Shawnee Hills Wine + Food Pairings
A few months ago, I started really looking into what needed to be promoted in our area. I based this off potential earnings per person, were accommodations a possible add on (or what accoms could be promoted as an attraction all of their own), food, and gas needs.
The answer was obvious. The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Twelve wineries, six with lodging, and by spanning 40-miles it ensures the need for gas. Individual wineries can be considered their own attraction with the inclusion of lodging, or hosting weddings and events.
And so, I set my plan into motion. I spoke with the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail team and requested to cover the Midsummer Picnic Pairings event, a progressive food tasting in which guests traveled to each winery to sample wine paired with food (think salsa, sandwiches, peach skewers, desserts). Read more about this event below! And as a reminder, these are just SOME of the photos from these wineries and events; I prefer to work in reels, and so you can catch more on these by visiting my Instagram! I will have a recap reel and then a reel on each winery space out over the next few months.
Midsummer Picnic Pairings
The event spanned over two days; this is necessary as the wineries are typically open 12-6 on Fridays and 11/12 - 6/8 on Saturdays. It would be near impossible to hit all 12 wineries in one day when you factor in the travel time caused by winding roads. I had invited Evelyn of Eaden Imaging, LLC to come with, and we decided to cover the East side of the trail (wineries in between 51 & 57) on Friday, and West side (along 127) on Saturday.
East Side Wineries
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East Side Wineries *
Honker Hill Winery
Honker Hill went all out for their food offerings, the most out of anyone. Starting here was the best choice on our first day, it really set the tone! The owners and staff were so sweet and welcoming to us taking photos, offering us as much watermelon as we wanted. They paired pulled pork, tortellini pasta salad, watermelon, and chips with either Black Swan Seyval Blanc, or Sunset Rose’. I opted for the Seyval, which was nicely complimented by the melon. Honker Hill has two areas for seating, and a beautiful bar indoors. Outdoors is even lovelier, with a variety of seating options under the covered patio, on the pond, under a gazebo, and picnic tables in the sunny yard. A fire pit is featured in one area of the patio. Indoors, there is an area dedicated to taxidermy animals, which gives this winery the feeling of being over at a friends house or man cave in their garage. Honker Hill offers on-site lodging; the Vineyard Lodge.
Blue Sky Vineyard
Our next stop was just a quick little jaunt down Rocky Comfort to Blue Sky Vineyard. Blue Sky is probably one of the most well known wineries in the area; it’s aesthetic is classical Tuscan-style which sets it apart from the rest. It has a gorgeous waterfall area that flows into it’s pond, where a Willow tree is resting along it’s banks. This area is commonly featured in many wedding ceremonies that happen at the vineyard. The stained glass lighting in the bathroom is magnificent, I even videoed it. Just walking around the grounds and enjoy the many seating areas - and free grills to use for picnics! - could be your plan for the day. Blue Sky offers two suites for lodging.
Blue Sky paired a garden-fresh corn salsa with Seyval. I enjoyed having two Seyvals back-to-back, as a sweets drinker I tend to get sick from the sugariness after a glass or two. These were nice and light. The salsa ended up being a bit too spicy from my wimpy mouth; they didn’t intend nor would a normal person think it was spicy, but the addition of jalapeno proved too much for me. I cannot clarify enough that I am spicy sensitive (garlic parm wings from BWW make my lips RED), because otherwise this salsa was so fresh and delicious. I did my best to eat the bits not near the jalapenos, and they were tasty.
Wichmann Vineyard
Our third stop was Wichmann Vineyards in Cobden. Evelyn let me know this was the former Owl Creek Vineyards location; I don’t know if I mentioned it, but I had only been to three of the twelve wineries before this! Which is honestly embarrassing because I worked on the wine trail and live so close!
Anyways, Wichmann was very quiet when we first arrived. We talked inside and noticed a sign said that service was upstairs. The bottom room area we had walked into had a gaming table, board games, and couches to lounge on. In time when it is built up, this is going to be a great little area.
