Very spacious indoor and outdoor area. The inside can get very load as it fills up. Be sure to arrive before the college students take over. The bread and olive oil was very tasty and I would recommend it as a simple plate to nibble on. Would have been nice to know there was a deposit on the wine glass. Did not understand that charge. Do we get to keep the glass or do we bring it back to the bar?? Also, you order at the bar. Didn't know that when we first went in. read more

My girlfriends and I took a trip to Carbondale, IL for the wineries and Blue Sky Vineyard was one on our list. This winery is well worth the drive. The atmosphere and scenery is incredible. It feels like a taste of Tuscany but in the midwest! They have live bands and tons of seating indoors and outside next to a large pond. The wine is DELICIOUS! I highly suggest trying the Chambourcin if you like a smooth red wine. We are actually kicking ourselves for not purchasing more bottles to bring home! read more

We went during an off peak time to tour the wineries in the area. Of the 6 or 7 we visited this was by far the best visual place of all of them and I am not much of a wine guy but I really enjoyed the wine here also. So if you are hitting the Shawnee wine trail make sure you plan to stop by this one. read more

If I could rate zero stars I would. Visiting Illinois weekend of 5/13/17 for SIU graduation we visited this winery after the graduation. We had 4 people in our party who did not drink and they had to pay $7.00 per person to get in. Of course their reasoning was that they were having a "festival" . How convenient on graduation weekend. Once we entered we received tickets for 4 tastings, not even all of their wines. The tastings were very small pours. Now I am not a novice when it comes to wine tasting. I live in Virginia. Our wineries don't charge to just enter the winery. And if you have to pay for tasting ( some are free ) you can taste ALL of their wines. For example Barboursville winery near Gordon, VA charges $4.00 and you get to enjoy 16 to 20 wines. And their pours allow you to actually taste the wine. The wines were not very good. My husband and I had no desire to buy any of the wines because they did not taste good. The food which was overly priced did not taste good either and was over priced. $7.00 for a grilled hamburger smaller than a children's happy meal hamburger with a bag of chips; the roll wasn't even toasted. Do not waste your time or money read more

The wine at Blue Sky is pretty good, though it is a bit overpriced. The only real problem here is the crowd that the winery attracts. Southern Illinois' finest winery tour bus patrons flock to Blue Sky and create massive loud crowds. read more

This was our first stop on our wine trail vacation. The only other winery/vineyard we liked better was StarView. The building at BlueSky was beautiful. The staff was young, but very friendly! We went on a Friday and they had free tastings. We loved the sweet/semisweet wines and the sangria was also good. We bought a few bottles and are always on the lookout for them in MO. We will definitely return and sit out by the lake when we come back! read more

Great wines, music, pizza and amazing overall atmosphere! Best place to spend your weekends outside!

I have always loved Blue Sky's wine! I recently purchased it from a store up here in Chicago and both bottles were bad. I sent an email and got a response first thing in the morning from Jim, their general manager, wanting to make it right and assuring me their wine is still great! This was all within a week time span. I have two new bottles of Misterioso and am so genuinely happy and appreciative that this was resolved so quickly. Thanks again, Jim! Blue Sky is still #1! And if you haven't tried it yet, you're missing out! read more

Great place. Great views. Jenna at the bar area was great. .had a great day there. It was slow but I love to relax at wineries. Better service and for me a better experience. . read more

This is my first yelp review and this place deserves me taking the time to do it. BIG shout out to the wonderful Jake who not only knows his wines but was very friendly and attentive with us. I can't imagine anyone speaking about about the service here. If it's a little crowded and there are several wine tasters, being taken care of will take a little longer and that is understandable! The wine was my favorite of the Shawnee Wine Trail and the place is beautiful. I highly recommend it to anyone planning a visit. This place is a MUST stop and look for Jake! read more

One of my favorite places on the wine trail! Their selection of wines was very wide, the staff was incredibly helpful in advising what to try. And the scenery was exquisite - a vintage scene next to a pond was a perfect relaxing atmosphere read more

I recently participated in my brother's wedding, held at Blue Sky. The vineyard was beautiful; its wedding venue overlooks a pond and a waterfall, and provides a lovely view of southern Illinois' trees. The ceremony went well, despite the vineyard's event coordinator. This was not the coordinator my brother and his wife initially contacted, and this new coordinator, Debbie McDaniel, was completely unhelpful. She did not review the contract my brother and his wife signed with the vineyard, which would have forestalled several of the disagreements they had. She appeared at the rehearsal with ideas of her own regarding the ceremony, and did not listen to what the chaplain and the bridal couple had planned. On the day of the wedding, she arrived half an hour later than the agreed time, stranding the bridal party outside the vineyard's event pavilion, keeping us from our dresses, throwing off the photographers' schedule and leaving us with little time to prepare. She did not communicate with the bridal couple nor chaplain concerning the progression of events leading up to the ceremony, which resulted in her being strangely out of the loop for an event coordinator. After the ceremony, Ms. McDaniel limited her efforts to keeping guests from opening the doors of the pavilion just behind the wedding venue, in order to save the air conditioning. She shuffled the bridal party out of the pavilion immediately after the ceremony, leaving us to pile our belongings where we could while we finished with the photographers. The Blue Sky Vineyard is a gorgeous place, and the staff in general are friendly and helpful. If you want a beautiful outdoor event, I recommend Blue Sky. If you can't hold the event without Ms. McDaniel's involvement, though, think twice about booking Blue Sky. read more

