For my friend group, this is the favorite vineyard on the Shawnee wine trail! They have a wide variety of wine and cider. There is also food for purchase (and they allow you to bring your own picnic food as well). The space is large and relaxed with seating indoors and outside (several levels behind their building). We enjoyed our tasting flights on the top covered, shaded patio. You are able to mix wine and cider in a flight. They have lots of different cider flavors and they are all gluten-free. The servers were friendly and knowledgeable. You may want to bring your growler to take cider home - they were sold out of cans on our visit. read more

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Owl Creek has a great selection of ciders and the best sangria on the wine trail. Their food is also really good for midday snacks on the trail. Loved: both white and red sangria, chicken bacon ranch quesadilla. The quesadilla is a very large portion that could be split between two people Liked: the wine selection is okay, and some of the ciders are extremely sweet for me. read more

Owl Creek Vineyard - Flight - Wineries Near Me - Cobden, Illinois

Cute vineyard, nice seating areas in tiered level decks. Feels like you are sitting in nature. They serve food and flights. The key lime cider is very refreshing. Cool stop!! read more

Owl Creek Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Cobden, Illinois

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It looks quicker and more fun than it was. It just seemed very plain and matter of fact. Not much fun or innovation. That said it's not "bad" and an okay stop on the wine trail but we didn't really feel like staying or experimenting there. There was a nice cat sleeping inside. read more

Owl Creek vineyard is a must stop. Did I enjoy every single wine? Maybe. Maybe not. Was the service fine? Yes. It's a comfortable space with live music. We weren't there when the music was but there was a list on the wall which listed who will be performing and when. Outside on the patio was some vintage wine making supplies, some pieces I even recognized. Selections of wine and ciders are available and the staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and approachable. A selection of t-shirts was hidden to the right side of the bar. This vineyard is set up to stay for awhile and make yourself comfortable type of space. There is a cat roaming around who seemed to take a liking to me. I would come back, more likely when there was live music. read more

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Owl Creek was a very pretty winery. We had a lovely visit there while down in the Shawnee National Forest. We went to hear the live music on the patio. Very pretty surrounding and building, however, the wine left much to be desired. It may be better to try the Hard Ciders. The Sav Blanc I tried was so sweet! and the service was not that great. Felt very rushed and not much knowledge about the wine. We wanted to like it! read more

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Delicious Cider and wine in a pretty setting in the woods. About 12 different ciders to choose from (cherry and the bad apple are the best). You can get a flight of ciders, wine or mix and match. There is also food available. Didn't try any food, but all the ciders were good... except the pina colada. This place gets packed on the weekends, so go check them out during the week. read more

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Had a lovely experience at Owl Creek Vineyard. I was super excited about the Apple Knocker Hard Cider. I got a flight of those. They were all pretty good but my favorite was the Sweet Knockers. I also tried the sangria. the Red Sangria was DELICIOUS. I would definitely return to try more things. I got the homemade pretzel with cider cheese. WOW it was amazing!!!!! Best pub pretzel I've ever had, for real. I loved the option of having beer cheese vs cider cheese. Loved the cider cheese. Friends got other food they seemed happy with. The outdoor area was really nice, lots of seating with cool views of the woods. The vineyard cat was adorable. Only downside was that the band was really loud. I wish the volume was a tad lower so we could hear one another speaking more. read more

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Very unique and beautiful winery. We ordered a flight to share between the two of us (boyfriend and myself) and we're happy with our choices. My favorite was key lime pie and his was blueberry basil. we sat outside and it was perfect read more

Owl Creek Vineyard - Key lime pie, blueberry basil, ruby red, & green apple shandy - Wineries Near Me - Cobden, Illinois

Do not miss the white sangria!! It was like Hawaii in a glass! We loved all the ciders too, the Bad One and Knock n Roll were our favorites. Enjoyed a delicious lunch on the patio, garlic bread, bbq panini and Buffalo chicken quesadilla - all great! read more

Owl Creek Vineyard - four glasses of wine on a tray - Wineries Near Me - Cobden, Illinois

