Acquaviva Winery hosts weddings, business gatherings, showers and private dinners, from small groups on the main floor to 100 guests in a partitioned semi-private space and up to 230 guests when the whole facility is rented. The winery sits at 47W614 Route 38 in Maple Park, Illinois, at the corner of Meredith Road, west of Chicago.
Seminars and company events
For a company dinner, a client evening or a team celebration, the winery offers group dining menus that can be adjusted to the event. A half-facility rental gives a semi-private, partitioned area for up to 100 guests, and a full-facility rental closes the building to the public for up to 230. Smaller groups can book a semi-private section of the main floor. A look at the winemaking area, which visitors can see from the building, and a wine tasting can be built into the program, and event coordinators handle the details on the day. The website does not describe meeting equipment, so screens and sound should be discussed with the request.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are a large part of the business. Couples choose between three ceremony sites on the property: the vineyard, the winery patio and the center atrium, decorated with hand-painted art. Receptions take place in the restaurant area and on the patio, with a maximum of 230 guests. A tour and tasting can be scheduled before the event, and weddings are held in every season.
Rooms and capacities
The building covers 20,000 sq ft (about 1,860 m²) and holds a tasting bar, a Neapolitan-style pizza bistro, a wine market, private event space and the production area. Outdoor patios add room in good weather. Capacities stated by the winery: semi-private small gatherings on the main floor, up to 100 guests for a half-facility rental and up to 230 for a full-facility rental.
Accommodation
A guest house with six private suites stands on the property. Wedding parties book the whole house for their stay, which keeps the couple and their closest guests on site the night of the event.
Catering
The winery's own culinary team cooks for events and takes special menu requests. Food follows Italian lines and is matched with the estate's wines, and the full bar serves cocktails alongside the wine list. Wedding menus are separate from the group dining menus.
History and setting
The family's winemaking goes back to the late 19th century, when Vito Brandonisio's grandfather planted a small vineyard in Acquaviva delle Fonti, near Bari in southern Italy. Vito later bought 40 acres in Maple Park and planted the estate vineyard. The estate now covers 85 acres and remains family owned, and the painted art inside the building is by Andrew Zabela.
Getting there
Maple Park lies on Route 38 in the farmland west of Chicago, and most guests arrive by car. Chicago O'Hare International Airport is the nearest major airport.