The grounds are so impressive. I visited with my boyfriend because we were looking for a possible wedding venue. As we were driving up, there were deer frolicking from the woods into the vineyard. It was so picturesque, like something out of a movie or a book. The grounds and the buildings are so pretty, and it's no wonder people have their weddings here. Definitely beautifully kept. However, their staff was less then impressive. We were a bit late to meet with the wedding coordinator b/c even though it was only 17 miles from the last place, it took about 40 minutes to get there because of the winding roads. We had told the coordinator where we would be coming from and that we thought it would only take a few minutes, and she didn't correct us so we didn't know to expect a longer drive. When we got there, she was friendly but not very helpful or informative. She wouldn't give even ballpark price ranges for the vendors that must be used for weddings at Blue Sky. (there is a $50 opt-out fee if you want to use ANY of your own vendors, including photography). She also couldn't give us any ballpark figures for renting out different chairs or linens. The reception room also has these imitation renaissances-style/tuscan themed murals, but they're so horribly done as if a high-school class did them. You can cover most of them with draperies, but they also have framed portraits of vicars or priests hanging pretty high on the wall that cannot be covered. We shrugged it off and went to the tasting room to end the night by tasting some wine. The staff helping us with our tasting WAS DRUNK. As we were doing our tasting, he brought over his own glass of wine (and told us it wasn't his first) and his own little bag of cheese. We found it completely unprofessional. The whole place was obnoxiously loud, like typical bar scene except at a beautiful winery. The drunk staff also forgot to give us back our $10 deposit for the wine glasses (probably because he was drunk). My boyfriend had also stood in a wedding that took place at Blue Sky a few years ago. He had a negative experience with the staff (they were rude to the bride, yelling at her about the guests), but was trying to keep an open mind since it was several years ago and staff could have changed between now and then. I was so excited to visit this place b/c I heard it was so beautiful, and the grounds and outside of the buildings really are gorgeous. But the staff made the experience not-very-enjoyable and definitely not the place I want to have my wedding. read more

Great atmosphere, great wine, great food, and wonderful staff! My husband and I went for our anniversary, and I will definitely come back! Highly recommend one of my favorite wineries! Dess & Kelly. read more

Blue Sky... I seriously love you. But gosh dang it, when can you get more women's restrooms?! I was enjoying the amazing Black Eyed Susan Sangria at the Preakness party and I encountered the same ol' situation as every single year when I show up mid May, either during graduation week or the week after-- not enough bathrooms for the ladies!!! Apparently some lovely lady went into one of the stalls to die (I can only assume because she was in there for 17 flippin hours!!!!!!!) while the rest of us stood in line for 3 hours to share the one remaining stall. I hate Port-o-Johns with a passion but I would've been willing to use one instead of waiting an eternity to release the pee!!! I'm sure others would agree. Anyway. Good food. Good drinks. Not enough bathrooms. Other women were using the men's. That's just taking it too far! read more

My husband and I recently visited the Shawnee Wine Trail and stayed at Blue Sky in their B&B. The room itself was fine, nothing spectacular to note, though you can hear the staff downstairs. The staff was friendly and we got some great suggestions on local bars and restaurants to visit at night. Their wine was good, we enjoyed a tasting then ordered a glass with our lunch which we enjoyed outside on their expansive patio overlooking their large property. We both ordered pulled pork sandwiches for lunch, which were good but served with ruffles potato chips which seemed awfully cheap. Also, the two wines I was most interested in trying and buying were sold out, so unfortunately we did not get the opportunity to try them. We were disappointed about a few things though (note, I make these evaluations based on staying at other B&B and vineyard B&B's in the past). First, this is a bed and breakfast and they do not serve a hot breakfast. This was disappointing to us as every B&B we've ever stayed at has always served hot breakfast, even if we were the only guests staying. They did serve a decent continental breakfast (I enjoyed the cheese and croissants the most), but we were expecting and looking forward to a good home-cooked breakfast that these places typically are known for. That being said, you do get the option to fore-go the breakfast and receive a bottle of wine instead. We chose that option the second night. Also disappointing in that aspect is that every B&B we've ever stayed at has always offered us both wine in the evening and hot breakfast in the morning, so we still felt somewhat cheated that we only got one or the other. Add to that when we did our tasting we still were charged for the glass of wine which seemed tacky given that we were guests of the B&B, and were quite used to the other vineyard B&B's we've stayed at allowing us a free tasting and drink as guests there. It may seem like I'm expecting a lot of "freebies", but as I've mentioned, this isn't our first vineyard B&B experience so we are quite accustomed to what others offer and provide that are included in our stay. So based on experiences we've had at other places, we didn't feel we got our money's worth at this particular B&B. I give 4 stars for the actual winery and 2 stars for the B&B experience. read more

