It’s Harvest Time – Visit A Nearby Vineyard and Do The Stomp!

What could be more sensuous and hilarious than participating in the age old tradition of crushing grapes in your bare feet – doing the squishy grape stomp?  Lucy loved it, and so may you.  It’s time to let your gypsy soul dance at one of the wonderful Wine Harvest Festivals across the country in September and October.  Here’s a listing of wineries that hold Fall Harvest Grape Stomps:

California – Sonoma County Grape Camp
White Crane Winery Grape Stomp – Livermore
St. Supery Winery, Napa Valley
Schramsberg Vineyard, Napa Valley – Camp Schramsberg
Calaveras Grape Stomp, Sierra Foothills

Maine – Vin Fest at Cellardoor Vineyards, Lincolnville

Minnesota - Midwest Weekends (9 Great Grape Stomps)
Morgan Creek Vineyards – Annual Great Grape Stomp, near Mankato MN

New York – Crush on Niagara Wine Tours
Brotherhood Vineyards – Hudson Valley (Oldest continually operating vineyard in USA)

North Carolina – Duplin Winery Annual Grape Stomp, Rose Hill

Texas – Vintage Oaks, Texas Grape Stomp Championship, near San Antonio & Austin

Washington – Columbia Valley Winery Association
11 Vineyards including Columbia Crest and Oakwood Cellars

Be A Master Winemaker For A Day in Napa California

Learn the tricks of the wine trade by crafting your own signature blend and creating an exclusive  private label at Folio Enoteca’s ‘Winemaker For A Day’ program in the Napa Valley, California. Brought to you by the Michael Mondavi family, the ‘Winemaker For a Day’ program is designed to introduce wine enthusiasts to all levels of the art of wine making.  The hour long session covers the fundamentals of customer blending and helps consumers identify their own taste profile.  Participants sample a number of varietals directly from the barrel and then choose components that appeal to their individual taste buds.  Selections can be made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir and Syrah, and from either new French oak or second-year French oak barrels.

Participants are able to create a style of wine distinctly for themselves, ranging from ‘big and opulent to subtle and elegant’ says Mondavi.  Following the wine blending process, participants select a bottle and closure type of their liking and then craft a custom wine label.  There is a two-case minimum purchase and the final pricing will depend on the type of base wines selected for the blend.

The ‘Winemaker For A Day’ program takes place at the Oxbow Public Market in the Folio Enoteca & Winery (family wine bar, cafe and micro-winery) in downtown Napa.  For more information contact Jemina Whitman at 707-256-3700 or jwhitman@foliowine.com

Scenic Wine Trails Across the USA

Summer grasses are sprouting a vibrant green carpet across the countryside, making it a perfect time to head out with your picnic basket filled with spicy sausage, aged cheese and a good crusty bread in search of a meandering scenic wine trail. What could be better than sipping the day away as you follow a well mapped route from vintner to vintner.

If you’re within striking distance of the Northeast or Northwest of the USA you are blessed – these regions hold an embarrassment of riches with the nation’s premier wineries dotted along coastal roads.

Here’s are a list of great websites for finding Wine Trail Routes all across the United States:

Wine Trail Traveler. Chart routes in 9 prominent wine states in the US, and great reviews of wineries in 12 states, Canada and Italy.
Wine Trails of Washington State
OregonWineCountry.org – Interactive Wine Explorer, with over 250 wineries
California Wine Country Getaways
Texas Wine Trail – Who knew??
Virginia Wine Trails
Connecticut Wine Trail
New England Wineries

Salute!