Oswego festival puts spotlight on Illinois wineries

Chicago Tribune

05-05-2025

Wine lovers flocked to Oswego over the weekend for the annual Wine on the Fox festival held at Hudson Crossing Park along the east bank of the Fox River in the village's downtown.
The region's first outdoor spring festival – held Saturday and Sunday – featured more than 100 varietals and blends from Illinois wineries.
Bill Fox of Oakbrook Terrace returned to visit his favorite wineries and get acquainted with new ones at the event.
He's known among his group of friends as a 'fancy' wine taster because of his slow and steady approach to tasting.
'I gently swirl the glass and use my sense of smell,' Fox said. 'My friends think this is a fancy way to taste wine. It does work.'
Experiencing the wine bouquet is almost as good as the wine itself, Fox said while enjoying an offering from Acquaviva Winery, a family-owned 85-acre estate vineyard and winery based in Maple Park.
More than 40 acres are under vine there to produce wine for a variety of tastes.
'We harvest and produce on-site,' co-owner Vito Brandonisio said.
The family-owned business includes five siblings plus grandchildren, some of whom are beginning to work in the winery as they become of age, Brandonisio said.
The Maple Park winery's Don Giuseppe – a dry wine – is named in honor of his grandfather, he said.
'My grandfather had a vineyard in Acquaviva, Italy,' he said.
Melanie Hess and Mary Toman enjoyed the Strawberry Peach Sangria – a semi-sweet rose blend – from August Hill Winery in Utica.
'It has the perfect fruity taste,' said Hess, of Yorkville.
Toman, of Schaumburg, appreciated its aroma.
'It's a light wine for a sunny spring day,' Toman said.
The women said samplings from Illinois wineries at the event were a refreshing change from store-bought labels.
Galena Cellars returned to Wine on the Fox, now in its 19th year.
'The Wine on the Fox kicks off our festival season,' Galena Cellars Brand Ambassador Britt White said.
She said that Wine on the Fox's turnout is great and the camaraderie of wineries at the event is wonderful.
'The festival runs smoothly from start to finish. Quite honestly, the folks who come are always in a really good mood and that's great for the wineries,' White said.
Galena Cellars, which has a tasting room in downtown Galena, is known as one of Illinois' pioneering wineries.
'Our Cabernet Franc won a double gold medal at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. We're very proud of that,' she said.
Galena Cellars is preparing to officially release a red raspberry sweet red wine, White said. However, the producer did offer some tastings specially for Wine on the Fox, she said.
Lisa and Bob Barry are owners of Tres Rojas Winery in Washington, Illinois. The winery's strawberry sweet fruit wine seemed to appeal to festival attendees.
'It's 100% strawberries,' Lisa Barry said.
Thanks to the variety of wines and the ambiance, Tracy Gonzalez of Manteo said the festival is a must for her.
'I keep coming back to the Oswego Wine on the Fox every year,' Gonzalez said. 'I appreciate the friendly atmosphere, fine wine and live music.'