Get to Know Your Local Wine Guy: Lynfred Winery's Fred Koehler
By Carrie Becker in Food on May 14, 2010 3:20PM
Image c/o Lynfred Winery
Owner of Lynfred Winery. Located in suburban Roselle, Lynfred is the largest winery in the state, producing over 50 different varietals a year. (Ed. Note: For more information on Lynfred, feel free to go back and read my road trip to the winery from last October. — CS).
What's in your glass?
Right now, we are drinking our 30th Anniversary Red and White wines. We have a Chardonnay that we use excellent grapes from Monterrey and these are barrel aged in new French oak. So when you put it to your nose, it has a lot of pear and pineapple - a lot of tropical flavors. Our 30th Anniversary Red has ten different grapes.
Wine Rack Staple
Two everyday wines that are economical and are always on our rack are the Windy City Red and Windy City White. The white wine is a nice clean white wine with some Riesling and some of our Illinois grapes (the last one we put in a little Pinot Grigio). It goes with just about anything. You can find it throughout the city, including Trotters To Go. We have actually trademarked the name of the wine, too.
Best Wineries to Visit in the Midwest (of course, besides Lynfred!)
I’m biased with the Illinois wines so I can’t make a decision on just one. However, I do have a lot of respect for Wollersheim in Wisconsin. They started their winery in the mid-70s right before we opened in 1979 and they have a very good winemaker from France. Also, I’d like to mention Lemon Creek Winery in Michigan. They grow a lot of grapes; one of their grapes has a beautiful orange blossom flavor that makes one of our white wines. In January and February, we get a lot of their late frozen grapes and we work with them for our late harvest wine. They are just phenomenal.
Most Memorable/Enjoyable Wine and Food Experience
Anytime we visit the Tin Fish in Tinley Park, we have a memorable and enjoyable time. Their seafood is out of this world, and prepared French-style. I just had their Lake Perch with a dry Riesling. It's one of the best dinners.
Favorite Chicago BYOB and What are you bringing
Silver Lake in Roselle and we’ll take our Mango wine. The sweetness of the wine neutralizes the spice flavors of their cuisine and goes with almost anything on their menu. Fruit wines are actually made using the same process at traditional grape wines but the trick is making sure your fruit is the best you can get.