About Carbondale Wine Country
Carbondale anchors the northern end of southern Illinois's Shawnee Hills wine trail, a corridor of vineyards and tasting rooms winding through the Shawnee National Forest between the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The university town's food and arts scene provides a cultural home base for exploring the region's two dozen wineries.
The Shawnee Hills AVA, Illinois's only federally designated appellation,benefits from a latitude and growing season more reminiscent of Virginia than the Midwest. Chambourcin, Norton, Chardonel, and Vignoles thrive in the rolling terrain, and the region's producers have won consistent national recognition.
Beyond wine, the landscape is the draw: 280,000 acres of national forest, Garden of the Gods sandstone formations, and Giant City State Park all sit within 30 minutes of Carbondale. The combination of serious wine, dramatic natural scenery, and a lively college-town dining scene makes this one of the Midwest's most underrated wine destinations.
Wineries in Carbondale
Browse all Carbondale wineries →
Planning Your Carbondale Visit
Getting There
5 hours south of Chicago via I-57, or 2 hours southeast of St. Louis via I-64 and I-57. The Shawnee Hills wine trail runs south from Carbondale through Alto Pass, Pomona, and Cobden.
When to Visit
April through November. Fall harvest (September-October) is peak season. Summer weekends bring live music and outdoor tasting events across the trail.