By CINDY LADAGE
Illinois Correspondent

BARRY, Ill. — The Collver Family Winery has been a mainstay in Barry for several years. The winery offers a murder mystery dinner theater – such as the Oct. 11 “Murder on the Disoriented Express,” which will call in the best criminal minds to assist and involve the audience in solving the “murder.”

The Collvers are producers of many award-winning wines such as the recent White Hen Silver Medal Winner at the Illinois State Fair in 2008 and 2009, and the Oktoberfest, which won a Bronze Medal in 2009. Collver Family Winery specializes in French-American hybrid grapes including, but not limited to, Chardonel, Vignoles, Vidal Blanc, Traminette, Chancellor, Cayuga White and Chambourcin.

Collver also is part of other festivals such as the Havana (Ill.) Wine Festival on Oct. 10 and the Wine & Cheese Festival on Nov. 7. These events include an array of other businesses; by teaming up with other wineries and local events, Collvers is promoting not only their fine wines, but products of other Midwest vendors as well.
 “We just started a new wine trail,” Tim Collver said. “It is called the Scenic Rivers Wine Trail of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.”

The brochure states, “Experience the history, savor the flavors and listen to the stories told. The year-round experience offers a chance for travelers to find the trail in the area they will be in and explore all that the Midwestern region has to offer. Enjoy historic sites, shopping, fine dining, elegant accommodations and some of the best wines in the United States.” The trail includes wineries and vineyards.

Tickets for “Murder on the Disoriented Express” sell for $35 and include dinner, show and the first glass of wine. “It’s a Wonderful Death,” a Christmas murder mystery, will be presented Nov. 21 and Dec. 12.

Collver’s is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday noon-6 p.m. To learn more about Collver Winery, call 217-335-3279 or log onto www.collverfamilywinery.com

Published on Oct. 7, 2009