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Baxter's Vineyards is a small family-owned winery in Nauvoo, Illinois. The winery was established in 1857 by Emile Baxter and continues in the family. Kelly Logan is the fifth generation Baxter to grow grapes and apples. He and his wife Brenda are still producing and bottling Baxter's Old Nauvoo Brand wines.

Baxter's Vineyards offers free wine tasting & self guided winery tours daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The winery is located 11 blocks east of Highway 96 going thru the Nauvoo State Park on Parley Street if you are traveling from the west. If you are traveling from the east, turn left on Winchester Street and go south until you reach a T-intersection and then turn right, and the winery will be on the left hand side of the road.

MSN Map of Baxter's Vineyards' location

Lee County Fair Amateur Wine Competition Entry Form

2008 Home Wine Maker's Contest

June 28, 2008

Baxter's Vineyards is excited to announce the winners of Baxter's Vineyards 14th Annual Home Wine Maker's Contest. The contested received a total fifty-one entries in six different classes. The winners are listed below by class. The staff at Baxter's Vineyards would like to thank all Wine Maker's that entered our contest and we hope to see you all back for next year's contest!

Class I: Red Grape

1st Place: Roger Tripp with Fredonia wine

2nd Place: Dennis Seigfried with Fredonia wine

3rd Place: Sheila Windmar Wagner with Oaked Concord wine

Class II: White Grape

1st Place: Bobbi Kooyman with Riesling Auslese wine

2nd Place: Nick Wilkens with Niagara wine

3rd Place: Bobbi Kooyman with Vidal, Chenin Blanc, Muscat & Gewurztraminer wine

Class III: Pink Grape

1st Place: Bobbi Kooyman with White Shiraz wine

2nd Place: Kevin Westby with Catawba wine

3rd Place: Steve Swan & Mike Pribyl with Catawba wine

Class IV: Fruit Wines

1st Place: Ed Lemberger with Apple wine

2nd Place (tie): Glen Wagner with Pear wine

2nd Place (tie): Wayne Ebelherr with Cherry wine

3rd Place: Sheila Widmar Wagner with Cranberry/Raspberry wine

Class V: Blends

1st Place: Sheila Widmar Wagner with Raspberry White Grape wine

2nd Place: Steve Swan & Mike Pribyl with Concord Catawba wine

3rd Place (tie): Glenn Wagner with Concord Elderberry wine

3rd Place (tie): Sheila Widmar Wagner with White Grape Peach wine

Class VI: Other

1^st Place: Glenn Wagner with Rhubarb wine

2^nd Place: Jason Boyle with Cherry Kool-aid wine

3^rd Place: Jason Boyle with Orange Kool-aid wine

Best of Show

Ed Lemberger's Apple wine

Morel Mushroom Contest

April 15 thru May 15, 2008

Baxter's Vineyards is excited to announce the winners of Baxter's Vineyards 1st Annual Morel Mushroom Contest. The contest received entries from the Tri-States of Illinois, Iowa and Missouri and had a total of thirty-eight Morel Mushroom Hunters enter as competitors.

The winner of the smallest Morel Mushroom is Harley Hershberger, age 9, from Alexandria, Missouri. Harley entered a Morel Mushroom that was 0.3 cm. Mr. Hershburger is the lucky Morel Mushroom picker who won a Baxter's Vineyards T-shirt, a bottle of Baxter's Concord Grape Juice and a Morel Mushroom Trophy.

The largest Morel Mushroom was entered by Earl Gervler, from Franklin, Iowa. Earl entered a Morel Mushroom that measured a full 26 cm. For Earl's lucky find, he received a Baxter's T-shirt, a bottle of Baxter's Concord Wine, and a hand carved Morel Mushroom Spirit.

A picture gallery of the Morel Mushroom entered into our contest is below. We would like to thank all of the happy Morel Mushroom Hunters that entered our contest and we look forward to seeing you next year!

Baxter's Vineyards & Winery

2010 E. Parley Street

PO Box 342

Nauvoo, IL 62354

Phone: (217) 453-2528

Toll free: (800) 854-1396

Fax: (217) 453-6600

baxters@frontiernet.net