Kite Hill Vineyards

Kite Hill Vineyards sits at 100 Tasting Room Road in Carbondale, in the Shawnee Hills AVA, about ten minutes from Southern Illinois University. The vineyard began in the late 1990s after its founder bought hilltop acreage in Southern Illinois; the name came from his wife’s response to the plan: “go fly a kite.” Jim and Barbara Bush purchased Kite Hill in 2006, and in 2010 they broke ground on a dedicated production facility so the wines could be made entirely on-site.

The winery focuses on varieties that suit the Shawnee Hills, including Chambourcin, Chardonel, and Viognier. Current releases and labels listed on the site include The Aeronaut, Broadwing, Flyway Rosé, Máni, Lost Prop Traminette, Red Kite, White Kite, and Sol. Several wines have placed at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition, and the Harvest Terroir Challenge; Flyway Rosé earned Gold and Best of Illinois at the 2020 Harvest Terroir Challenge. Winemaker Scott Albert leads production.

The tasting room is open seasonally, with winter hours on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. and summer hours Wednesday through Monday, with Tuesday by appointment. The setting is hilltop and relaxed, with outdoor space and views noted by visitors.