Secrets of Southern Illinois: Giants, Gems, and Grapevines

On this episode, host Catie Sheehan takes listeners to one of her favorite parts of the state—Southern Illinois. She kicks things off by interviewing Shawn Gossman, an avid outdoorsman and tour guide who is also the creative force behind the Hiking with Shawn content brand. Catie and Shawn discuss Garden of the Gods, chasing waterfalls in the Shawnee National Forest, Snake Road, and other top attractions in the region. After that, Catie sits down with Brandy Nance, a double-duty wine insider who knows the terroir as well as anyone. Brandy is both Marketing and Event Director at Blue Sky Vineyard in Makanda and the Executive Director of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, and she serves up all sorts of useful insights about wine tasting in this up-and-coming region. Great food, fantastic wine, epic outdoor adventures—Southern Illinois is the real deal.