August Hill Winery and Illinois Sparkling Co. (ISC) are proud to announce a standout showing at the 2025 Illinois State Fair Wine Competition. All 16 wines entered by AHW/ISC received medals, including one of the competition’s highest honors — the Governor’s Cup Best Red Trophy — awarded to the 2022 Chambourcin Reserve.
This year’s competition featured 260 entries from 42 commercial wineries across the state. Among these, AHW/ISC wines stood out with 1 Trophy, 3 Best of Class awards, 4 Double Golds, 2 Golds, 7 Silvers, and 3 Bronzes.
Top Honors Include:
- Chambourcin Reserve – Governor’s Cup Best Red Trophy, Double Gold Medal, Best of Class
- Strawberry Peach Sangria – Double Gold Medal, Best of Class
- ISC Sec – Double Gold Medal, Best of Class
- ISC Extra Brut – Double Gold Medal
Additional Award-Winning Wines:
- Gold Medals: ISC Blend 795, ISC Brut Rosé de Saignée
- Silver Medals: Marquette, Chambourcin Rosé, Chardonel, Brut Ombré Rosé, Chambourcin, ISC Brut, ISC Demi Sec Rosé, ISC Ruby Red
- Bronze Medals: Norton, La Belle Rosé, Sweet William
AHW/ISC also submitted four canned wines we produce for Gran Signori, with impressive results:
- Gran Signori Rossini – Double Gold Medal, Best of Class
- Gran Signori Fragolino Brut, Mimosa Rossa, and Mimosa – Silver Medals
“We are thrilled and honored to receive such incredible recognition,” said Mark Wenzel, winemaker and co-owner of August Hill Winery & ISC. “This year’s competition results reflect the hard work, creativity, and dedication of our entire team — from vineyard to bottle.”
The Illinois State Fair Wine Competition is one of the state’s most respected wine events, judged by a panel of industry professionals and experts. The awards reflect the continued excellence of both August Hill Winery, known for “A Passion for Creation,” and Illinois Sparkling Co., which continues to raise the bar for méthode champenoise sparkling wines produced in Illinois.
Celebrate the Big Win With Us!
To celebrate the big win, August Hill Winery and Illinois Sparkling Co. are hosting The Big Win Weekend from August 1–3 at both the Utica Tasting Room and the Wine on the Hill location in Peru. Guests can enjoy live music each day, an exclusive Sparkling Cave Tasting on Saturday, and a special meet-the-winemaker event on Friday. In addition, a featured appetizer for the weekend is The Gold Standard — a savory whipped goat cheese dip topped with homemade tomato bacon jam — crafted to pair beautifully with the award-winning wines. Visit this link for all the details!