Guide to Places to Hike
along the Great River Road
in the Middle Mississippi River Valley
When people think of domestic wines they usually think of the vineyards of California. Illinois and Missouri are generally associated with fields of corn and soybeans, but there once was a time that both states were heavily involved in the winemaking business. Around 1830 in Illinois the first vineyards were planted around Galena and the western part of the state. By the early 1900s, Illinois had grown to be the fourth largest grape growing state and was responsible for approximately 25 percent of the domestic wine produced in the United States. By the turn of the century approximately 100 wineries in Missouri were producing two million gallons of wine each year. The wine business in both states were dealt a severe blow when the Prohibition era began with the passage of the 18th Amendment in 1919 and many of the grape growers turned to other crops and the remaining vines were killed by pesticides. But the wine business is making a comeback in both states, led by the efforts of state funded agencies. In 1990, there were only five wineries in Illinois, while today the state hosts more than 90 wineries and 450 vineyards.
The types of wines produced are different from those that are produced in California. Wine varietals like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot are too delicate for the cold winters and hot summers of the region. French hybrids such as Chambourcin and Vignole are more suited to the region and some wineries incorporated local fruits such as apple, peaches, cherries, and blackberries. Wineries can be found in most regions of the Middle Mississippi River Valley along the Great River Road particularly in Missouri and Illinois. There are number of regional concentrations of wineries including Missouri Hills, Ste. Genevieve County’s route de Vin, and the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Many of the local wineries offer wine tasting events, tours, and some provide Bed & Breakfast accommodations.
The Tri-State Region
Southeast Iowa and Western Illinois
Visit a small family-owned winery in the fifth generation of growing grapes , take short tour of the winery and hear some of the history of a restored 1840's home that was once a stagecoach stop, or relax on the bluffs overlooking the ever-changing panorama of the Mississippi River Valley. This is what visitors can expect at the wineries scattered throughout the southeastern Iowa and western Illinois region.
Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway
Jersey County, Illinois
The wine scene in the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway is centered on the river town of Grafton. Visitors can choose from patios or decks at riverside wineries or take a trip up to the tops of the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The tasting room at Pere Marquette Lodge is the perfect atmosphere to enjoy the wines of Mary Michelle Winery. Wine connoisseurs won’t be able to find a more scenic place to savor Illinois wines.
Missouri Hills Wine Country
Saint Charles County, Missouri
Saint Charles County is home to one of the oldest wine growing regions in the state of Missouri commonly called the Augusta Wine Trail. Visitors can sample award-winning wines as they enjoy the picturesque rolling hills that abut the banks of Missouri River. If the weather is less than ideal the area’s wineries offer warm and inviting tasting rooms. Many of these locally produced wines are available at many of the area restaurants.
Wineries in French Colonial Country
Missouri and Illinois south of St. Louis
In the early 1900s both Illinois and Missouri were prolific in the wine making business. The wine businesses in both states were dealt a severe blow when the Prohibition era began. Today wineries have made a comeback and French Colonial Country offers visitors a variety of quality wineries, many of which serve food and provide live entertainment, making a trip to the region a pleasurable experience.
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
Southern Illinois
The Southern tip of Illinois is one of the most established wine making regions in the Midwest. Connecting nine award-winning wineries along a 25-mile trail through the beautiful Shawnee National Forest is the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. The group of wineries attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year. For an extended getaway in the heart of Illinois Wine Country, many of the wineries offer cozy bed and breakfasts and suites.
Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail
Southeastern Missouri
Missouri was once heavily involved in the wine making business with the onset of the Prohibition era dealt a severe blow to this wine making industry. The wineries that wind through the swelling hills of Southeast Missouri are set among some of the state’s most attractive countryside and are a part of a resurgence of vintners that began in the 1980s. Three wineries, alike in that they all are family owned and operated, but each with its unique appeal, and offering a diversity of wines from dry and semi-dry to sweet and fruity have banded together to form the Mississippi River Hills Wine Trail.
