Conservation Guardians of Northwest Illinois

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Ed Strenski

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Fine Wines... in Northwest Illinois?
Fall 2009 Newsletter

Maybe you’ve enjoyed sipping wine on the wrap-around veranda at Galena Cellars Winery on Ford Road, just north of Stagecoach Trail. Your stunning countryside view begins with rows of vines. Grapes from most of these vines will be blended by winemaker Christine Lawlor into Galena Cellars locally produced wines.

But there is a vineyard within this vineyard – 20 varieties being grown experimentally in an effort to find the perfect Northern Illinois grape. The vineyard is staffed by volunteers under the supervision of Guardian member Ed Strenski of Galena. At the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition in June, all six varieties that Ed entered won awards. And two took gold.

Vineyard volunteers come from as far away as Chicago and as close at hand as the Galena Territory. In addition to Ed, Guardians Karin Strenski and I are among the volunteers. A few volunteers – Greg Junge, of Galena, Gerald Podraza, of Apple River/Chicago, and Ray Ruthenberg of suburban Woodbine – are experienced wine makers. (Junge and Podraza won medals for their personally produced wines at the contest.) Some, like me, never pruned a vine before this past spring.

An explosion of wine growing in Illinois, but which grapes do best?

Ten years ago, there were seven or eight wineries in Illinois and maybe 100 acres devoted to grapes. Today, there are about 80 wineries and some 2,000 acres of vines. Our summers are hot, and grapes like it hot. Our northern Illinois soil is very fertile, but too much growth can dilute the quality of the grapes, and pruning is labor intensive. In addition, our high humidity puts vines at risk of fungus. So, given these conditions, which grapes do best?

Ed Strenski: “Our goal is a signature grape.”

The State of Illinois set up the experimental vineyard in 2000, in cooperation with the University of Illinois. The goal is to determine which grapes grow best in our region and perhaps eventually to find that one variety that would put us on the wine map, so to speak. Initially, six varieties were tested; now there are 20. “Our goal is a signature grape,” says Ed Strenski. “Think if we had a Beaujolais?” he says, referring to that region of France and its signature grape.

Strenski: “We’re exactly where California was in the 1970’s.”

Ed Strenski says that grape growing here parallels the California industry back in the 1970s. He recommends the movie “Bottle Shock” if you want to get a feel for what he means. The movie, based on a true story, is about a group of California farmers whose wines beat out French producers in a blind taste test, back in the 70s.

Most members of the Northern Illinois Wine Growers don’t resemble the wine bar set. Forget silk shirts, designer shoes and salon haircuts. Think denim and plaid, work boots and baseball caps. For these grape growers, the goal is a profitable crop and a sensible, alternative use of the soil.

Local Grape Grower Bob Hall: “It’s a labor of love.”

One such grower is Bob Hall of Galena. He lived on a farm all his life and worked in the construction business until he retired in 1998. That year he attended a seminar on alternative farming where one of the speakers was Scott Lawlor, co-owner of Galena Cellars Winery. In 1999, Bob began growing grapes on five acres. His first harvest was in 2002.

Galena Cellars ERIC THE RED MARECHAL FOCH, made with his grapes, won the Governor’s Cup in the commercial division at June’s state competition, a top honor for red dinner wine. How profitable is Bob’s enterprise? “If I have a good year, I’ll get my debts paid,” he says. “But it’s really a labor of love.”

Galena Cellar’s Christine Lawlor: “It takes good grapes to make good wine.”

Christine Lawlor, whose wine making has won numerous awards for her family’s business, Galena Cellars Winery, says that Bob Hall is an example of the finest in Northern Illinois grape growing. “Bob intensifies the grapes, dedicating many hours to selective pruning, shoot thinning, and cluster thinning,” she says. Regarding ERIC THE RED, which she made with his grapes, she said, “I’m more excited for Bob than for myself. It takes good grapes to make good wine. And Bob takes great care to create a healthy plant.”

Chris says it’s great to see so many people getting involved and excited about local wine. “Our goal is a perfect grape, a unique style and a world class wine,” she says. “And we’re getting closer and closer.”

Visit a Vineyard, or Even Help Out

For a list of Northern Illinois vineyards and wineries you can visit, go to www.northernillinoiswine.com. If you’d like to prune, pick, or try your hand at helping with wine making, you can contact Ed Strenski, and he’ll get you in touch.

—Kay Weibel