Illinois Sparkling Co.

Illinois Sparkling Co. is an independent craft winery obsessed with making exceptional sparkling wine using the traditional method. What is “traditional method?” It’s the most hands-on, labor intensive, old–fashioned, all-natural, way to make sparkling wine. It’s the way they’ve done it in France for centuries and it happens to be the only way to make the BEST sparkling wine. Period. So that’s the way we do it at Illinois Sparkling Co. We know that all the effort, skill, and craftsmanship that goes into the process results in something truly extraordinary and unique in every bottle. And we think it’s worth it.

Years ago, Mark & Teri Wenzel, owners of August Hill Winery, became fascinated with Champagnes and Sparkling Wines. When Mark, the winemaker for August Hill, realized that Illinois was a region primed to produce world-class sparkling wine grapes, he dove headfirst into sparkling experimentation. The grapes used in our sparkling wines are 100% Illinois grown, and each wine is handcrafted at our winery in Peru, Illinois. Mark oversees this entire intense process – from partnering with the very best growers in Illinois, to meticulously blending and tasting (and tasting, and tasting) our cuvees until he is perfectly satisfied.