Wine on the Hill & Cave Tastings

At our Winery & Vineyard Location in Peru, IL!

Saturdays & Sundays, 12:00-5:00 pm, open May 9 through October 31 in 2026!

We invite you to join us at our Winery & Vineyard location in Peru, IL for Wine on the Hill. Enjoy the beautiful outdoor scenery of the Illinois Valley, and your favorite August Hill & ISC wines, while hanging out on our spacious hillside. Wine flights, wine by the glass and bottle, August Hill Chill by the glass, and light snacks are all available.

Entry is free and reservations are not needed to hang out on the hill or to listen to music. Feel free to bring a chair or blanket. See the list of what to bring and other FAQs below. Reservations are required for the Cave Tasting & Reservation to Relax

Cave Tasting Experience
Saturdays & Sundays, May 16 – October 31

Go behind the scenes where the magic happens! Step inside our working winery caves—built into the hillside—where your favorite August Hill & ISC wines are crafted and aged. Enjoy a guided wine journey with a small group (up to 20 guests, approximately 45 minutes), featuring six hand-selected wines and a signature tasting glass to take home.

Tasting Time Slots:
Saturdays & Sundays: 12pm, 2pm, 4pm
June 6, 12 pm time slot = Sparkling Cave Tasting

ISC Sparkling Cave Tasting (June 6, 12pm): Presented by Winemaker Bubbly Wenzel, featuring a deeper dive into our ISC wines. Additional dates may be announced throughout the season—stay tuned!

Reservation to Relax

Want your spot on the hill ready and waiting?

Book your Reservation to Relax for Two and let the August Hill team handle the setup.

Your reserved space includes two Adirondack chairs, an umbrella for shade, a 30-quart cooler with ice, two bottled waters, and a small selection of snacks.

$30 ($27 for Wine Club Members) provides seating, shade, and snacks for two guests.

Reservations are yours for the day, 12–5 pm.

Music on the Hill

Saturdays & Sundays, 1-4 pm

  • May 16, James Gedda and the Big Breakfast [country & rock]
  • May 17, Thomas G [classic hits & alternative]
  • May 23, Those Two Guys Plus One [classic rock, country & blues]
  • May 24, Aaron Kelly [Americana, folk, country]
  • May 30, Phanie Rae Takata [rock, blues & funk]
  • May 31, Jeff Manfredini [rock, country, pop, folk, Americana]
  • June 6, James Gedda and the Big Breakfast [country & rock]
  • June 7, Steve Sharp [wide variety]
  • June 13, Black Velvet [pop, rock]
  • June 14, Darrell Data [wide variety]
  • June 20, Dirty Dead Band [Grateful Dead tribute]

Your visit
  • Where are you located? Please refer to the map below to find us at 21 N 2551st Rd, Peru, IL. If you do a search in your map app for “August Hill Winery,” make sure it pulls up the “August Hill Wine on the Hill” location in Peru and NOT the “August Hill Winery Tasting Room” in Utica, IL.  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 or the big blue banner flag at the entrance.
  • 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. The only exception to this is during the Will Call on the Hill events in May, July, and September; members can pick up their wine at these events if they RSVP ahead of time (we will send an email with RSVP info).
  • 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. If you have someone in your group who needs assistance, please let one of our staff members know if you need help getting to a spot on the hill.
  • 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.
  • Do you accept credit cards at Wine on the Hill? Yes, we do accept all major credit cards at Wine on the Hill.
Can we bring . . .
  • Do you allow outside alcohol? NO, we do not allow outside alcohol. Guests who bring outside alcohol may be asked to leave. If you have friends who prefer beer, have them try one of our ISC pét-nat wines.
  • What to bring? Pop-up canopies, small tables, lawn chairs, picnic blankets, food, non-alcoholic beverages, umbrellas, coolers, picnic baskets, utensils, and wine glasses are all items that are allowed at Wine on the Hill. Coolers will be checked by staff for outside alcohol. Don’t forget the sunscreen and bug spray.
  • 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 charcuterie box and other snack options. Local restaurant, Thyme Craft Kitchen, will deliver food to Wine on the Hill; click here for menu and ordering. We also have 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.
Cave Tastings
  • How do I check-in for the tasting? When you arrive, enter through the double doors of our winery building, and let one of our staff members know that you have arrived for your Cave 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!
  • 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.
  • Can children attend the Cave Tasting with me? Children are not allowed in the tasting cave. If you have a reservation for a Cave Tasting, we ask that you have an adult available to supervise children outside of the Cave Tasting 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 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, and we will make sure we get a seat for them.
  • 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.

Directions to Wine on the Hill