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Illinois Wine. Past, Present, and Future. History. 1778 grapes first planted in Peoria by French settlers Known then as “La Ville de Maillet ” In 1844, a French community settled in Nauvoo, IL Known as Icarians Planted 500-600 acres of grapes
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Illinois Wine Past, Present, and Future
History • 1778 grapes first planted in Peoria by French settlers • Known then as “La Ville de Maillet” • In 1844, a French community settled in Nauvoo, IL • Known as Icarians • Planted 500-600 acres of grapes • Group disbanded by 1860, and sold many acres of vineyard to Emile Baxter in 1855 • Baxter’s Vineyards became Illinois’ first winery
1855 - 1920 • Illinois grapes and wine continued to grow and thrive • Industry built largely around ‘Concord’, ‘Catawba’, ‘Norton’ grape varieties • By 1900 Illinois was an economically important producer of grapes and wine • Prior to prohibition, IL became the 4th largest producer of wine in the nation
Year # Vines Acres 1900 1986 1999 2005 2010 3,008,000 23,000 215,160 660,000 990,000 5400 38 326 1100 1500 Post-prohibition
Post-prohibition recovery • Slow • Many growers destroyed their vineyards and switched to corn and bean production • Consumer tastes shifted away from wine during prohibition toward spirits and beer • Easier to hide and produce quickly • The culture of wine production and consumption diminished greatly during prohibition
The modern era • The Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association (IGGVA) • 1992 • Fosters cooperation among industry members • Centralizes and coordinates comprehensive promotion, training, and research to advance the industry
The IGGVA • Secures enology and viticulture specialists to help the industry grow and improve quality • Develops the 3-day IGGVA annual conference • Workshops and lectures on a variety of topics important to grape and wine producers • Sponsors festivals and the IL State Fair Wine Competition
2007 Economic Impact • 1115 Acres • 357,000 gallons of wine • 200,000 wine-related tourists • $319 Million Impact on the Illinois Economy
Illinois Wine • Now hosts 90 wineries! • Variety of locations and styles • Fruit, mead • American varieties • Concord, Norton • Hybrids • Chambourcin, Traminette • Traditional • Chardonnay, Cabernet franc
The Future • Potential for future growth of the industry is very high • Chicago is one of the top markets for wine in the U.S. • Illinois wines are just recently starting to show up in Chicago restaurants and boutiques • Local foods movement growing rapidly
Cheers! • To find an Illinois winery near you: www.illinoiswine.org • Bradley A. Beam Enologist, IGGVA bradleybeam@gmail.com