From Vineyard to Cave: Illinois Wine Tour meets August Hill Winery

(PERU, Ill.) — Producing roughly 100,000 bottles of wine a year, August Hill Winery opened up shop in 2002.

The inspiration of the winery comes from August (Augie) Engelhaupt, a farmer who tended to his land, teaching great life lessons to his grandson Mark Wenzel.

Over two decades and a mechanical engineering degree later, Mark returned to the Illinois countryside he loved, and founded August Hill Winery with his wife, Teri.

Fast forward to 2023, August Hill is a booming winery business, producing wines of all kinds and even having its own sparkling wine line, “Illinois Sparkling Co.” You can visit the winery itself in Peru, Illinois or head to the tasting room in Utica, Illinois just 8 miles east.

Our journey through this article takes us to the winery in Peru, which included an amazing experience I’ve never had at a winery before.

When I heard August Hill’s winery location had caves where you could do a wine tasting, I was all in! We had an amazing experience during Father’s Day weekend. I was able to bring my father, wife and 9-month-old son. My first Father’s Day was a success!

Sitting 3 feet underground at a cool 63 degrees Fahrenheit, the man-made caves inside the August Hill building offer a spectacular place to learn the history of the winery… and of course try some wine.

You get six tastings of August Hill and Illinois Sparkling Co. wines throughout the hour-long experience. Laurie was our guide that day (you can see our selfie above), and she did an amazing job walking us through the winemaking process, and why August Hill operates the way it does.

I always find it fascinating to learn the different ways wineries go through the winemaking process. Each are so unique, and August Hill’s cave setting proves to be something not often found throughout the country.

Much of the knowledge and equipment comes from what one of the winemakers learned in France. 90% of the grapes are harvested in Illinois, and August Hill uses French-hybrid varietal grapes.

The winery cave tour shows you the barrels different wine varieties live in. The lack of direct sunlight benefits the wine during the process, keeping the flavor strong. It’s referred to as the “Sparkling Cave” largely because of the lights lined up throughout the cave. Most of August Hill’s wine bottles are blue, green and yellow. This is intended to act like “sunglasses,” again protecting the wine from the sun.

In between the two man-made caves is a wall with two archways standing between them. In these archways are 4,000 bottles specifically placed throughout the wall.

My favorite wine, you ask? Well, I currently have 3. But I need to try more!

1: Emerald Apple – A semi-sweet apple wine with amazing flavor. But the part that makes Emerald the most unique wine I’ve ever drank, is the color and edible glitter inside of the bottle. Gently shake the bottle up (while the cork is still in) and the edible glitter will make a spectacular showcase within the bottle.

2: Niagara – It’s a sweeter white wine that with a fruity taste that pairs well with dessert, sweets and “nice people” according to the August Hill website. This wine won the Double Gold medal & Best of Class at the 2022 Illinois State Fair wine competition.

3: Indigo – Similar to Emerald Apple, Indigo is filled with the edible glitter which proves to be a beautiful sight. But in the same way I appreciate the Emerald’s appearance, Indigo is a stunning, shimmering blue wine. With notes of cotton candy and tropical fruit, Indigo is a party-pleasing, refreshing wine.

There are many other August Hill wines I like, but you’ll have to head up to Peru or Utica to take a taste for yourself! If you can’t make the trip up, keep an eye on your local Binny’s, Friar Tuck, or grocery store to see if they’re sold there.

Up the hill from where we were for the cave wine tasting lies the vineyard. 4.5 acres worth of vines sit in the Peru, Illinois countryside. The vine process begins in March, with grapes being hand-picked in August. If you’re looking to experience grape-picking, August Hill is looking for volunteers! And you’ll be paid in wine.

I’ve also been to the wine tasting room in Utica, one of my wife and I’s favorite towns in Illinois. It’s a beautiful place, where the street is shut off from traffic and restaurants open up outdoor seating for guests. The tasting room is a great way to see the variety of wines August Hill has to offer, while tasting them as well.

It’s the perfect place for a date night or weekend getaway. Get a meal at Lodi Tap House across the street. They have the best cheese curds we’ve tried! Then relax at August Hill and enjoy some wine.

I want to thank Susanne and Laurie at August Hill for the amazing experience you provided my family at the cave wine tour. I can’t wait to open the Emerald Apple and Indigo I bought in the very near future.

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