About August Hill Winery Tasting Room
August Hill Winery was founded in 2002 by Mark and Teri, with Mark's childhood friend Sean, on four acres that Mark's grandfather, August "Augie" Engelhaupt, once farmed for corn, soybeans and hay. The hilltop vineyard sits in the woods above the Illinois River. Friends and family planted it by hand, and the cold-hardy grapes that survived, including La Crescent, Frontenac Gris, Frontenac, Marquette and Frontenac Blanc, now go into the sparkling wines of its sister label, Illinois Sparkling Co. Reds and whites are made with fruit from partner growers.
The main tasting room is on Mill Street in Utica and is open every day of the year except four major holidays. The signature tasting gives six pours of August Hill or Illinois Sparkling Co. wines, or you can choose a three-pour flight, then buy by the glass or bottle. There is a tasting bar, a lounge for guests 21 and over, and a patio where live music plays in good weather. Local artists show work on the walls and on the labels.
For snacks, the tasting room offers a chocolate sampler and The Plate, a board of cheeses, meat, nuts and crackers. From May through October, the Wine on the Hill site near Peru opens on weekend afternoons, with tours of the caves where the wine is made and aged, plus a four-wine flight. October brings the Sips for Hope fundraiser, and the fall spice release has its own event.
Nettle Creek Lavender Farm near Morris is about 35 minutes east on Interstate 80, which makes a summer day of lavender and wine easy to plan.
What to do
- Take the six-pour signature tasting of August Hill and Illinois Sparkling Co. wines
- Share The Plate of cheeses and meats in the lounge
- Hear live music on the patio
- Tour the wine caves at Wine on the Hill on a weekend, May through October
- Stop in during October for Sips for Hope
- Look for local art on the walls and labels
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Utica tasting room open year-round; Wine on the Hill cave tastings weekends May through October
- Hours
- Posted on their website (checked October 2026): Utica tasting room Sun–Thu 11–6, Fri–Sat 11–7; closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Wine on the Hill: Sat–Sun noon–5, May–October
- Admission
- Free to visit. Tastings as posted in October 2026: six-pour signature tasting $10; three-pour flight $15
Good to know
- Age
- 21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
- Reservations
- Walk-in; call ahead for large groups and tour buses
Tips for your visit
- Call ahead if you are bringing a large group or a tour bus
- The lounge is for guests 21 and over
- Wine on the Hill is a separate site near Peru, open only on weekend afternoons in season
- Plan a designated driver before you head out
Pair it with a lavender farm
Nettle Creek Lavender Farm · about 35 minutes away
Nettle Creek Lavender Farm near Morris is about 35 minutes east on I-80; pair a bloom-season morning there with an afternoon tasting in Utica.
Getting there
Questions
Where are the grapes grown?
The family's hilltop vineyard above the Illinois River grows cold-hardy grapes for the sparkling wines; partner growers supply fruit for the reds and whites.
Is there food?
Yes, small bites such as a chocolate sampler and The Plate, a board of cheeses, meat, nuts and crackers.
Can I tour where the wine is made?
Yes. Cave tastings and tours run at Wine on the Hill near Peru on Saturdays and Sundays, May through October.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Morris, Illinois, Along the I&M Canal
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
