In 2006, Shawnee Hills, in southern Illinois, was named the state's first American Viticultural Area.

In a sharply different region of Illinois, the Shawnee Hills, Guy Renzaglia founded Alto Vineyards in 1982.

[1] In 2016, Southern Illinois University — Carbondale announced plans to create a degree-granting program in fermentation sciences, including winemaking.

The favorite varieties, in descending order by area devoted to production, were Chardonel, Chambourcin, Vignoles, Traminette, Concord, Foch, Seyval, Norton, Vidal blanc, Frontenac, Niagara, and Cayuga White.

This region was designated the Shawnee Hills AVA in December 2006, becoming the first American Viticultural Area within Illinois.

Besides the benefits of appellation recognition, this designation allows wineries to use the term “Estate Bottled” for wines produced on the same premises on which the grapes are grown.

The heightened elevation (400 ft above neighboring land) in concert with sandstone and limestone subsoil offers satisfactory drainage, and summer breezes reduce fungal infestation.

[7] The Northern Illinois Wine Trail passes through the Galena subdistrict of the Upper Mississippi Valley AVA.