Wine Country Is Closer Than You Think: A Helicopter Journey to Dablon Vineyards & Winery
How to trade a four-hour drive for a one-hour flight and arrive at one of the Midwest's finest estate wineries refreshed, relaxed, and ready to taste.
Rethinking the Wine Country Day Trip
When most Chicagoans think of wine country, their minds go to Napa, Sonoma, or maybe Willamette Valley. Rarely do they consider that award-winning vineyards sit just across Lake Michigan, producing world-class wines from handpicked grapes on a family-owned estate. The barrier has always been the same: the drive. Four hours in a car each way turns a leisurely wine experience into a logistical commitment that eats your entire weekend.
At Vertiport Chicago, we built our business around solving exactly that problem, removing the friction between where you are and where you want to be. And when it comes to wine country, the solution is simple: fly there in approximately one hour by helicopter, enjoy an extraordinary experience on the ground, and be home before the evening is over.
About Dablon Vineyards & Winery
Dablon Vineyards & Winery is a family-owned estate winery that takes a hands-on approach to winemaking from vine to bottle. Every grape is handpicked, and the winery produces over 30 wines across 17 varietals, including limited-release reserves that never make it to retail shelves. The property itself is stunning: rolling vineyards, a state-of-the-art production facility, and a barrel room where guests can taste wines drawn directly from aging barrels.
This isn't a mass-production operation or a tourist-heavy tasting room with a gift shop attached. Dablon is a genuine working estate where the winemaking process is visible, accessible, and deeply personal. It's the kind of destination that wine enthusiasts seek out, and one that most Chicagoans have never heard of simply because of its perceived distance from the city.
The Flight: What to Expect
Departures leave from Vertiport Chicago's downtown heliport. The route takes you east over Lake Michigan, offering panoramic views of the Chicago skyline as you depart and the Michigan shoreline as you approach. Total flight time is approximately 60 minutes, depending on weather and routing.
Our team handles all flight logistics, scheduling, and ground coordination so there's nothing for you to arrange on the other end. You step off the helicopter and step into your wine country experience immediately, no rental cars, no GPS navigation, no transition time.
Two Curated Experiences to Choose From
Once you arrive at Dablon, guests select from two elevated packages:
Estate Tour & Sommelier-Curated Wine Tasting:
This experience begins with a private guided walk through the vineyards, where you'll learn about the growing conditions, grape varietals, and sustainable farming practices that define Dablon's approach. From there, you'll tour the production facility and see the full winemaking process, from crush to barrel to bottle. The experience culminates in the barrel room with a sommelier-led tasting of selections from across their 17 varietals and 30 wines, including reserve pours drawn straight from the barrel that aren't available anywhere else.
Estate Tour & Chef Dinner with Wine Pairings:
This package includes the full estate tour described above, followed by a multi-course dinner prepared by a local award-winning chef. Each course is intentionally paired with wines selected by the Dablon sommelier to complement and elevate the culinary experience. It's a full sensory evening: vineyard air, estate-grown wine, and a meal designed specifically around what's being poured.
Pricing may vary based on group size, experience selection, and customization requests.
Who This Is For
This experience is designed for couples seeking a unique date, small groups celebrating a milestone, corporate teams looking for something beyond the typical offsite, or anyone who appreciates fine wine and values their time. If you've ever wanted to visit wine country but couldn't justify the travel commitment, this is your answer: world-class wine, one hour from downtown Chicago.
How to Book
Contact the Vertiport Chicago team to schedule your wine country flight and experience package. We recommend booking at least two weeks in advance to secure your preferred date and experience type, though last-minute availability is sometimes possible depending on the season.
Vertiport Chicago offers private helicopter charters, scenic flights, and curated destination experiences year-round from our downtown Chicago heliport