Midwest Wine Press

Illinois Sparkling is a Favorite at Wine Riot Chicago

by · June 12, 2012

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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Mark Ganchiff

Mark Ganchiff is the publisher of Midwest Wine Press, the leading source of news on the growing wine industry in the central United States. Mark has been a wine judge at the 2012 and 2014 INDY International Wine Competition, the 2014 Cold Climate Wine Competition, the 2013 Mid-American Wine Competition, the 2012 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition and the 2013 Michigan Wine Competition. He also enjoys speaking at wine events including the Cold Climate Wine Conference, the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association Annual Meeting, the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference and the Wisconsin Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Mark's articles about regional wine have appeared in Vineyard & Winery Management, WineMaker and several regional magazines. Mark is a Level One Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers. He lives in Louisville, but also has a residence in Chicago.

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