Celebrate Wine Month With These Illinois & Missouri Wineries

September is a wonderful month. Football is starting, baseball is winding down, the kids are back in school, TV is coming back. And in both the Show Me State and the Prairie State, it's the official State Wine Month! Iowa's is in May, because they just had to be different. This thing could have been about all three states, but noooooooo... freakin' Iowa. Besides the closest one to Keokuk is still a two hour drive north, so not exactly good for just popping in to sample their wares. So why don't you try some of these nearby Illinois and Missouri wineries instead?

1 - Spirit Knob Winery in Ursa, IL

The sheer volume of wines offered by Spirit Knob is enough to make any wine lover want to just move in and never leave. Spirit Knob's full wine list can be found at their website.

2 - Village Vineyard in Camp Point, IL

A full complement of reds and wines pair well with their delicious menu. Their full wine list can be found at their website.

3 - Mark Twain Cave/Cave Hollow West Winery in Hannibal, MO

Photo - Jeff "Doc" Holliday

Like Mark Twain himself, Mark Twain Caves/Caves Hollow Winery is a staple of the region. Their full list of wines is available on their website.

4 - Ridge View Winery in Mt. Sterling, IL

Ridge View Winery offers amazing views and a great selection of wine. If you have family or friends visiting from out of town, and they love the wine, Ridge View Winery can even ship it to select states. You can see a full selection of Ridge View wine here.

5 - Dave's Basement Winery in Dave's Basement

He makes all the wine himself by opening up a bottle of Ocean Spray, then letting it sit for a few months to let it ferment. Dave's Basement Wines are always in season, and definitely pack a punch you won't soon forget. Dave doesn't have a website because that's how the man keeps putting him out of the wine making business. That, and he hasn't bothered to learn coding since GeoCities stopped existing.

6 - Lake Hill Winery in Carthage, IL

Lake Hill has a fantastic selection, and gorgeous grounds with beautiful banquet hall. Their full list of wines can be found on their website.

7 - Hermann Wine Trail in Hermann, MO

Not really a winery, but a collection of wineries, and they do a great job organizing fun holiday outings. A full list of participating wineries and upcoming events can be found at their website.