Illinois Sparkling Co. celebrates 15 years of Illinois-grown bubbles

Illinois Sparkling Co. is celebrating its 15th anniversary this November, marking a milestone in its journey of crafting traditional-method sparkling wines from Illinois-grown grapes. Founded by August Hill Winery owners Mark and Teri Wenzel, Illinois Sparkling Co. officially launched on November 18, 2011, with five sparkling wines and a mission to showcase the potential of locally grown grapes.The story began years earlier, when the Wenzels established their vineyard in Peru and Mark began exploring the possibilities of sparkling winemaking. August Hill Winery released its first sparkling wines in 2007, followed by traditional-method releases that laid the groundwork for Illinois Sparkling Co.“The high acidity and light, clean flavors of our French-hybrid grapes lend themselves to making exceptional Champagne-style wines,” said Mark “Bubbly” Wenzel, winemaker and co-owner. “We saw an opportunity to create something distinctive using grapes grown right here in Illinois.”In 2011, the wi