a sweet wine of Illinois at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a sweet wine of Illinois
Sweet wines from the region of Illinois go well with generally quite well with dishes of rich fish (salmon, tuna etc), spicy food or sweet desserts such as recipes of baked cod portuguese style, caramelized lamb mice or pancakes.
Organoleptic analysis of sweet wine of Illinois
On the nose the sweet wine of the region of Illinois. often reveals types of flavors of tree fruit, oak.
The best vintages in sweet wine of Illinois
- 2008With an average score of 4.30/5
The most used grape varieties in sweet wine of Illinois
- Concord
- Vidal Blanc
- Gewürztraminer
- Niagara
The word of the wine: Ampélographie
Study of the vine, and more particularly the grape varieties.
Great natural sweet wines of Illinois
See the top 100 best natural sweet wines of IllinoisWant to buy a natural-sweet wine of Illinois cheap or sell a natural-sweet wine of Illinois at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.
Food and wine pairing with a natural-sweet wine of Illinois
Natural sweet wines from the region of Illinois go well with generally quite well with dishes of game (deer, venison) or spicy food such as recipes of venison stew or tunisian pasta.
Organoleptic analysis of natural-sweet wine of Illinois
On the nose the natural sweet wine of the region of Illinois. often reveals types of flavors of non oak, oak or dried fruit.
The most used grape varieties in natural-sweet wine of Illinois
- Mission
- Chambourcin
Discover the grape variety: Teroldego
An autochthonous Italian grape variety that has been cultivated for a very long time and is fairly common in the northern part of Italy (Trentino, Alto Adige, etc.). It can also be found in Slovenia, Croatia (Istria, etc.) and the United States (California, etc.), but is virtually unknown in France. Genetic analyses have revealed that it is the niece or nephew of dureza and therefore the aunt or uncle of syrah. It is also said to be related to marzemino, lagrein and refosco dal peduncolo rosso.
News from the vineyard of Illinois
New Zealand vineyards work towards achieving carbon neutrality
The industry launched a certification programme called Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) back in 1995. It now covers 1,840 vineyards and 310 wineries. Growers can only achieve SWNZ certification by passing stringent tests within six key areas: water, waste, pest and disease control, soil, climate change and people. They must subject themselves to regular audits conducted by an independent company, which assesses the overall sustainability of their operations and verifies that they are m ...
Governments, companies and consumers boycott Russian-made products
Leading UK wine and spirits supplier Enotria&Coe said it was no longer ‘actively sourcing’ Russian products, and was planning to donate all profits from sales of current Russian stock to support victims of the war. In an email to customers, managing directors Ants Rixon and Sam Thackeray provided information about a number of Russian vodka brands stocked by the company. These include Stolichnaya – made in Latvia and owned by Russian billionaire and Putin critic Yuri Shefler – and Russian Sta ...
Château Latour 2014 released for first time
Château Latour 2014 was released this morning (15 March), making it the youngest Latour grand vin on the market and the third to be released since the first growth estate left the Bordeaux en primeur system in 2012. Farr Vintners was selling Latour 2014 at £4,950 per 12-bottle case, with six magnums offered at £4,980. Bordeaux Index was offering the wine in six-bottle cases at £2,475 in bond. Analyst group Wine Lister said the wine had been released at €430 per bottle ex-Bordeaux, up 18% on the ...
Discover other regions and appellation of Illinois
A wine route in the region of Illinois ? Visit the most beautiful wine towns and villages
- Carbondale
- Carlyle
- Carthage
- Chicago
- Creal springs
- Elizabeth
- Elmhurst
- Grafton
- Makanda
- Petersburg
- Plainfield
- Preemption
- Red bud
- Spring grove
- Utica
- Westby
- Whittington