Blue Sky Vineyard is a family-owned

vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...

and

winery A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, owned and operated by Barrett Rochman, Marilyn Rochman, and Jim Ewers. Blue Sky Vineyard is located in the heart of the Shawnee National Forest and anchors the eastern end of the

Shawnee Hills Wine Trail The Shawnee Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located between the Mississippi River and the Ohio River in southern Illinois. The wine appellation includes over of land in portions of Alexander, Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Po ...

.Shawnee Hills Wine Trail (2008).
"Shawnee Hills: Member Listing"
. Retrieved January 13, 2008. Located within the

Shawnee Hills The Shawnee Hills is a region of southern Illinois that rests mainly in an east-west arc roughly following the outline of the southern end of the Illinois Basin. Whereas Mississippian and Pennsylvania Age rock layers are deep beneath the soil su ...

American Viticultural Area An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of winery, wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know abo ...

, an area that is federally designated and recognized for its uniqueness in grape growing, Blue Sky Vineyard uses Illinois grapes to produce a number of wines. Karen Hand, Blue Sky Vineyard's winemaker, was the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association's Winemaker of the Year for 2006.Appellation America (200
"Blue Sky Vineyard"
Retrieved January 12, 2008. They currently produce 17 different kinds of Illinois wine and 5 American wines ranging from dry to sweet. The Tuscan inspired architecture and interiors of Blue Sky Vineyard's main structure and banquet addition were designed by Nancy Karen Brian, professor at California State University Fresno, in consultation with Blue Sky Vineyard's owners.

References

{{reflist Wineries in Illinois 2000 establishments in Illinois