Five Wineries to Visit on the Southern Illinois Wine Trail

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Four friends enjoy a getaway weekend in Southern Illinois, exploring the Southern Illinois Wine Trail.

My friend Vicki has a cozy little getaway on Lake of Egypt, nestled in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois—a region famous for its charming wineries and rolling hills. Every February, our crew gathers to celebrate Vicki’s birthday with laughter, adventures, and plenty of wine-hopping along the Southern Illinois Wine Trail. This year, we even added a new winery to our list! Here’s a peek at some of the delightful spots we’ve explored over the years.

Clad & Cordon Vineyard

755 Parker City Road, Creal Springs, IL 62922

Clad & Cordon Vineyard is the fresh face in town. The Hill Family swooped in and breathed new life into the old Bella T Winery in 2022, transforming the long-vacant winery into a beautiful spot. Now there are brand-new vines soaking up the sun, outdoor seating perfect for lazy afternoons, and a snug tasting room with a crackling fireplace. The wine? Delicious! The vibe? Chill.

When we rolled up, a solo musician was serenading the crowd with classic tunes at just the right volume. We dove right into a tasting adventure and landed on a bottle of David’s Blend (a bold red) and Gigi’s Diamond White (her gorgeous sidekick). Bonus points: you can even park your RV overnight and sip wine overlooking the dreamy vineyard.

Blue Sky Vineyard

3150 S Rocky Comfort Rd, Makanda, IL 62958-4062

Blue Sky Vineyard has a charming old-world vibe. The building is beautiful, and the views are lovely. It’s the winery I have visited the most with my friends while on the Southern Illinois Wine Trail, where there’s usually some music playing during our time there. The wine is also delicious. Thanks to Marilyn, we had plenty of snack trays filled with yummy cheeses, meats, veggies, and fruit to enjoy while we were there.

If you’re unsure about what to drink or which flight to choose, the staff is more than happy to assist you with your selections. That’s exactly what Vicki and I did. We each picked four wines and tasted each other’s choices, allowing us to sample a total of eight wines. From there, we decided on our favorite and bought a bottle. It came down to two options: Saluki Royale and Chambourcin. We ultimately chose the Saluki to share.

However, the Eclipse Crossroads, a bubbly rosé, brought back memories of a warm summer day relaxing on the patio at home. Given that the current weather outside was frigid and covered in snow, this reminded me how much I was looking forward to summer. So, I decided to get a bottle of Eclipse Crossroads to have at home for that beautiful hot day not too far away.

Wichmann Vineyard

2655 Water Valley Rd, Cobden, IL 62920

Wichmann Vineyard is an exciting new gem on the Southern Illinois Wine Trail! We noticed a sign while heading to Blue Sky and couldn’t resist stopping by on our way back. Upon arrival, we enjoyed a wonderful wine tasting and received a fantastic overview of each wine, exploring the grape varieties, production methods, and unique flavors. I truly loved that part of the experience; it was both educational and fun!

After tasting, we decided to pick up a bottle to enjoy at the venue, while everyone grabbed bottles to take home. We chose Veraison, a semi-dry red, for the table, and I selected Chambourcin, a dry red, to take with me.

Wichmann is quite laid-back and has a welcoming atmosphere. It was less crowded than some other wineries we’ve visited. The owner was really nice and even allowed us to stay a bit longer after closing time to enjoy our wine. It’s definitely worth a visit!

Feather Hills Vineyard

Vineyard & Winery Tasting Room – 410 Thorn Lane, Makanda IL 62958

Feather Hills Vineyard & Winery – 8595 US Hwy 51, Cobden, IL 62920

We checked out the tasting room in Makanda on our visit to Feather Hills, which is the original spot. They’ve also opened a second location in Cobden that has a full restaurant, which really makes it stand out from the others on this list. We didn’t get a chance to try out the Cobden location, but the wine is really good, and the views are pretty at the original location. If you’ve got some friends who aren’t into wine, no problem! They’ve got craft cocktails and pretty much anything else your group might want. Try the 2022 Salukiz; it’s a Zinfandel.

Honker Hill Winery

4861 Spillway Rd, Carbondale, IL 62902

Honker Hill Winery was packed during our last visit! It can be a bit tricky to find parking and a place to sit, but it was well worth it. They had live music playing and some fantastic wine to enjoy. We also loved that there was a food truck outside where we could grab a quick bite to eat with our drinks. Plus, we brought along some tasty snacks to share!

The winery has two levels of tables, and sitting on the upper level gave us a nice view of the main area below. The outdoor patio with a fireplace adds a cozy vibe, too, but we did not get to enjoy that as it was too cold outside for that. Honker Hill has a laid-back atmosphere, good for the whole family. I noticed a family sitting next to us, and their kids were having a great time as were the adults. If you get a chance, try the Woody Red if you like dry wines, or go for a refreshing wine slushy during the summer!

Final thought

There are so many more wineries to check out on the Southern Illinois Wine Trail, and I really hope I get to visit them someday! Vicki will always have a place there, so we can definitely plan more girls’ trips. Maybe we won’t wait until her birthday to go back!

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If you enjoy bourbon, there’s a fantastic bourbon bar called Havisham Bourbon Bar located nearby in Alto Pass. We stumbled upon it during one of our outings, and it was a pleasant surprise. Did they have Pappy’s? Yes, they did!

Havisham Bourbon Bar, 260 Main St, Alto Pass, IL 62905.

Just a couple of hours away is St. Louis, my stopping grounds. Check out Discover St. Louis, Best STL Restaurants, and Breakfast St. Louis.