Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance

What Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance does

Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance (IGGVA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit agricultural trade association founded in 1992 and headquartered in Springfield, Illinois. It is the designated statewide body dedicated to developing the viticulture and enology interests of Illinois through information exchange, education, marketing, and legislative representation for grape growers and vintners. The organization serves approximately 165 member wineries and tasting rooms across Illinois, with governance input from four regional wine-growing areas and five organized wine trails (Carlyle Lake, Heart of Illinois, Mississippi Valley, Shawnee Hills, and Wabash Valley).

IGGVA's product and service portfolio includes the illinoiswine.com website, the Illinois Wine App (iOS and Android, launched 2021) for winery discovery, the Signature Series Rosé program (designated the official Illinois State Wine in 2017), the annual Illinois State Fair Commercial and Amateur Wine Competitions, and the Illinois Wine Fan email newsletter reaching more than 12,000 subscribers. Member benefits include subsidized access to viticulture expertise through Fritz Westover's Virtual Viticulture Academy and three sentinel vineyard weather stations, monthly enology Q&A sessions with Denise Gardner, and discounted lab testing through Southern Illinois University's Fermentation Science Institute.

The organization is funded primarily through annual membership dues (Full Members $125-$300+, Associates $100-$125), wine competition entry fees ($30 amateur / $45-$85 commercial), and ticket revenue from events such as the Vintage Illinois Wine Festival, Winner's Table, and Rosemont Uncorked. Strategic partnerships with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Illinois Office of Tourism, Wine America, and the Missouri Wine and Grape Program underpin IGGVA's advocacy, marketing, and educational reach.

Name

Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance

Legal name

Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance

Website

https://illinoiswine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IGGVA is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1992 that represents Illinois's ~165 wineries and grape growers through advocacy, marketing, competitions, wine trails, the Illinois Wine App, and educational partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Grape Vineyards (111332), Wineries (312130)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets) (AFAGAJAJ), Vineyard Certification & Sustainability Programs (Organic, Biodynamic, Regenerative, GAP) (AFAGAJAL), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Wine industry association
• Viticulture advocacy
• Enology education
• Wine competition management
• Wine tourism trails

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from Full (Voting) Members and Associate Members including vintners, grape growers, and friends of the industry.
2. Wine Competition Fees: Entry fees for Illinois State Fair Wine Competition (both commercial and amateur divisions). Commercial: $50-$85 per wine for 2-6 wines, free for first wine for members. Amateur: $30 per wine.
3. Event Revenue: Tickets and fees from events including Vintage Illinois Wine Festival, Rosemont Uncorked, Winner's Table, and other promotional events.
4. Marketing and Promotional Services: The organization maintains the Illinois Wine brand including magazine, maps, and mobile apps; works with Illinois Department of Agriculture and Tourism on promotional activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IGGVA is a non-profit agricultural trade association that serves Illinois grape growers, vintners, and wine industry supporters through membership services, advocacy, marketing programs, educational resources, and event organization. It administers annual wine competitions (commercial and amateur), manages the Signature Series Rosé certification program, and operates five regional wine trails. Revenue is generated through annual membership dues, competition entry fees, and event ticket sales, supporting industry promotion across approximately 165 Illinois wineries and tasting rooms.

