Vixen Hill Winery

Open: Year-Round

A Vixen Hill Story

Vixen Hill Winery is a family-owned, wine-making estate with the vision to create a special destination for hand-crafted wines and warm hospitality in Central Illinois. The winery produces well-balanced wines that pair well with everyday foods.

The dream that became Vixen Hill Winery began when Gene and Vera Pence, natives of Palmyra, Illinois, pondered how to spend their retirement years.  Their love for wine dates back to the 80s when they would spend weekends visiting different wineries in the Midwest.

In 1999, they planted their first one acre plot of Norton grapes on the hill behind their home.  That day, while the grapes were being planted, a Vixen (female fox) and her pups came out of their den to watch and play.  From that day forward it would be known as Vixen Hill.

This first planting of Norton grapes can still be seen today upon arrival at the winery which now also overlooks the Vignoles grapevines that were planted in 2003.

Over the years, Gene had experimented in making small batches of wine and since the couple particularly enjoyed visiting wineries in the fall, when they could enjoy the changing colors of the trees, it was only fitting that it be a beautiful fall day in 2012 when Gene, who was enjoying a bottle of wine (or maybe two!) with Vera and their two daughters, Joya and Jill, would suggest the family take their love of wine one step further and open a winery of their own.

They all agreed and that day Vixen Hill Vineyards became Vixen Hill Winery.  Construction on the facility began in June of 2013 and has been the family's labor of love.  Working together, side by side, the family, with the help of countless friends, has built their dream into a reality.