Illinois winemakers push to change distribution laws
Bottles of wine from Lynfred Winery in Roselle, Illinois.
Italy, France, Spain, and California are all known for their great wines; whereas, Illinois and the Midwest traditionally haven’t been considered the great wine regions of the world. But there are dozens of wineries throughout the state. And Illinois wine makers say they’re making good wines here but aren’t allowed to sell any of it without a distributor because of a prohibition-era law. The Illinois wine industry is pushing to change that, by backing an amendment to the state’s 1934 Liquor Control Act. The legislation was put forward by Sen. Rachelle Crowe, a Democrat from suburban St. Louis. It would raise the maximum number of gallons of wine that Illinois wineries could sell themselves directly to restaurants.
To talk about it, we were joined by the general manager of an Illinois winery and the executive director of a non-profit for vintners.
GUESTS:
Andres Abasso
General Manager, Lynfred Winery
Lisa Ellis
Executive director, Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance
The Illinois wine industry, a small but growing network of boutique wineries and vineyards dotting the state, is looking for a little more shelf space at your local retailer. https://t.co/Dao1WfrOen
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) February 24, 2022
Prepared for web by Owen Henderson
Help shape our coverage on The 21st by joining our texting group and answering weekly questions. To join, text “TALK” to 217-803-0730 or sign up with your phone number below: