SEVERAL ILLINOIS WINERIES ARE AT THE STATE FAIR…OFFERING SAMPLES AND INDICATIONS THAT THE INDUSTRY IS ALIVE AND WELL.

WHEN YOU THINK OF FINE WINE YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OF ILLINOIS…BUT NICK SHULTE (shull-tee) OF SPIRIT KNOB WINERY IN URSA SAYS THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 WINERIES ACROSS THE STATE THAT ARE MAKING A REALLY GOOD PRODUCT.

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SOME BUSINESSES GROW THEIR OWN WINE…BUY WINE FROM A VINEYARD…OR A LITTLE OF BOTH SINCE IT TAKES ABOUT FIVE YEARS FOR GRAPES TO BE USABLE FOR WINE ONCE PLANTED. AND SOME…LIKE PLAINVIEW WINERY USE OTHER FRUIT AS WELL SAYS JACKIE BECKER.

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SOME WINERIES USE GRAPES FROM OTHER VINEYARDS…AND SOME, LIKE PLAINVIEW WINERY IN PLAINVIEW, GROW THEIR OWN SAYS JACKIE BECKER. BUT YOU GOTTA WONDER…DO GRAPES GROW THAT WELL IN ILLINOIS?

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EACH WINERY SEEMS TO HAVE THEIR OWN NICHE…LIKE FOCUSING ON SWEET PEACH OR RASPBERRY WINES…OR IN THE CASE OF SLEEPY CREEK VINEYARDS OF FAIRMONT…VERY UNIQUET WINES SAYS DAWN TAYLOR.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WINERIES IN ILLINOIS…VISIT THE WEBSITE…ILLINOIS WINE DOT COM.