Wine country is tough to top as a romantic destination. But the overwhelming crowds in places like California's Napa and Sonoma valleys can quickly kill the mood.
This fall, skip the lines and plan your vineyard escape closer to home. Illinois has four organized wine trails, the oldest of which is the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail in the southernmost part of the state.
Nine wineries specializing in French hybrid grapes such as Traminette and Chambourcin, as well as some better-known varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier, define the trail. Paul Renzaglia, whose Alto Vineyards is the group's oldest winery, says the region's high elevations and sandy soils make it a good grape-growing spot. They're also what make the wines from this area unique — a concept the many oenophiles who peruse the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail refer to as terroir. "Our Chambourcins have deep color and intense black cherry, plum and prune flavors," he says. "I haven't tasted one like it from more eastern wineries."
Three wineries — Kite Hill Vineyards, Hedman Orchard & Vineyards and Blue Sky Vineyards — also offer overnight accommodations, and there are a fair number of B&Bs and cabins in the area. When you're ready for a break from the tasting room, the picturesque ravines and cliffs of the Shawnee National Forest are just down the road.