Upstairs we were greeted by the owner and exchanged pleasant small talk. They grow everything they serve, which is always something I like to know. Their pairing was a peach wrapped in prosciutto, with basil and I believe feta. The peaches were Flamm Orchards. I am not a big fan of prosciutto so I gave that part to Evelyn, but the basil and peach combo was just perfect with the Traminette. I think their tram may have been my favorite wine, or at least in the top three…I’ll cover the other two in a bit.
The outdoor seating area at this location is great. There are many tables at different levels on the deck, with umbrellas and amongst the trees. There is also a larger area with picnic tables.
StarView Vineyards
So for those of you that are new to the blog or my account, I have blatant favoritism for StarView that I am not ashamed to admit. They were the first winery I ever went to, first sangria I ever had, and first winery I ever worked at (I did a stint at another one in Freeburg but it was short-lived and not the same!), so really the only winery I ever worked at. This was also the first time I worked in food/drink service, something I believe everyone should do. During a very hard time in my life I decided to randomly apply at StarView, and the year I spent there ended up being one of my favorite jobs in my 18 years of working. The people of Cobden and wine trail regulars are SO fun, the other vineyard owners are so fun, and of course the Morrisons are great folks to be around.
That being said, I tried not to get too much content because I already post them the most out of all the wineries and I was trying to be impartial for this event. But then we were given some quarters by another event goer for the fish/turtle pond an I went a little wild with the photos. Overall, this was such a good 4th place stop. When you’re at your 4th winery out of 6 and have to hit all 6 within 6 hours, this is when you either hit the wall or you get that excitement to push through. Lucky for us, this was the push.
StarView had Vignoles and White Sangria paired with Sisters peach salsa and tortilla chips. I went for the White Sangria; I do like the Vignoles, but I would prefer a Vidal, Silver Star, or Concord when at StarView - I’m a sweets girl! The Vignoles does have an element of sweet to it I will say, I just have strong standards when it comes to sugar. Anyways, these options were PERFECT together. This is what you think of when you think of a summer picnic snack. We were tempted to visit the Geocache on the property, but I was not dressed for it. StarView has indoor seating, covered deck seating, outdoor deck but umbrella-covered seating, lawn picnic table seats in front of the stage, complete with outdoor bar. They also feature a Vineyard House in which you can stay. I am eager to book it with friends; I think being right across the yard from live music, good food (THE CHICKEN SALAD I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT), great wine, and then stumbling - I mean walking - back over to a gorgeous house sounds perfect.
Owl Creek Vineyard
After StarView, we headed to Owl Creek Vineyard. All I knew about Owl Creek is that they have huge wine glasses, and a winery cat. These are important things to me. When we arrived, I thought the exterior of the building combined with the butterfly garden and vintage farm truck were perfect. We ended up getting captivated by the butterflies and took an embarrassingly long time filming them. Owl Creek also offers ciders, and has growlers of such available.
The inside of Owl Creek Vineyard is bigger than I expected! It also has outdoor seating on a covered deck, and then other more private seating areas amongst the trees. This winery must be gorgeous at night, with the string lights lit. The addition of a winery cat, who could not even be bothered to open it’s eyes when being pet, really set the chill mood for me.
If this was a competition, Owl Creek may have won - or at least tied with Honker Hill! I opted for the Water Valley White to pair with my Blackberry Bacon grilled cheese. It also had green peppers, which provided a nice crunch. This sandwich was in the top 3 - if not number one - of the entire event. It made the wine have an almost grape taste, and I thoroughly enjoyed both offerings. Owl Creek is also one of the “OG 3” founding wineries of the wine trail!
Feather Hills Vineyard
Feather Hills is located in the former Rustle Hill Winery location. Located right off 51, this winery conveniently offers lodging (Farmhouse Cellars), a full menu, events, and music. It has multiple levels of a deck outside, and outdoor seating.
