August Hill Winery Introduces Illinois Sparkling Co.

Continuing the hot trend of Midwest sparkling wine production, August Hill Winery in Utica, Illinois is introducing a brand of  traditional method sparkling wines called Illinois Sparkling Co.    Jill Joyce, Director of Brand and Product Development for both August Hill and Illinois Sparkling Co., said that consumer demand was behind the decision to start a new label.  “We’ve been producing sparkling wines under the August Hill label since 2008 and sales have steadily been increasing,”  Joyce reported.

Illinois Sparkling Co. wines are made from a blend of 100% Illinois grapes including estate grown St. Pepin, Frontenac and Chambourcin.   August Hill sees so much potential in sparking wines that they are converting all of their three acre vineyard on the Illinois River to sparkling grape production.   Grapes used to make August Hill still wines will continue to be supplied by Illinois growers including Highland Hills Vineyard in Kankakee and Two Oaks Vineyard in Benton, Illinois.

Joyce said the cost of Illinois Sparkling Co. products will be approximately $32 per bottle.   “With the secondary bottle fermentation, each bottle of méthode champenoise sparkling is slightly different,” Joyce said, “like a crystal snowflake.”