About Us

The Black Diamond story begins in the spring of 1997.... thinking of a new and unique way to utilize the acreage surrounding the Hicks family rural homestead. Being amateur winemakers and becoming more caught up in the blooming Southern Illinois wine industry, the Hicks were attracted to the idea and the romance of the lifestyle of operating a vineyard and winery.

The Hicks family is from Southern Illinois - a small town called Nashville. Their vineyard and winery are family-owned and operated by Bob and Alice Hicks, who have been married for over 30 years. Their oldest daughter, Jenn, is married to Matt Kohnen and they have two children, Lexi (16yrs) and Hunter (9yrs). Next is Amy, their youngest daughter, and her boyfriend, Charlie; she has three children: Madison (6yrs), Gracie (5yrs), and Dayne (3yr). Chris, their oldest son, and Steven, the youngest, along with girlfriend Erica, and son Dylan(11 months).

Although practically all of the major business decisions are made by Bob and Alice, almost everything else to do with the vineyard and winery are a family effort. They planted their first grapes in the spring of 1999, 3 acres of Chardonel; followed by 4 acres of Chambourcin in the spring of 2000. The planting was hard work, but maintaining the vineyards is something else entirely! Just ask Bob and Steven, , who are largely responsible for vineyard maintenance, and Steven especially because he is vineyard manager. Mowing, setting posts and wire, spraying, pruning. Throw in a few problems for each of those things (and a few
more for the ones not mentioned), and you have your doubts as to whether you can really do this.

There was never much doubt for the Hicks family; it was hard work, it took a lot of time (especially when almost every family member has another job somewhere else), a lot of patience, and a lot of curse words - but they hung in there! Finally, in the fall of 2004 Bob, Matt, Charlie and Steven combined their efforts and considerable wills, and began to convert an old barn into an elegant winery. With a little bit of outside help, things went relatively well.

The tasting room and gift shop, which is run chiefly by Alice and Chris, is stocked with soaps, lotions, oils, body scrubs and candles of various sizes and scents from "Alice's Garden" (the Hicks family's exclusive line, all hand-poured by Alice herself). Choice wines are available by the case, bottle or glass, tee-shirts embossed with the Black Diamond Vineyard logo are for sale in different sizes and colors. The Black Diamond kitchen is ready to create the delicious breads and dipping oils, sausage and cheese platters and assorted panini sandwiches offererd to our valued customers.

Black Diamond also offers handmade signature truffles by "Heavenly Sweets", many flavors created for, and only available at, Black Diamond. Future plans include a banquet room facility for small weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, bridal showers or whatever the occasion. The Black Diamond vineyards will be expanding as well over the next few years, as the Hicks hope to add even more variety to their selection of wines as well as increase the scenic beauty of the vineyard tours and the view from the winery patio. An expansion of the existing winery is currently underway, as we are adding a banquet room to be opened inlate spring of 2007.

With monthly events planned, the whole family will be busy helping out, even Matt and Jenn, who have almost an hour drive, will be waiting to welcome you to the Black Diamond Family. The Hicks family has always had Sunday dinner together, "we've always had a great time with just us, but we know that meeting new people and bringing them into this part of our lives is something that we not only want to do, but something (we think) we were meant to do."