I included photos of a dessert I have had at Feather Hills, because the food is truly amazing and I didn’t think my photos of the rainbow salad quite captured that. The Rainbow Salad was paired with Saluki White, and the two together enhanced each other. I enjoy cilantro, and this salad was cilantro forward.
I wish had more energy to explore the grounds or chat with owners, but this was the end of the day, the 6th winery in 6 hours, and we were pretty beat. I would definitely recommend staying at this location if you were doing the East side wine trail and ending here. It would have been a perfect evening to unwind next to the water, listening to music. Next time!
West Side Wineries
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West Side Wineries *
Peachbarn Winery & Cafe
For Day 2 - West Side, we decided to start at the bottom of the trail and work our way up 127, so we weren’t trying to maneuver the winding roads after 6 samplings. This put us down out Peachbarn Winery and Cafe.
Peachbarn was my favorite in terms of music and overall theme of their pairing; they had a vintage aesthetic and that is always my favorite. They had Retro Fizz paired with a Southern Ambrosia Salad, which was the perfect picnic feel. The Retro Fizz from Peachbarn, Traminette from Wichmann, and White from Owl Creek were my favorites as far as wine went this weekend, and I could have easily taken down that bottle of Retro Fizz! The carbonation was so nice, it kept the wine from tasting too sweet or sugary. Peachbarn makes everything they offer as well, and offers lodging (Peachbarn Winery Suite). I did not try the ambrosia salad as I am allergic to pineapple and I am pretty sure it had some in it, but Evelyn said it was great.
We explored the outdoor deck, and while it was too hot to hang out, it was the perfect spot for pictures and viewing the vineyards.
Alto Vineyards
And back to Alto Vineyards for me! I had just been at Alto Vineyards about 2-3 weeks ago with Caffeine Until Cocktails for the Peachy Weekend, so I knew quite a bit about Alto by this point. The OG winery on the wine trail, one of the OG 3 to start the wine trail, Alto brought the concept of a wine trail - and the wineries - to our area. The owners have been instrumental in helping neighboring vineyards learn how to grow vines in our temperamental Southern Illinois climate, and interesting soil.
Alto offered a spicy trail mix with their Dawg House Red. Not a red or dry drinker, I passed this one to Evelyn and opted for a Banana daiquiri. Could not taste the alcohol, nice and cool on a hot day, do recommend. Their Mango version is also top tier! I was hungry by this point, and opted for the spin dip with my daiquiri for a quick little snack. I didn’t want to get too full before the remaining 4 tastings, but needed something. It was delicious!
Alto has sooo many places to sit inside and outside, including comfortable couches. There are aesthetic neon signs and curated spots for photos. The grounds are stunning, the flowers and plant life is well-maintained, and the wine is delicious! The trail mix was perfectly balanced and we enjoyed it. They are a well-known event venue for weddings in the area as well!
Von Jakob Winery
& Brewery
The middle stop for this day was Von Jakob. We admittedly spent too much time at Alto, and figured we would either stop and eat at Von Jakob, or make this a quick stop to regain time. Von Jakob is launching a German cuisine-inspired menu, and the reports are that their food is pretty tasty. They offer a Bed and Breakfast, and being a brewery they also have growlers.
When we arrived, they were busy! There were folks in every room of the venue, and despite the outrageous heat folks were enjoying the patio views with live music. The pairing was a French bread crostini with goat cheese spread, black garlic, mushrooms, and the Hillside white. Again, this was what you think when you think picnic pairing. It was light and the flavors of the garlic and herbs complimented the white nicely.
With time being a concern (our remaining wineries closed sooner than the ones we had already been to, something to consider when planning your West side tour), we decided to snarf down our pairings, get some photos, and hit the road. We vowed we would return to Von Jakob when it cooled off a bit to enjoy the patio and it’s views, and of course try the new menu.
