The Wines

A non-traditional offering based on winemaker’s selections.  Stay tuned for notes on 2018 Long Shot…

Our sweetest white offering.  Tasting details to come…

If you’re intrigued by the Rosé but have more of a palate for semi-sweet wines, you’re gonna want to give the Hayseed a try.  Made in a European style, don’t let its pretty color fool you.  It can stand on its own.  Having it with food?  It’s delicious paired with a Nicoise salad, spicy hummus or hamburger.

Giddy Up is a semi-sweet blend of 4 awesome local varietals from Heimann Vineyards and Zückerbach Vineyards that complement each other perfectly. Vignoles, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, and Chardonel are fermented and aged exclusively in stainless steel and blended for a little time to rest in the bottle. The finished blend has inviting aromas of ripe, juicy pear and a hint of tropical fruit. The residual sugar gives body and carries the middle for a round finish that leaves you thirsting for more. We know, we know….all wine goes with cheese. But this wine would be stunning paired with a grilled brie sandwich or blue cheese and baguette or, basically, anything bacon wrapped. Are we speaking your language with the “b” word? Or…it has just the right sweetness to make it a great choice with your dessert course, too. “GIDDY UP” is right!!

Call it a favorite.  We love Rosé.  Ours is dry and made from Chambourcin grapes grown locally by CCW partner vineyards.  We prefer drinking some with brunch…on a weekend…with some friends or those you love.  Or have with prosciutto and melon, grilled fish, a sandwich, Indian food…ok, anytime is great, really.  Rosé all day!

This is a delicious, semi-sweet, white wine pressed from 100% Vidal Blanc grapes grown by our phenomenal partner vineyard Heimann Vineyards in nearby Walnut Hill (also Illinois Grape Grower of the Year in 2015).  If you’re a semi-sweet Riesling lover, this is your wine.  The aromatics on this wine are beautiful with tropical and citrus fruits up front and minerality underneath.  We think it’s enjoyable with spicy tacos or pork chops.

A “private treaty” is a negotiation made directly between an owner and vendor for special arrangements to ensure quality is high.  In this case that’s about grapes.  This special wine is made only from the finest select Seyval Blanc grapes from our vineyard partner Heimann Vineyards in local Walnut Hill.  The grapes are handled with care and hand sorted before getting pressed into stainless steel and French oak barrels.  Then the final blend is made from proportion of only the best Seyval Blanc from both oak barrel and stainless steel.  Oaky, but crisp; balanced, but bright.  Aromas of toasted oak and caramel and tropical fruit on the nose, round and bright acidity on the attack, and an elegantly lingering finish pay homage to the extra care taken in making this wine.  It shows through.  The only thing it needs is a grilled salmon Caesar salad and a warm sunny day.  Mmm…probably making this happen right now.

Oak aged for 6 months in french oak.  Burgundy style, medium-bodied, lush white wine.  Crisp acidity with notes of lemon peel and lime; and the toasted oak adds a touch of vanilla. This is a great daytime wine.  Pairs well with salmon, crab cakes, roasted white meat.

This favorite sweet, red, fruit-forward blend is certainly drinkable about anywhere the back road takes ya with just a little age and complexity thanks to a blend of Concord, Chambourcin and local Norton grapes, bottle-aged for an extra year. If you want something sweet with just a little more body, this is your ride. Enjoy this with a spicy chili, BBQ ribs, or with just about anything, really.

SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2018.  This dry red was pressed fresh from the grapes previously grown right here on the property and left to its own devices in a year-and-a-half in oak. This wine takes on an elegant profile and lighter body. Dark in the glass and full of flavors of plum and dark berry a just a slight touch of oak.  I’d be willing to have this with a roasted chicken and vegetables or roast beef sandwich and be pretty happy.

The name says it all. This is an easy drinking, sweet red Concord wine made from grapes from a family vineyard in upstate New York. This’ll make you salivate. Enjoy this with a juicy hamburger hot off the grill, some spicy buffalo chicken wings, or as a dessert wine.

This delicious dry white wine is pressed from Seyval Blanc grapes grown locally by our partner Heimann Vineyards in Walnut Hill, IL. Light and refreshing with hints of pineapple, cooked stone fruit, and herbaceous tones.  Super drinkable as early as brunch, and delicious with a hearty omelet, spicy sausage, or interesting cheese.

This limited-production red blend is young but drinking nicely now. It’s a perfect expression of what delicious Norton, lightly-oaked Norton, and estate Chambourin blended and put to bottle should be. We’ve kept the winemaking to a minimum here to allow the fruit to do what it does, and if you’re a dry red wine drinker, you won’t be disappointed. Pour this in your glass along with a pizza or Bolognese pasta.