Illinois Sparkling is a Favorite at Wine Riot Chicago
Morgan First, Co-Founder, CEO, Wine Riot
Illinois Sparking Company’s Stereo sparkling wine finished sixth out of more than 250 wines from 82 countries in a customer survey taken at the recent Wine Riot at Union Station in Chicago. Wine Riot attendees used a mobile phone application developed by the event sponsor, Second Glass, to vote for the wines they enjoyed the most.
Illinois Sparkling’s Stereo is a Sec style sparking wine made from Illinois LaCrescent and Frontenac Gris grapes. “It was very exciting to get such large-scale recognition for our first vintage of Illinois Sparkling,” said Jill Joyce, Illinois Sparkling’s Director of Brand and Product Development. “The Wine Riot people do a good job of promoting regional wines and I was very happy with the event,” she said.
Tyler Balliet, the president and co-founder of Wine Riot, said that he believes that regional wines are on the cusp of broader consumer acceptance.
Rachel Hillis and Matt Phillips of Lynfred Winery at Wine Riot Chicago
“Millennials are all about ‘what kind of wine haven’t I tried,'” he said, “while baby boomers are all about one winery or one wine.” Because young wine consumers are less brand loyal, and because of recent improvements in quality, Balliet predicted, “Regional wine is going to blow up soon.”
Other regional wineries represented at Wine Riot Chicago were Lynfred Winery of Illinois and St. James Winery of Missouri.
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