Lynfred Winery facts for kids

Lynfred Winery is a special place in Roselle, Illinois, where they make wine. It's the oldest family-run winery in Illinois that has been open without stopping.

The Story of Lynfred Winery

Lynfred Winery was started by Fred and Lynn Koehler on October 14, 1979. Before that, in 1975, they began selling wine from their cellar. This cellar was in a house built in 1912 in Roselle, Illinois. The grapes they used to make wine came all the way from California.

In 1985, one of their wines, a 1983 Chardonnay, won a "Double Gold" award. This was at a big restaurant show in Chicago. It also won an award at a national wine competition in Reno, Nevada. Because so many people wanted their wine, Lynfred opened a new winery building in 1990. This new building helped them make a lot more wine each year.

Growing and Expanding

Over the years, Lynfred Winery grew even more. In 1999, they opened a smaller shop called Tasting deVine in Wheaton. Then, in 2004, they opened another one in Naperville.

They also opened special tasting rooms where people can try their wines. One opened in Wheeling in 2008. The newest tasting room opened in Highland Park in 2022. Since 2002, the original winery location has also been a cozy bed and breakfast for visitors.

Important People at Lynfred

Lynfred Winery has talented people who help make their wines special.

Andres Basso: Winemaking Director

Andres Basso is the General Manager and Director of Winemaking at Lynfred. He grew up in Chile and loves making many different kinds of wines. He uses grapes from the best farms across the United States. These grapes come from places like California, Washington, Michigan, and Illinois.

Andres learned a lot about winemaking in Chile. He worked for famous companies there after finishing college. Then, he gained more experience in places like Napa Valley, California, and Columbia Valley, Washington. All these experiences helped him become a skilled winemaker. He uses his talent to create unique wines right here in the Midwest.

Rodrigo Gonzalez: Head Winemaker

Rodrigo Gonzalez is Lynfred's Head Winemaker. He also studied winemaking at the University of Chile. Rodrigo has worked at several wineries in Chile. Most of his experience comes from being the Winemaker at Cremaschi Furlotti.

Rodrigo's wines have won many important awards around the world. For example, his 2011 Single Vineyard Carmenere won a "Great Gold Medal" in 2013. This shows how skilled he is at making award-winning wines.