This place is worth the trip for the views alone! The wine is pretty darn good too. We had an enjoyable tarting on a Friday afternoon and then sat on the patio with a glass. I enjoyed the papa's rosa so much I bought a bottle to take with. My husband really liked the reserve Chambourcin. Definitely makes me want to explore more wineries in the area. read more

I seriously loved this place. The view of the lake is breathtaking and it's so relaxing to just sit outside and drink some wine or sangria on a Sunday morning. We got a bottle of one of their reds and thought it was good. We also ordered cheese and crackers and their bread and olive oil which I thought was perfect but my fiance thought was too salty and heavily seasoned. It's a little strange because you buy the block of cheese and then they provide you with a cutting board and a knife and you have to go to your table and cut it up yourself. Their menu doesn't have many options for vegetarians which is why we had to resort to buying the block of cheese and grocery store crackers. However, we were novices. Apparently, everyone just started showing up with their own coolers of food. That's totally okay as long as you buy some wine from the place. And yes they charge you a refundable fee (3$/glass) to use their wine glasses. They keep the fee if you want to keep the glasses as a souvenir, and return it if you return the glasses once you're done. Make sure you get there early because this places gets hard core packed on the weekends. read more

I only gave this winery one star for multiple reasons. The staff is very rude. They always seem put out by taking our order. The price of the food is simply insane, and honestly it's just not great. They lack passion, and the food seems thrown together very carelessly. Most definitely not worth it. I have been to Blue Sky multiple times (mainly because it's one of the closer wineries to me) but I will not be back. I think they have pretty decent wine, but I would rather spend my money elsewhere- where I can feel as if I am a valued customer, and where love and creativity exist in the kitchen. read more

Had several of their wines and loved the Cabernet Franc. Absolutely wonderful. They are all very good, but this was our favorite. Also the Olive Oil is very nice for salads as well as cooking. Definitely a must for wine lovers. read more

Great winery to spend a few hours at. Great venue, great food and good wine. Wonderful time sitting out by the lake after our adventures at the Shawnee Bluffs Canopy zip line tour. The owner gave us a tour of his wines, we picked a favorite, picked up a bottle, ordered our sandwiches and went out to the lake to enjoy. Food came quickly. We noshed and drank in the wonderful setting. Picked up a couple of bottles to enjoy later. And off we went to do a little hiking in the area. What a great way to spend a Sunday!! read more

We've been to Blue Sky a few times now, and we definitely love the atmosphere, grounds and the winery itself. The wines, overall, are "okay." The sangria, and my personal favorite, the dessert cream sherry are definitely highlights. read more

The wine is okay.... The grounds are lovely... Some are good some are not... Get the bread and oil here, it can't be beat.....

My husband and I visted Blue Sky on Morther's Day. What a delightful time! The grounds are beautiful. The food selection is very good and the wait staff was very attentive. My husband does not care for wine but did enjoy theTraminette. It is one of my favorites. I was given a beautiful hanging basket of bright, colored flowers; a very nice surprise! Again, what an enjoyable time! read more

A great place to sit, relax and have great wine!! The music on weekends is wonderful. I encourage anyone to visit Blue Sky!

This place is beatiful. Unfortunately, the wines and service were less than impressive. The bartenders seemed uninterested in helping our party of 5 wanting to do a tasting. I decided against the tasting as our bartender seemed irritated at the mere mentioning of it. So, I ordered a glass of their Norton for $10. There was a three dollar glass deposit that completely cheapened the whole experience. I'm not a child renting a raft at a water park. I'm an adult ordering a glass of wine at a winery. The wine was nothing special, definitely not the best you will find on the wine trail. Such a disappointment after seeing the beautiful grounds and gorgeous Tuscan style building. I won't waste my time or $$$ at this place again. read more

This was the last stop on a short tour we made of the Shawnee Hills Winery Trail. It did not disappoint! The first thing that you'll notice is the beautiful grounds. They are stunning with a manicured entry providing a beautiful view of the vines and grapes with a beautiful building and lake with waterfall in the background. It's clear that the venue is used for special events, you can easily picture it set for a wedding. The tasting room has large areas for serving patrons an exceptional tasting experience. They provide a good pour and, if you ask, you may have a little more to please your pallet. Cody was our pourer, he was friendly, helpful, and we didn't feel rushed on this Saturday when they were extremely busy. Note that they have many tables and chairs for use if you care to sit and have a drink while enjoying the surroundings. There was live music the day we were there and it appears they have this feature on weekends. They provide a nice variety of wines, something for everyone. Although we didn't have any food, they did have a variety of items to enjoy with your glass of wine. We purchased a stemmed glass for $5 and sampled four wines at $1 each -- note: this may have been a special offering due to the fact that this was the total solar eclipse weekend. read more