A light rain didn’t interfere with plans to be with family and friends at the Wine on the Fox festival in Oswego Saturday afternoon.
The two-day outdoor gala featured more than 100 varieties from Illinois wineries in an event spread across Hudson Crossing along the east bank of the Fox River in downtown Oswego.
Joliet resident Gina Clark, along with her mother and sister-in-law, took respite from the rain under a park shelter until the skies cleared and festival-goers could move around comfortably in the park.
Clark selected Vin de City Red, a dry red wine produced by Naperville-based Lynfred Winery, one of the new wineries to the festival this year.
“It is a delicious wine and goes down really smooth,” Clark said.
The Oswego wine festival has evolved over the years, participants said. Owner of Prairie State Winery Rick Mamoser has been part of the festival since its inception 17 years ago.
“The Wine on the Fox festival is one of the best wine festivals in so far as our sales and meeting new customers,” Mamoser said.
The former high school teacher was producing wine as a hobby when he decided to make it a full-time career.
“We were the 16th winery in Illinois when we opened 25 years ago and now there are about 125 wineries,” Mamoser said.
The Genoa-based winery offers white, red and fruit wines not typically found in the marketplace, he said, such as Honey Orange Blossom that is sweetened with local honey and orange oil.
“It’s a perfect summer sipper and very refreshing,” he said.
Wine connoisseurs and novice wine drinkers strolled through the park to get a look at what would appeal to their taste. Festival-goers could pair their wine with cheese and meats courtesy of Fancy Nancy Boards of Naperville.
“We prepare cheese and meat boards with our own little twist including meat roses made with salami and pepperoni that resemble a rose,” said Fancy Nancy Boards owner Nancy Castro.
She also prepares cups filled with fruit or vegetables as appetizers to pair with wine samples.
Annie Clifford came to sample wine with a group of girlfriends on Saturday.
“I am really excited. This is my first Oswego wine festival. I’m not a wine connoisseur but I do enjoy a glass of wine,” Clifford said.
Clifford relocated to Oswego from Boston several years ago after visiting with a friend.
“I didn’t expect to stay,” she said. “I love Oswego. It’s a great town.”
Mother and daughter Sue and Brianna Welch have lived in Oswego for more than two decades but had never been to the wine festival.
“We’re taking a casual approach,” said Brianna Welch, 24.
The women sampled Algonquin-based Village Vintner’s Blood Orange Sangria, a red semi-sweet fruit wine for starters.
“We initially browsed around to get some flavors in our mind,” Brianna Welch said.
They planned to use a scorecard to determine which bottles of wine to purchase before they left, she said.
Christine Walters came with her brother and sister to Wine on the Fox.
“It’s a family outing. The wine is good and the live music is exceptional,” Walters said.
Oswego resident Beth Kremer was with her mother- and father-in-law Mary Jean and Tom Kremer of Naperville at the festival.
“We are not going to let the rain dampen our spirits,” Beth Kremer said Saturday. “The wine is too great to let that happen.”
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
