Glunz Family Winery Cellars Sales & Tasting Room

I have found their wines cheaper at retailers throughout IL. Found some of the bottles for $ 5 which they sell for $ 15 in Grayslake. Not a good deal. Rip off.

Great place for decent wine. Use the groupon or it is a bit expensive.

This place has potential but for now it’s amateur hour. I enjoyed the wine, but the lady pouring the wines was a ninny. And I’m being kind. Her cluelessness was comical and she frankly admitted her ignorance. Pouring one wine after another saying «I don’t like this one, I don’t like that one, I don’t know anything about wine». Because of her vapid patter, I would have left if not for being with friends. It’s a tight little space with not place to stand, sit, or even taste the wine. Surprisingly nothing broke as people jostled one another around the thrown together knick-​knacks.
With all this said, I did like some of the wines, especially the dry reds. Again it has potential. I love visiting wineries. Most are professionally managed. Let’s hope the owners get serious and staff with people passionate about wines. They are easy to find if only you look.

The variety of wines were excellent. I really enjoyed the Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon which is well-​balanced with intense fruit and intense color and showcasing blackberry and cassis aromatics. This vintage wine shows hints of violets, tobacco and eucalyptus. On the palate it is very round, full and seductive. It starts with a lively grip and gains size and depth as it opens up. The gutsy character is a perfect compliment to hearty dishes. However, it can also stand on its own. I also enjoyed the Oakville Zinfandel, which surprised me because when I think of «Zinfandel» I think of inexpensive white or blush-​pink wine. This was not the case with this particular wine. It has a powerful structure that is sweet on the front palate and spicy on the back. I tasted hints of black currants, wild huckleberries, cherries and a melting essence of dark chocolate emerging from this full-​bodied wine with notes of vanilla and bits of cracked pepper. I thought what a strange amalgamation, but it worked beautifully together. This wine makes a great companion to almost any meal.
They offer seasonal wines (in the Fall and Spring) which I appreciate. One of my favorites is their OctoberFest or Harvest Fest wine. I cannot recall the actual name, but it is excellent (have purchased it at their Long Grove, IL location). Another favorite is the «May» white wine, which is smooth and fruity with hints of sweet woodruff. If you like a German Riesling wine you will also enjoy the May wine.
The House of Glunz wine shop first opened in Chicago in 1888 at the corner of Wells and Division where it still stands today. The sprinklings of antiques and other vintage pieces, coupled with their long-​time love of wine, is not ephemeral.
They have expanded into California but they are still headquartered/​based in Illinois. The Wine Tasting for the Glunz Family Winery has been on my bucket list for several years. We finally made it to their Grayslake winery for wine tasting. It was an excuse to get out of the city for a few hours and an opportunity to do something different. It was worth the drive from the city. They are located in a business/​office park. It is not a «stand alone» winery. I noticed that their red Sangria is now available at Costco’s.
I returned several empty bottles of wine (which I purchased at their Long Grove, IL location two years ago). We got $ 2 off for each bottle of wine that we purchased. Sweet — I love a discount and saving money!
We ended up purchasing three bottles of wine: the Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon; Oakville Zinfandel and Sangria. We are planning a trip to Ravinia soon, and we will definitely take a few bottles of these with us. I recommend this wine tasting just for a first-​time experience. We are always in the city and every once in a while need to escape the crazy fast-​pace of the city and hit up the suburbs to do something different. We had a fun time. The Host was very personable and incredibly smart and knowledgeable regarding all wines. Not only did we have a fun time, but we were also educated in many ways. Thanks for such a great, fun time!

I visited them on the last Sangria tasting event.
If it wasn’t for the banners, I would have missed it: it is located in a business court…
The service lacked a little: people had to ask for refills (at a family event: no heavy drinkers here), I also saw someone coming up to the front, asking for the free refill of chips and salsa.
Why 5 stares then? First of, visiting a winery, you shouldn’t expect anyone really waiting on you. Second: very good buffet (they know their caterers). Third and foremost: the wine! Fantastic!!! a must try!
When it comes to it: great knowledgeable people, in business for years. Just ask! And yes, the tasting happens in the storage area, but inquire: they offered us a tour around the winery:)
Had some good time there. I will recommend and even though it is quite a trip for me: I very possibly will be back

I usually drink very dry wines, but I decided to pick up some of the sweater wines to have on hand for guests. Everyone has raved about the red and white sangria saying it’s some of the best sangria they’ve had. They’ve also liked the May wine which is their German Reisling. I had their chardonnay and it was very crisp and was refreshing during the summer months.

3 words…
Glögg Wintertime = YUM

Eat local, but DRINK Local is better ;) The sangrias (red or white) make wonderful gifts (sold in vintage-​like, stopper bottles), tucked into a bag with a large orange and some sparkling water or squirt. The raspberry wine (with brandy) and some rich, dark chocolates make for good after dinner noshes. Now sold in Jewel (and Woodman’s, I was told). Find Glunz at the Grayslake Farmer’s market, too.

Had a lot of fun tasting the wines a few years back. Loved the vintage port, May wine and sangria.

The tasting room is nothing special, and you might even miss it, since it is simply a storefront in a non-​descript strip mall. However, the treat is not in the presentation, but in the thing presented. Glunz specializes in a nice range of wines, most of which are extremely affordable. The everyday white and everyday red are nothing special, but they are VERY drinkable (especially the red, which is light on the tannins and oh so easy).
The real finds at Glunz, though, are the so-​called «heritage wines,» which are sweeter and not so serious as your usual wine fare. The Glögg, May Wine and Sangrias (both red and white) are must tries. The white sangria is just… special. You will want to chill it for a day and then drink it in one sitting. The May Wine is pressed with dried woodruff to give it a unique taste. Like the sangria, don’t be surprised if the whole, well-​chilled bottle goes away in one thirty minute sitting. I love giving the May Wine as a gift because it is such a unique bottle.
Here comes the Jedi Mind Trick: You must try the Ports.
The 2000 and 2002 drink a little more smoothly than the 99 and 98, though all four are exceptional. For a real treat, try the 97. At 40 bucks a bottle it is the most expensive wine they have there… but oh is it worth it.
They also have a tasting room in Long Grove, which is closer to Chicago and also a little more charming and inviting.