Oenophiles don't have to go to Napa to find some good wines right here in the Midwest. Michigan is teeming with wonderful vineyards and Illinois' wine industry, while laughed at by some, has been growing. Lynfred Winery is a Metra ride away and Wild Blossom Meadery for years was the only winery within the city limits. Tribune business reporter Melissa Harris introduces us to Bill Lavicka, a rehabber of old buildings and amateur winemaker who's eyeing a section of vacant lots and a building in the 20th Ward for a winery in the middle of the South Side. more ›

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. more ›

"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. more ›