A New, re-imagined wine on the hill

We invite you to join us at our Winery & Vineyard location in Peru, IL for Wine on the Hill! If you joined us last year, please note that we have changed quite a few things this year.

(1) We have added a new Cave Tasting Experience inside the Winery & Caves (reservations required).
(2) We have extended the hours for hanging out at Wine on the Hill (reservations and wine pre-ordering are no longer required).
(3) We now offer Private Events on the Hill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Host your special event outdoors on our Winery Hillside!

You and your guests can enjoy the spectacular view at our vineyard and winery location in Peru, IL. We can accommodate up to 50 people.  Rental rate is $300 for 3 hours (3-hr minimum); $100/hour for more than 3 hours. Click here for more info on our rentals.  Click here for a glimpse of the inside of the tent; and here is a glimpse of outside the tent.

Book your event today! Call us at 815-667-5211, and ask for Jessie or Danna.

frequently asked questions

Your visit

• Where are you located? Please use this Google Maps Pinpoint or refer to the map below to find us as the address, 21 N 2551st Rd, Peru, IL, does not work correctly in many map apps.  Also, do not type in “August Hill Winery” in your map app because it will take you to our Utica tasting room instead of our Peru, IL location. If you look at satellite view on the map below, you can see our spot. The winery building is white with a burgundy roof, and there are a couple of semi trailers parked up near it. Look for the black and white August Hill Winery sign on the hillside, the blue banner flag at the entrance, and the small blue reflective sign near the entrance with our address.
• Can I attend early/stay late? Guests can begin to arrive 30 minutes prior to opening to park and secure a spot on the hill; however, staff will not be available to make wine purchases until opening times. Last call is 15 minutes prior to closing. We ask that all guests leave by closing time.
• Can I pick up my Wine Club order? At this time, Wine Club orders can only be picked up at our Tasting Room location in Utica, IL.
• Do you have any COVID restrictions? Effective 8/30, the State of Illinois requires that both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals wear a face covering in all indoor public spaces. However, face coverings may be removed while eating or drinking. Hand sanitizer will be available for you upon entering. At Wine on the Hill, there is plenty of room to spread out so please place your seating a minimum of 6 feet away from other parties and the walkways.
• Are you handicap accessible? We offer handicap parking and our restrooms and cave are accessible. The landscape on the hill can be uneven and in some parts difficult to maneuver.
• What if the weather is bad? We will still offer tastings in the cave, but live music may be cancelled. The hill will still be open for guests, but we do not provide shelter.  If the weather presents a danger, we may ask guests to leave the hill area.
• Do you have restrooms? We have two restrooms inside the winery and an outdoor restroom on the hill.

Can we bring . . .

• Do you allow outside alcohol? NO, we do not allow outside alcohol. Guests who consume outside alcohol may be asked to leave. If you have friends who prefer beer, have them try one of our ISC pét-nat wines.
• Should we pre-order wine? Please DO NOT pre-order wines this year; we will have all your favorite wines available at the event.
• What items are permitted? Pop up canopies, small tables, lawn chairs, picnic blankets, food, non-alcoholic beverages, umbrellas, coolers, picnic baskets, utensils, wine glasses.
• What items are prohibited? Firearms, outside alcohol, marijuana, grills, bonfires, fireworks.
• Are pets allowed? Yes. Pets are allowed on the hillside, on a leash, but not inside the building. There will be a dog walk area supplied with trash bags for dog waste.  If your pet is causing distress or inconvenience for our other guests, you may be asked to leave.
• Are children allowed? Children are allowed on the hill, in the Winery (bathrooms, purchase area), but not in the tasting cave. No one under 21 is permitted to consume alcohol. Children under 12 need to be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times.
• Do you sell food or other beverages besides wine? We offer a snack picnic box (cheese, crackers, olives) as well as water and non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice as alternatives to wine.  You may bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks, but outside alcoholic beverages are not allowed.
• Do you sell ice? We do have ice available for sale if you need it.
• Do I need to bring my own wine drinkware? You can bring your own or we have some available for purchase or plastic cups for free.
• Anything else I should bring? Don’t forget the sunscreen and bug spray. If rain is in the forecast, bring an umbrella. If we all have umbrellas with us, maybe we won’t get rain!
• Do you accept credit cards at Wine on the Hill? Yes, we do accept all major credit cards at the event.

Cave Tastings

• Can others attend the Cave Tasting with me? Only persons with reserved spots can enter the tasting area. If you have adults or children with you who are not attending, we kindly ask that they wait outside on the Wine on the Hill area.
• If I made a reservation for a Cave Tasting and cannot attend, will I be refunded? You will get a full refund if you cancel your reservation at least 48 hours before your scheduled tasting.
• Can I change the date or time of my reservation? Please make any change to your reservation at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled tasting.
• What if I am running late for my scheduled tasting? In order to be fair to all guests, we must stick to our scheduled tasting starting times. You can come in and join the tasting late, possibly missing out on some of the experience, or we will do our best to fit you in at a later tasting time, availability permitting.  Best advice is to get here early!
• Do you have any COVID protocols? Per IL recommendations, tasters will be spread out in the cave area to maintain the 6-ft social distancing. Effective 8/30, the State of Illinois requires that both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals wear a face covering in all indoor public spaces. However, face coverings may be removed while eating or drinking.
• Will I need a jacket in the winery? We keep our winery and caves at a cool 60 degrees throughout the year, so we do recommend bringing a light jacket.
• What else should we know? You’ll be standing during the tasting. If you have someone in your group unable to stand for the 45-minute tasting, let our staff know when you check in.
• Can I pre-order wine when I purchase my Cave Tasting Experience tickets? Please DO NOT pre-order wine when ordering your Cave Tasting tickets as our software gets confused if you do. We will have all our wines available for sale after the event.
• How do I check-in for the tasting? When you arrive, enter through the double doors of our winery building, and proceed to the register to check in.

Directions to Wine on the Hill