Shawnee Wine Trail Winery Reviews

As if the fantastic hiking and views of the Shawnee National Forest are not enough the area is also home to numerous wineries. Enough wineries that they have created an entire trail to encourage touring. On our trips we have made a real effort to hit them all and will now share our Shawnee Wine Trail winery reviews. As taste in wine is so subjective we have stuck mostly to their offerings in general, venue and service.

Feather Hill Vineyard and Winery

Feather Hill was our first stop on our very first visit to the trail. They are a smaller location, which we visited right at opening which gave us a one on one service experience.. It was the perfect place to start due to the knowledgable Wine Steward serving us. We enjoyed all the wines we tasted here. They offer camping onsite apparently and have some outdoor seating and live music depending on when you visit.

Blue Sky Vineyard

Blue Sky Vineyard is one of the larger ones on the trail. They have an Italian theme which is evident inside and out. They also have a large grounds which I am sure is frequently used for events. In addition to their wine offerings they had a really tasty Sangria they were serving and had wine to purchase with the recipe attached. They seem to be pretty busy and have more of a bachelorette party type crowd than any other on the trail.

Starview Vineyards

Starview has a more humble inside space with a little touristy gift shop and cafe. Basic modern styling on the inside is nothing to write home about. Their real claim to fame is the spacious outdoor deck which oversees a substantial pond stocked with large goldfish. We tried a couple of their appetizers and enjoyed both orders out back. They have Wine Icees which was both both tasty and fun. Bring some quarters on your visit so you can buy some food to feed the goldfish.

Owl Creek Vineyard

Owl Creek Winery is the only stop on the trail serving their own line of Cider in addition to their line of wines. I am particularly excited about the Cider, as an alcoholic beverage that has picked up in popularity in the U.S. and one of my favorites, after wine of course. They have a newer location which has a bunch of outdoor deck seating out back and live music. Owl Creek appears to be another of the more popular and busy locations on the trail.

Hedman Vineyards

Hedman Vineyards is a Swedish venue. Their restaurant and wine offerings follow this theme. We tried a Lingonberry (traditional Swedish fruit) sangria they were serving and enjoyed it so much we bought some concentrate so we could make it at home. They also were hosting square dancing when we visited which was cute. I get the impression that they host more of the locals here.

Alto Vineyards

Alto Vineyards wine tastings are held in a large modern space, similar to a hotel ballroom, with a large selection of wines to match. They have expanded their outdoor space to now to allow for social distancing. They have live music to enjoy while you taste and appear to be a very busy and popular stop. We enjoyed several of their sweet wines.

Von Jakob Vineyard

Von Jakob is the only stop on the tour that has a brewery in addition to the winery. Something to break up many wine tastings options to try a good brew. They have a restaurant and bed and breakfast onsite as well of which Ive seen mixed reviews. This location seems to attract and older crowd and had questionable social distancing occurring on our last visit. They do have a very large space inside and outdoors and live music.

Hickory Ridge Vineyard and Winery

The owners of Hickory Ridge have a passion for travel which they have utilized to decorate the inside of their tasting room with treasures from their time abroad. They are an intimate setting indoors with a vast outdoor view of the vineyards looking down from their tasting room and outdoor decks. We enjoyed sipping our wines overlooking the vineyard and then walking out to get a closer look.

Pomona Winery

Tucked away in the woods is Pomona Winery. Once you drive back along their lovely stone wall Pomona’s wines are all made from various fruits which is what makes them unique. We were able to chat with the owner and winemaker who were both very passionate about their wines. Like many of the wineries that don’t serve food they allowed us to bring in our own and we had a lovely picnic lunch on t here back deck overlooking the forest.

Kite Hill Vineyards

Kite Hill offers wine tastings and small snacks for purchase. Their building and deck are rather small but they overlook pretty extensive grounds and a lake. They also serve wine slushies, apple cider sangria, and hot spiced wine depending on the season and have a bed and breakfast onsite.

Honker Hill Winery

Honker Hill may not look like much from the front but once you go out back, you will find a lovely outdoor space to enjoy a glass of wine with live music. Grab a drink from the small bar area indoors and then head out there. It is the perfect way to start or close out your Shawnee Wine tour being at the far end of the trail.

Following the Shawnee Wine Trail is a fantastic experience nestled among the astounding beauty of the Shawnee National Forest. We had a blast checking out their tastings at each location. It is a must do experience in Southern Illinois that we cannot wait to visit again. You can plan your own visit through their website and see the map.