Hickory Ridge Vineyard
We set out from Von Jakob aiming to hit Hickory Ridge and Pomona fairly quickly, as they are close by each other according to the map. What I did not anticipate were these roads! You must go slow and cautiously on these roads, there are so many blind corners and hills, and the weeds/trees do not help with blind spots this time of year.
Anyways, Hickory Ridge is really tucked away in what feels like the middle of nowhere. It is the smallest I believe, but also had some of the sweetest staff. The views were incredible, and the way the branches and roots have been shaped to cover the deck are amazing. This would be a place to sit and talk.
Hickory Ridge paired Zucchini bread with Traminette, so I was in a good place with these selections. I enjoyed their Traminette, while different from Wichmann’s it was still worth the winding road journey to grab a bottle. We ended up taking photos under the gorgeous willow tree here, it’s a perfect photoshoot location really.
Pomona Winery
Pomona Winery is special in that all of it’s wines are made from fruits; except grapes. Think spiced apple wines, strawberry dessert wine. One of the OG 3, Pomona is also unique in it’s building. It is an impressive wooden building with many decks and balconies to enjoy the view of the woods and bluffs.
For our pairing, we had apple crumb muffins provided by Crystal’s Catering and I chose the Orchard Spice wine. It was delicious, like drinking apple pie. I could see myself enjoying it warm during the cold winter nights.
Luckily, Pomona ships! If I didn’t feel like enduring the road trip down there, I could find it in a local store or have it shipped.
At this point we were at winery 11/12, and were winding down. We enjoyed our pairing, walked around the outside a bit, and then hit the road. I could see myself spending some time here with a friend on the deck, just chatting and enjoying fruit wines. As a sweet drinker, fruit wines are right up my alley and so Pomona is probably the only local winery that I would drink or sample everything they offered!
Kite Hill Vineyards
Last but certainly not least is Kite Hill Vineyards. This winery is located on the outskirts of Carbondale, and so once here the roads became a little more familiar.
Kite Hill has a gorgeous location, and like most of the wineries features a body of water to sit and drink wine beside. They have a covered deck, uncovered picnic tables, and shaded seating under the second story deck. This little winery is modestly-sized, but beautifully decorated with a stained glass window, kites, and more. The staff was some of our favorite of the day, warm and welcoming from the moment we stepped in the door. I could stay and chat with them for hours, but I was at the end of my social battery and chose to make this visit quick.
The food offering at this location was bruschetta, and the wine was Chambourcin. Because of my knowledge of wine I knew it was the perfect wine to pair with the bruschetta, but because reds & dry blends are not my thing I did not really sample it and so I cannot comment on that part. Evelyn seemed to enjoy it though!
Kite Hill was the perfect place to end this adventure. The staff made us feel welcome, included, and cared for. The view of the pond while the sun began to lower was wonderful.
All in all, I thought this event was incredible and should be heavily promoted to folks throughout the Midwest. The opportunity to sample cuisines and wines, book a stay at one of these wineries, enjoy live music at each place…it’s something we need to be known for! I will continue attending these events, and encourage you to check out the next one in November!
Additionals
* I was not paid for this review or blog, but provided tickets in exchange for content.
* Please drink responsibly. This post is for those 21 and up. Please remember to always have a DD when traveling the wine trail, as Ubers/cabs are not common in this area and shuttle services require advance reservations. When possible, reserve the Shawnee Shuttle or contact the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail for transportation suggestions. The safest option is to stay at an on-site lodging option and drink at the winery you are at!
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The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail is comprised of 12 wineries, 6 offering lodging. The wineries are spread out along a 40-mile trail in Southern Illinois, spanning from Williamson to Jackson and Union Counties. There is even a shuttle, and a few private bus services that take folks between the wineries. If you are aiming to do more than 4 in a day (with at least a glass at each one), I recommend hiring one of these services or having a DD. The roads are a bit winding out here in the country!
**There are additional wineries and distilleries in this area, but they are not yet on the trail. While they are worth checking out, they were not a part of this event and so that is why they are not mentioned in this blog.**
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