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The Answer Book 2005

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A bit of the grape (and hops):
Variety spices up C-U establishments

BY KIRBY PRINGLE
© 2009 THE NEWS-GAZETTE
    When it comes to finding that special wine or beer, few if any small Midwestern cities offer the selection found in Champaign-Urbana.
   "It's really more due to who lives here. I think it's more of a thing that's tied to the university and who comes here because of it," says Sam Vandegrift, manager at Friar Tuck Beverage in Savoy.
   "As a result, there is a demand created for things around the world and for things of high quality. It's a cliche, but the University of Illinois really is a world-class institution that brings with it world-class views," he says.
   "I think a lot of people consider themselves to be in exile here. I have friends who have lived in Holland and Japan and New York and elsewhere. They want to have the things they're used to having in other places. People here have a desire to create something better out of their community. There's more of a drive to be a cosmopolitan area and I don't think you have that in Springfield or Peoria or Bloomington-Normal," Vandegrift adds.
   Champaign-Urbana-Savoy has wine shops that offer a huge combined variety, with each store trying to create its own niche. That dazzling diversity is also the result of competition. Three large wine shops have opened in the last six years: Corkscrew Wine Emporium in Urbana, Sun Singer Wine & Spirits in Champaign and Friar Tuck in Savoy. Piccadilly Beverage Shops remains the largest with eight stores throughout the community.
   In addition, grocery stores like Schnucks in Champaign and Urbana, Persimmon in downtown Champaign, and import/specialty shops like World Market, also in Champaign, carry a good selection of wine and/or beer.
   "There was an old saying that 95 percent of all wine sold is in the Chicago metro area, with 5 percent of that outside Chicago  well, 3 percent of that is Champaign-Urbana. The strongest wine market outside Chicago is Champaign-Urbana," says Paul Simpson, the longtime wine director at Piccadilly Beverage Shops.
   As a result, whether you are looking for a cult cabernet sauvignon from California, a gruner veltliner from Austria, a sweet sauternes from France or just about anything else on your fine wine shopping list, chances are you can find it here.
   Another indication of the importance of the Champaign-Urbana market: Every distributor in the Chicago metro area does business here.
   "But not all of them do business in Bloomington-Normal or in Springfield or in Peoria," Simpson says.
   He, too, says the UI is the engine that drives the demand for fine wines, beers and food.
   "Historically, there has always been a lot of people in Champaign-Urbana that have the wherewithal to travel and experience food and wine from all over the United States and all over the world. There is a worldly, eclectic view when it comes to food and wine in this community," Simpson says.
   Michael Alberty, the manager at the Corkscrew Wine Emporium, says Champaign-Urbana also has an advantage because of location.
   "We're right in the center of the U.S. and right in the center of the state. People in Champaign-Urbana are incredibly lucky because they can take advantage of all the great deals. ... We can get deals from distributors that you can't find in Chicago," Alberty says.
   "Also, often when a certain wine is sold out on the East Coast or on the West Coast, it may just be arriving here. We've also gotten just a slew of winemakers through recently. It's sort of Nixon's 'will it play in Peoria thing.' They think, 'Gee, if people are buying my $50 bottle of pinot noir out in the middle of nowhere, maybe I can sell something else here.'"
   Bars, too, have created more of a demand for fine wines and beers. Mike 'N' Molly's, Jupiter's and the Blind Pig, all in downtown Champaign, have a large variety of beers on tap, in bottle or both. Crane Alley in downtown Urbana is also known for its diverse beer selection.
   Sun Singer has a popular wine bar and cafe, and Bacaro, a European-style eatery in downtown Champaign, is known far and wide for an incredible selection of Italian wines. Several fine dining establishments also have impressive wine lists.
   "People in this community are more knowledgeable and more experienced when it comes to wine," says Mark Yarbrough, who owns Sun Singer with his wife, Jackie. "When it comes to places outside Chicago, Champaign-Urbana is the darling of the state when it comes to wine."
   The number and variety of beers available at stores and bars has also skyrocketed in the last decade. Chris Knight, owner of the Blind Pig, can remember when it was exotic for a bar to have five different beers on tap.
   "The idea of having Guinness or Bass on tap is now something everyone takes for granted," he says. "Certainly when compared to other towns, we have a much more educated and discerning population. They know their beer and wine."


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2005 Answerbook
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