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Stay away if I were you. Such a shame because this used to be a lovely little winery. Seems that a lot has changed behind the scenes since their recent expansion and move a few years ago. While their wines and ciders are all quality, they pale in comparison to the other product available on the Shawnee Hills Trail (except Von Jakob, which Owl Creek is undoubtedly better than). All of them, even the dry varietals, cater to sweet tastes and have an unrefined finish. Not my thing, personally. Have been with a few different groups, and on a couple of occasions have spoken to the owner, who unfortunately many I've been with have found quite off putting. I didn't really think much of this until realizing I've never seen the same person work at the tasting bar here twice. Yikes. You're better off going to Alto, Hickory Ridge, or Pomona. read more

We had such a blast wine tasting at Owl Creek! Owl Creek is part of the Shawnee Wine Trail. They opened in 1980, so they've had time to master their craft and it shows. Their owner is incredible!!! We went on a Friday afternoon right when they opened, so we had undivided attention. He was so incredibly personable and made the experience 5+ stars. He also has the cutest cat that kept purring and demanding attention. I was in LOVE. :) Five tastes of wine and/or cider is $3, and if you want to keep the glass it's another $3 (they are large and cute so you'll want to!) The wine pours are equivalent to other wineries, but their cider and sangria pours are very generous! A few stand outs: -SANGRIA!! My sister ended up purchasing a growler (64 oz) because it was THAT good. -Sweet Cider with Raspberry -White Dessert Wine TIP: The owner did say on an average Saturday they have over 800 visitors, so beware if you don't like crowds and try to visit at an off peak time! read more

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Nice place. We only had ciders while there but they were all great. We would have bought some to take home but they were only selling growlers at the time. read more

We did a wine and food pairing tour of the Shawnee Hills wine trail and this was one of our favorite stops. A good portion of our group really enjoyed their ciders and I enjoyed the wine! It's hard to find decent dry red wine in the midwest, but Owl Creek had a couple nice options. Their outdoor space is really cute and perfectly shaded by trees. The service was nice, and very helpful considering we had 10 ladies trying to figure out what the heck we were doing with tastings. read more

Owl Creek Vineyard - Outside at Owl Creek. - Wineries Near Me - Cobden, Illinois

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Really enjoyed Owl Creek! It was our last stop on our tour. Would really like to come back during the day to enjoy the views. Staff was friendly and decor was cute. Loved the deep wine glass I took home. Wines were good but really liked the hard cider. Plan on coming back and spending more time here. Update: as you can tell from the pics we indeed did come back again, Twice!! Planning next trip for the fall and again in January. Can't keep us away! For someone who detests Chardonnay wine-the chardonowl here is delicious! So impressed read more

Owl Creek Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Cobden, Illinois

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Amazing boutique winery along the Shawnee Trail - definitely one of my favorites to visit! We did the tasting (which came with a big red style glass) and we were all about the hard ciders! Not too sweet, which can be a ciders downfall... we bought quite a few bottles to go. Lovely back porch within the trees. We had eaten at a winery just before (Blue Sky, meh) but I sincerely wished that we had waited for this place and their flat bread. It looked and smelled amazing. A must hit-up stop along the winery trail. read more

Owl Creek Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Cobden, Illinois

This used to be one of our favorite places to go on the wine tour so we were very excited about going back. We came in as a bridal party for a bachelorette party so we were very excited and high energy. The employee behind the counter (Amber) was extremely rude to us right off the bat. We just shook it off but she continued to be rude. We found out later she bad mouthed our group to other groups. Then she approached the bride to be to tell her that we were being too loud and she has "sensory issues" so to either leave or take our party outside. As we were discussing it she yelled across the bar at us to reiterate that she has "sensory issues." There was also a second bachelorette party there at the same time and she was just as rude to them as she was to us. I do not suggest you go there because not only did she ruin the mood of our party, she essentially kicked us out. In my opinion if you have such problems then you shouldn't work at a bar. read more

I would highly recommend to anyone thinking about coming to this establishment to rethink that decision. The owner of this establishment seriously needs to work on his people skills. I drive for a party bus rental service and had a bus load of ladies celebrationg an engagement. They asked to go to this establishment. After offloading the ladies at the front door, the guy approached my bus, walked in front of it, looked at me through the windshield and then came around to my window. He asked if I knew who he was, and after telling him I did not, he identified himself as the owner and that I needed pre approval to come to this place. I was not disrespectful to this guy in any way. He told me that we would have to leave. The bus I was driving is a very large and long bus. Having never been to the Owl Creek Vinyard before, I did not know there were very places to maneuver a bus this size. As I was trying to move the bus to positions that I could turn successfully, this guy comes back ad says to me, "Do you know how to drive this thing?" This business owner was very rude and deserves every negative review possible for how he treats customers. There were no signs that said anything about prior approvals needed, which should be posted since this business right in the middle of Wine Trail country. This business gets a big fat "F" as a review from me. I will never be back or recommend this business to anyone. read more

Looking so forward to coming to your winery because of the reviews but all I can say is this that if your a wine lover this is not the place for you quite possibly the worst wine I have ever put to my lips there was no tasting at this time so we each order a different glass and sat outside to enjoy the fall air what a disappointment read more

11 of us girls was on a wine trail and decided to stop at this winery. We get off the bus go inside purchase our glasses of wine and ciders proceed out to the deck. The band was playing and we just started out conversations. We was informed that we couldn't be there because of the bus. There was no signs that they didn't allow buses the grounds are plenty big to accommodate. Several campers in the parking lot. Brad says no and we have to leave now and he is being erratic and rude. I asked why and he stated because it's his rules. I understand he can do this but why not have a private establishment and not public. Paying customers is what pays the bills and give you business. It was awful convincing that he wanted to wait to tell us after we made purchases. I will be spreading the word! Don't waste your time at this winery. I feel sorry for miserable people like BRAD!! read more

Our first stop on our wine tour. We were practically ignored at Blue Sky Vineyard. Your staff was very friendly. We loved our experience despite the power outage. A great selection of wines and ciders. Loved the dog and cat. The entertainment "Bosco and Whiteford" was enjoyable. We are from Champaign and we'll be back. read more

Made a quick pit stop on the way from Chicago to Memphis for the holidays and glad we did! Delicious wines and hard ciders to try and loved the take home glasses. Plus, they have a resident cat named Remy who's adorable. Didn't catch the ladies name behind the counter but she was super friendly and easy to talk with. Definitely worth the stop! read more

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We visited all 11 wineries today. We were most disappointed by Owl Creek. I am an animal lover but when I go to business that serves food I do not expect to see a full grown cat setting on a table. We couldn't stay there thinking that cat's butt had been on our table. read more

They've just opened their new tasting rooms and its quite nice, but the hill getting off the road and to the winery is pretty treacherous in the mud, hopefully they'll update that next. I went for the ciders- I knew they were good I've had them at restaurants before, but I didn't try the wines. My group had mixed feelings on Owl Creek. My biggest complaint was the ambiance was kind of boring. read more

Owl Creek Vineyard is located on the Shawnee Wine Trail in beautiful Southern Illinois. There are no less than 10 wineries in the area. Given this fact, feel free to take a pass on Owl Creek. I stopped in for a wine tasting. Their product was good but not great. The premises is small. There is a very small deck in the rear for outdoor seating. The owner, Brad, is pleasant. However, I prefer the big picture. I want my wineries to offer food, wine, packaged goods, etc. I want to see a sprawling estate. Banquet facilities. Customers having a good time. You won't find that here. read more

The chardonel is really good and could stand up to some California wines. Definitely worth a try! Their food is all made from scratch, so it takes more than two minutes to prepare, but it's totally worth the wait. I would love to come back and sit out on the back patio while listening to a band perform on the flatbed of that old truck. read more

The wine was good. The problem I used my credit card they charged me for the wine glasses. I returned the glasses and they did not credit my credit card and they said they would read more

Flight of cider gets a taste of their goodness as we enjoy the last sunshine on the deck before winter comes read more

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The city folk make me laugh: show me estates, large banquet facilities, esthetics (I'm pretty sure the word is "aesthetics"), etc. Do y'all realize you are in one of the poorest areas of the state? For wineries even to exist here--let alone a trail with multiple establishments--is a small miracle, especially given the Illinois economy of late. The wine down here--in general--isn't California standards, and you'll be sorely disappointed if you expect that. It tends toward the excessively sweet. That's why Owl Creek is a solid place: they have some very palatable drier wines (well, semi-sweet, but let's not split hairs down here). Try the Seyval if you like whites, and try the Bald Knob for reds; the latter is fruit-forward and young and would drink well slightly chilled...like a Beaujolais Nouveau. I love their ciders. The bottled stuff is average to decent. But they usually have a specialty on draft at the winery only. Word has it they're bringing back a jalapeño (or is it habanero?) ginger cider for the late Spring/Summer. The last part is key: if "aesthetics" are your thing, frankly, it's hard to beat Owl Creek. The back deck is like a treehouse overlooking the woods, and it's refreshingly peaceful. Frankly, I'm not entertained by throngs of women in bridal parties getting trashed and falling off picnic chairs, and luckily, Owl Creek (usually) is absent of these folks. Come during the week. It's peaceful. Oh, one more thing: all the wineries around here close early, apart from those off 51 or 127. Think about it. Folks come down from Chicago (suburbs), get hammered like college kids, and then go speeding down winding country roads. Doesn't make for good outcomes... read more

Ooooooooh yeah! Great wines and fantastic ciders! This was my first stop in the area, and I'm glad I stocked up (since a few others were just OK and didn't buy as much there). Fantastic reds, decent whites, and holy moly their ciders are awesome. They had a pumpkin cider (I bought the last bomber, sorry folks!), as well as a hopped-up cider (called Hopped Up, not just a clever name...). Plus a few others. Food is pretty good too! Great people behind the bar also. It wasn't packed, probably because it's December and not a busy time of year for them. That made it even better since we got to BS with the server for a while and talk booze. read more

The first thing you see when you drive up to this winery is the huge solar panels. I love this and the idea of this! There's a gravel parking lot out front and the building isn't very polished to look at. Some creative landscaping would be a good idea to improve the esthetics. The upstairs tasting room is reminiscent of an enchanted treehouse. It's cool, quaint and cosy but my boyfriend and I were ignored when we first walked in until we moved down to the middle of the bar. They were a little busy but even a nod or a wave to acknowledge us would have been nice. We did a wine tasting first and the only one we liked was the Bald Knob, which was excellent. It's literally my boyfriend's favorite domestic wine now. Next, we tried a flight of the ciders and those were disappointing. We sat outside among the treetops and neat multiple level decks drinking them, but were more impressed with the free pistachios than the drinks. Also, the (unisex, single) bathroom was tiny and there were paper towels all over the floor. Before we left, we bought a couple of t-shirts, which were cute and super soft. However, there were limited sizes and options. I would like to give this place more stars but they need to improve the wines, the ciders and the esthetics first. read more

Arrived in our group. They were contacted and we where confirmed. We where accused of breaking the restrooms, when we where reporting them as broken. They ran out of food, and bottles of wine. Service took 11/2 hours to be informed by the rude ( management? She was very busy texting and talking on a radio to treat with an ounce of respect for customer service. Rated one star, because they won't let me leave a zero-star. Recommend any of the other fine wineries in the area. read more

Wine wasn't bad but the bartender was rude and the directions ( said was the new winery was in use after September and it was actually at the old winery until October) only gave it one star cause the cat was awesome read more

Owl Creek Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Cobden, Illinois

The one disappointment is that wine flights were not offered although it was advertised on the wine trail website. The ciders and wine were good and accurately described, the pourers were knowledgeable about product. The food was large portions and was good warm comfort food perfect for a chilly fall day. read more

Worst place on the wine trail. They had a mice problem a while ago, so I would never, ever risk eating there.... Save your $$$ and go to Alto, Van Jakob and BlueSky. read more

My husband and I stopped her on our way through the Shawnee hills wine trail. We had a tasting of wine and a flight of the cider. We thought the ciders were yummy and the wine was also good. However the staff seemed very unstaffed and frantic. With that being said they were very polite and tried very hard to accommodate everyone. read more

Love the chocolate raspberry cider. We came for a tasting and it up staying for a while. Great little place!

Signage made finding this winery fairly easy. Unfortunately that's the best thing I can say. When you walk in the door you must climb 2 flights of stairs to get to the tasting room. There were no signs directing patrons to the stairs, we simply followed the sound of voices. Even though this is a winery they were promoting their hard cider over the wine. We purchased a bottle of wine and had to fight off fruit flies who eventually landed in the glasses. There was only one bathroom and it was for men & women, so that made for twice as long wait. We had the Concord wine which was listed as sweet but didn't taste sweet at all. We also tried a flight of the hard ciders, none of which had any apple flavor. Don't think we will be going back. read more

Really nice location. Great wines and ciders. The dry reds were the second best on the trail. I would definitely recommend a visit as everything was above average. They do have so good as well. read more

The staff is polite and helpful, wines are some of the best on the wine trail, and the updated menu is superb. I was concerned they moved to their new location, but their new outdoor area is great. read more