Illinois Wine - History

History

Grapes have been growing in Illinois for over 150 years. One of the first areas to begin growing grapes was on the banks of the Mississippi in Nauvoo. The oldest recorded Concord vineyard in Illinois was planted in 1851 and is located in Nauvoo State Park; the vineyard is still producing fruit. By 1880 there were over 600 acres (2.4 km2) of grapes and 40 wine cellars in Nauvoo, and the town was known for its fine wines.

The oldest surviving family-owned vineyard in Illinois is also located in Nauvoo. Emile Baxter came to Nauvoo in 1855 to join an Icarian commune and remained after the breakup of the group. Learning about grape culture from his Icarian friends, Emile planted 8 acres (32,000 m2) of vineyards. After Prohibition in 1936, the Baxter family winery became Illinois' first bonded winery.

In a sharply different region of Illinois, the Shawnee Hills, Guy Renzaglia founded Alto Vineyards in 1982. He planted new varieties such as Chancellor, Chambourcin, Vidal Blanc, and Villard Blanc. Renzaglia and two other growers founded the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail in the 1990s.

Winemaking expanded rapidly in Illinois from about 1990 onward. The number of operating wineries increased in Illinois from 3 in 1985, to 12 in 1997, to 63 in 2004, and 79 in 2008.

As of 2004, 63 Illinois wineries, working with 193 grape arbors, produce 451,079 U.S. gallons (1.7 million liters) of wine annually with an annual total positive economic impact estimated at $20 million.