Illinois Wine Lovers Meet at Ottawa 2 Rivers Wine Fest
Now only in its second year, the Ottawa 2 Rivers Wine Fest, held June 8 through 10, has proved once again that a well run event in Northern Illinois can draw big crowds to...
Midwest Wine Press Blog
Veraison in Southern Illinois Starts a Month Early
Ryan Heimann of Heimann Vineyards in Southern Illinois reports that his Marechal Foch vines were at the beginning of veraison on June 7th, about a month early.
Prima Cider Rides the Hard Cider Wave
Imagine a fermented beverage that was once popular and jovial, then ravaged by prohibition, finally driven to the brink of extinction, only to be kept alive by farmers and locavores for decades. Years later,...
Grape Production Expands in Vernon County Wisconsin
Timothy Rehbein, University of Wisconsin Vernon County Agriculture Agent, notes that at its peak in the 1990’s, tobacco farming was a thriving $14 million business in Vernon County, Wisconsin and surrounding areas. When the...
First Uncork Illinois Exceeds Attendance Expectations
The first Uncork Illinois wine festival in downtown Oak Park on June 2nd was an unqualified success according to Downtown Oak Park executive director Pat Zubak. “The turnout for the festival exceeded our...
Valvin Muscat is Midwest’s Hot Moscato
Moscato wine is making a comeback. According to Neilson sales data, Moscato sales doubled in both 2009 and 2010 and almost doubled again last year. A recent article in Palm Beach Illustrated also...
Positive Crop Report From Fenn Valley Mich
It’s refreshing to report some good freeze damage news from Michigan. In their most recent newsletter, Fenn Valley Vineyards said Merlot and Chambourcin vines were barely effected by April freezes. See the “2012...
Illinois Reduces Funding for Wine Industry
The beleaguered State of Illinois recently cut $142,500 in funding for the state’s wine industry, according to Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association (IGGVA) president Bruce Morgenstern. The lost State Department of Agriculture funding...
St. James Chambourcin Label Profile
St. James is Missouri’s largest winery, producing over 200,000 cases per year. Because St. James’ wine is distributed to retail stores in 17 states, packaging is an important marketing consideration according to marketing manager...
Leelanau Peninsula’s Good Harbor Vineyards
Last summer Good Morning America viewers voted Leelanau Peninsula’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore the Most Beautiful Place in America. The significance of this national recognition reverberated through the region’s quaint villages, including the town...