Product overview

The Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance (IGGVA) operates as a non-profit trade association offering a portfolio of programs and services for the Illinois wine industry. The core offerings include the Illinois Wine App (a mobile application for iOS and Android for discovering wineries), the illinoiswine.com website/portal, five organized Illinois Wine Trails for tourism, and the Signature Series Rosé Program (the official Illinois State Wine). Additional services include annual wine competitions for both amateur and commercial winemakers (Illinois State Fair Wine Competitions), membership services with viticulture and enology resources, and the Illinois Wine Fan Newsletter reaching over 12,000 subscribers. These programs collectively support the marketing, education, and promotion of Illinois' approximately 165 wineries and tasting rooms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Illinois Wine App A mobile application for iOS and Android that helps users discover and locate wineries throughout Illinois. Features include winery locations, VIP wineries, Gold Medal Winners, Illinois Wine Trails, and Signature Series Rosé wines. Available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• Illinois Wine Website (illinoiswine.com) The primary website serving as the digital hub for Illinois wine information, providing winery directories, wine trails, event calendars, news, wine competition results, industry resources, and membership information for the Illinois wine industry.
• Illinois Wine Trails Five organized wine trails including Carlyle Lake Wine Trail, Heart of Illinois Wine Trail, Mississippi Valley Wine Trail, Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, and Wabash Valley Wine Trail, offering curated wine tourism experiences across different regions of Illinois.
• Signature Series Rosé Program A quality-assured wine certification program recognizing Illinois Rosé wines that exceed world-class standards, use 100% Illinois-grown and -produced grapes, and undergo extensive chemistry and sensory analysis by enology specialists and industry experts. Designated as the official Illinois State Wine.
• Illinois State Fair Amateur Wine Competition Annual amateur winemaking competition hosted by IGGVA at the Illinois State Fair, open to non-commercial winemakers over 21 years old. Judged blind using UC Davis 20-point scoring system with categories for red, rosé, white, specialty, sparkling, and dessert wines. Entry fee is $30 per wine.
• Illinois State Fair Commercial Wine Competition Annual commercial winemaking competition sponsored by IGGVA and supported by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Features Best of Show, Governor's Cups for Illinois-grown fruit, and Top Awards for wines from any appellation. Judged using UC Davis 20-point system. Member entry fees range from free (first wine) to $50 per wine.
• IGGVA Membership Services Industry membership program offering Full Member and Associate Member tiers for Illinois vineyards (1+ acres), wineries (under/over 50,000 gallons production), and industry friends. Benefits include viticulture consulting via Virtual Viticulture Academy (Fritz Westover), enologist Denise Gardner Q&A sessions, discounted lab testing through Southern Illinois University Fermentation Science Institute, Midwest Wine and Grape Summit access, and educational conference fee offsets.
• Illinois Wine Fan Newsletter Email newsletter sent at least monthly to over 12,000 subscribers, providing updates on Illinois wine events, promotions, wine competition results, industry news, and seasonal offerings from member wineries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Illinois wine industry generates $9.4 billion in economic impact
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wine AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGGVA partners with Wine America for industry advocacy and representation at the federal level, providing members access to national wine industry policy initiatives.
• Illinois Department of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for agricultural programs, supporting the Illinois wine industry through initiatives including the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition and promotional activities.
• Illinois Office of Tourism / Enjoy IllinoiscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with state tourism to promote Illinois wine regions, wineries, and events to visitors, positioning wine as a key tourism asset.
• Illinois Manufacturers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation membership providing advocacy and representation on manufacturing and regulatory matters affecting the wine industry.
• Illinois Retail Merchants AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for retail-related advocacy and industry representation.
• Illinois ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity extension service providing educational resources and research support for the wine industry.
• Southern Illinois University - Fermentation Science InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGGVA provides members access to discounted lab testing through SIU's Fermentation Science Institute, which supports wineries with essential analytical services at reduced or no cost funded by IGGVA grants.
• Denise Gardner (DGWinemaking)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnologist providing monthly Virtual Q&A sessions exclusively for IGGVA member winemakers, with IGGVA offsetting membership fees for the DGW Insider Membership. Sessions offer real-time winemaking guidance with recordings available on a members-only YouTube channel.
• Virtual Viticulture Academy (Fritz Westover)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFritz Westover provides viticultural expertise through the Virtual Viticulture Academy with IGGVA offsetting 50% of subscription costs for members. Services include workshops, webinars, vineyard consulting, and access to three sentinel vineyard weather stations.
• Missouri Wine and Grape ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the annual Midwest Wine and Grape Summit, delivering expanded expertise, networking, and hands-on learning for members across the region.
• Anne ZwinkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinemaker at Soldier Creek Winery in Iowa who serves as IGGVA's wine competition enologist since 2021, contributing as presenter and expert resource at educational events.
• American Print ProductsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFamily-owned printing business providing labels, apparel, and promotional materials for the wine industry.
• Agri Spray DronesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgricultural spray drone technology distributor serving vineyard operations in Illinois and nationwide.
• National Clean Plant NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization producing and distributing healthy propagation material, with grape network participation across 35 centers in 20 states.
• Midwest Vineyard ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting and custom vineyard mechanization company working with vineyards of various sizes to achieve balance and sustainability.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wine Institute: California-based public policy advocacy association representing California's wineries. It is a comparable industry trade organization but operates at a much larger scale and focuses on California-specific advocacy.
• Washington State Wine Commission: State-supported wine commission promoting Washington wines globally with research, marketing, and industry development funding. It is a comparable peer organization with substantially greater scale and resources.
• Oregon Wine Board: State agency and semi-governmental body supporting Oregon wineries and vineyards with marketing, research, and education. It is a comparable state-level peer organization but with a much larger budget and more established wine region.
• Wine America: National trade association representing the U.S. wine industry, with which IGGVA has a strategic partnership for federal advocacy. It is a direct peer as a wine industry membership organization, but at a national rather than state scope.
• New York Wine & Grape Foundation: New York state's umbrella wine industry organization supporting wineries, growers, and consumers with marketing, research, and advocacy. It is a comparable state-level peer but operates at larger scale than IGGVA.

Direct peers

• Michigan Wine Collaborative: Statewide wine industry organization supporting Michigan wineries and grape growers with a similar mission of viticulture/enology development, marketing, and advocacy in a cold-climate Midwest region.
• Virginia Wine Board: State-level wine industry organization representing Virginia wineries and vineyards with marketing, education, and advocacy. It is a direct peer as a similarly sized state wine association.
• Missouri Wine and Grape Program: State-level wine industry organization that co-hosts the Midwest Wine and Grape Summit with IGGVA. It is a direct peer as a competing/collaborating state wine association serving a neighboring Midwest state with similar cold-climate varietals.
• Ohio Wine Producers Association: State trade association representing Ohio wineries with marketing, advocacy, and event coordination in another Midwest cold-climate wine region. It is a directly comparable state peer with similar member scale.
• Indiana Wines (Indiana Wine Grape Council): Indiana state program supporting the state's wine industry through research, promotion, and education. It is a directly comparable state-level wine industry peer in a neighboring Midwest jurisdiction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IllinoisWine
• Xx.com/illinoiswine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance