April 25, 2024
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August Hill Winery, Illinois Sparkling Co. in La Salle County win honors at competitions

Wines are available at Peru vineyard, tasting room in Utica

By Shaw Local News Network
ISC Sec won the Governor’s Cup Sparkling Wine trophy, Best of Class and a double gold medal at the 2022 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition. This wine also received a double gold medal at the 2022 International Cold Climate Wine Competition.

ISC Sec won the Governor’s Cup Sparkling Wine trophy, Best of Class and a double gold medal at the 2022 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition. This wine also received a double gold medal at the 2022 International Cold Climate Wine Competition. (Photo provided courtesy of Susanne Bullock)

Both August Hill Winery and Illinois Sparkling Co. in La Salle County were winners in three wine competitions this summer, winning two trophies, seven Best of Class awards, nine double gold medals eight gold medals and 16 silver medals.

ISC Sec won the Governor’s Cup Sparkling Wine trophy, Best of Class and a double gold medal at the 2022 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition. This wine also received a double gold medal at the 2022 International Cold Climate Wine Competition. ISC Sec is a traditional method sparkling wine, which means the bubbles come from a second fermentation within the bottle. The wine is made with grapes from August Hill Winery’s vineyard in Peru, as well as grapes from two other Illinois grape growers — Old Mill Vineyard in Metamora and Woodlane Vineyard in Germantown.

La Belle Rosé also won a gold medal at the 2022 Experience Rosé Wine Competition, in California. This wine is a light-bodied, dry rosé wine with notes of peach, watermelon, and white rose petals, and is made with grapes from Spring Valley Vineyard in Pulaski, Illinois.

La Belle Rosé also won a gold medal at the 2022 Experience Rosé Wine Competition, in California. This wine is a light-bodied, dry rosé wine with notes of peach, watermelon, and white rose petals, and is made with grapes from Spring Valley Vineyard in Pulaski, Illinois. (Photo provided courtesy of Susanne Bullock)

August Hill’s La Belle Rosé received the Top Award trophy in the Red Grape Wine category, Best of Class and a double gold medal at the ISF Wine Competition. La Belle Rosé also won a gold medal at the 2022 Experience Rosé Wine Competition, in California. This wine is a light-bodied, dry rosé wine with notes of peach, watermelon, and white rose petals, and is made with grapes from Spring Valley Vineyard in Pulaski, Illinois.

In addition to these two big winning wines, August Hill & ISC received double gold medals for these wines: Blend 795, Angel of Hope, Augie’s Blackberry, Mardi Gras, Niagara and Seyval Blanc. The wines receiving gold medals were Demi Sec Rosé, Caramel Apple, Chambourcin, Ginocchio, Moscato, Raspberry Infusion and Red Letter. Silver medal winners were Back to Back, Brut, Brut Ombré Rosé, Extra Brut, Pét Nat Rosé, Berlyn, Chambourcin Rosé, Chardonel, Sweet Catawba, Sweet William, Trapolino and Triplicity

Jill Blume, an enologist from Purdue University’s Wine Team and an ISF Wine Competition judge, had this to say about August Hill and ISC wines, “You are a champion at letting the grapes speak volumes.”

August Hill has one additional competition coming up, but its efforts are now concentrated on the vineyard and the winery as they prepare for the 2022 crush season. The grapes will be harvested in August and then crushed and pressed as the winery plans to create more than 10,000 gallons of wine.

These winning wines will be at August Hill’s two locations this summer: Wine on the Hill in Peru, is where the winery and vineyard is located; this location is open seasonally, every Saturday and Sunday afternoon through October. The Tasting Room is located at 106 Mill St., Utica, and is open daily, year-round.

August Hill Winery and Illinois Sparkling Co. are owned by Mark and Teri Wenzel. Mark Wenzel and Sarah Hall are the winemakers for August Hill and ISC. For more information, visit augusthillwinery.com and iscbubbly.com.