For many years, as we’ve driven on I-74 near the town of Danville, east central Illinois, we’ve seen a sign saying an attraction is Sleep Creek Vineyards. And each time we’ve said, “Oh, we must try that one day” but never did.
So, last September when my sister was visiting from South Africa, we decided to make a small lunch outing of it. And it was fun, further cementing our idea that Illinois in general, and east central Illinois where we live, have so much more to offer than just flat corn and soybean fields.
People might think that Illinois is not a state that’s suitable for growing grapes, but it turns out that there are many wineries in southern Illinois that make quite good wine. And now here is one in the central part of the state too.
The winery is not difficult to find, and is only about 20 miles from our town Urbana-Champaign. Take exit 206 off I-74 and drive about 4 miles south, through the small town of Oakwood. The winery is clearly marked soon after you leave the town. You drive past vines as you enter the gate and then see the tasting room and winery in a lovely wood timber frame barn. Parking is at the back of that.
The tasting room and winery overlook a large grassy area and pond, with the vines beyond. Next door is another wooden building, called the “Dragonfly”, used as a venue for special events, such as weddings or birthday parties. In addition, we discovered that upstairs above the tasting room there is a B&W (a bed and wine, not a B&B!) that people can rent. Live music is also offered many weekends.
The staff in the tasting room are super friendly and helpful. There’s a board listing the various offerings and for many people there’s a large choice, of mostly sweeter wines and wine mixes. Their wines are made on site, from their own grapes, and other fruit, like blueberries, from other growers. Sadly, for us, there was only one dry white wine, which is what we drink. (No dry rose wine either). We bought a bottle of it, called “Dreamer”, and opted to sit outside on the patio, watching hundreds of butterflies happily flitting around the colorful bushes and flowers. We also ordered a supreme pizza, which went well with the wine. I think that it’s also okay if people bring their own snacks.
It was lovely to sit outside and sip, enjoying the view. The wine was quite acceptable, just slightly off-dry, and we bought another bottle to take home. Another feature, good for cat lovers, is that the winery has a number of very friendly cats that are quite happy to come and say hallo and sit on your lap if you allow it.
We returned another weekend with some local friends and enjoyed the experience again. The winery feels warm and welcoming and the ambiance is lovely. Now we want to bring our family from St Louis when they visit.
Sleepy Creek Vineyards, 8254 E 1425 North Road, Fairmount, IL
Summer hours, April-October. Sunday-Thursday Noon-6pm. Fri-Sat 10am-8pm
Winter Hours, November-March. Sunday-Thursday noon-6pm, Fri-Sat 10am-6pm
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