Results tagged “lynfredwinery”

                     

There's more to Lynfred Winery than being the state's largest and oldest continuous operating winery. Its expansion eight years ago involved expanding their tasting room and retail operations to include a bed and breakfast that makes for a beautiful daytrip. Marketing Director Christina Anderson-Heller took me for a tour of the operation while we waited for Winemaker/GM Andres Basso to show me the winemaking plant.

               

"We had a booth at the Windy City Wine Festival last month and I told plenty of people who don't own a car how easy it is to reach the winery by train," said Lynfred Winery marketing director Christina Anderson-Heller as we met at the Roselle Metra stop. "Almost all of them asked, 'What train?'" And it is a fairly painless trek, although navigating Union Station during morning rush is something out of the Divine Comedy. When my train stopped at Roselle, Anderson-Heller was there waiting to drive the final mile to the winery. I've long had an open invitation to tour Lynfred's facilities, and last week they received a 30-ton shipment of petite syrah grapes. "Would you be interested in seeing the grapes being processed? Maybe help out in the winery and taste out some barrels?" Anderson-Heller asked.

Lynfred Winery in Roselle is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Since its 1979 inception, Lynfred has grown to become the largest winery in the state and is a major force in trying to keep Illinois a "full reciprocity" state in accordance with the Supreme Court's decision in Granholm v. Heald, although distributors aren't making it easy.

After being slighted by the passage of HB 429 last summer, the members of the Illinois Winemakers Alliance - comprising the larger wineries and vineyards in the state - have taken those lessons to heart.

Governor Blagojevich signed into law late Wednesday HB 429, which brings into balance the amount of wine wineries in and out of Illinois can sell directly to consumers, but prevents out-of-state retailers and wine clubs to sell product directly to customers in Illinois. HB 429 goes into effect June 2, 2008. Under the terms of HB 429, smaller wineries with an annual production yield of under 25,000 gallons may sell directly to consumers with the...

Or, since this will be an Oktoberfest-intensive installment, "Das Freitagsbüfett." Most of these are around the general vicinity of Lincoln Park, Lake View, and Wrigleyville. Things kick off this evening with St. Alphonsus' Sixth Annual Oktoberfest Chicago. Admission is $5, or free if you RSVP at going.com/oktoberfestchicago. First St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church hosts their Oktoberfest Saturday from 5-10 p.m. Cost is $20 ($15 for seniors, $10 for children under 12). St. Michael in Old...

September is one of our favorite months of the year, in that there are so many things still happening for the benefit of those of us who refuse to accept our parents' notion that summer in Chicago ends on Labor Day. September brings us the Hideout Block Party, World Music Festival, and the beginning of many Oktoberfest celebrations.

Yesterday the Illinois House approved legislation regarding how customers will be able to buy their wine. It's a story we've been keeping tabs on here at Chicagoist for a while. Supporters of the bill champion HB 429 as a victory for Illinois consumers. They claim that the uniform 12-case limit shared by in- and out-of-state wineries, and the establishment of a permit system allowing smaller out-of-state wineries to sell their product directly to retailers,...

Here at Chicagoist we've been watching the ongoing developments of HB 429, the pending legislation in the state House of Representatives, with a cautious gaze. Readers will remember that HB 429 is intended to bring Illinois in "compliance" with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Granholm v. Heald, which stated that non-reciprocal wine shipping laws were a violation of interstate commerce laws and the 21st Amendment to the Constitution repealing Prohibition. If signed into law...

The big event happening this weekend is the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show at McCormick Place. The event features over 2,000 exhibitors in nearly 900 product categories showcasing the latest kitchen innovations and technology, sustainability concepts, and fine cuisine. Highlights of the show this year include a celebrity bookstore (a new feature where celebrity chefs and restaurateurs will be in attendance signing books) a food fair featuring regional specialty foods from across the country,...