Top 15 Locations to do Grape Stomping in the PNW

Have you ever wanted to live out your “I Love Lucy” fantasies? Feeling the grapes smoosh between your toes while you listen to an accordion play? Next, grab a pen because you’ll want to take some notes! I’m about to share the top 15 places in the Pacific Northwest where you can go grape stomping. After plenty of experience and research, I’ve found the best spots for you to literally get your feet wet in this fun tradition!

Over the years, I’ve had the chance to participate in grape-stomping in Idaho, Washington, Spain, and Portugal with my kids, and I have to say it is one of my favorite wine festival activities I’ve attended. Now, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t share some nerdy wine history with you before I dive into the rest of the grape-stomping opportunities.

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Grape stomping, or treading, is one of the oldest methods of extracting juice from grapes to make wine, with a history that dates back thousands of years. Here’s a breakdown of the fascinating history behind this ancient tradition:

The Origins of Grape-Stomping

1. Ancient Civilizations
   • Grape stomping has roots in several ancient civilizations, including the Greeks, Romans, and Phoenicians. These cultures were among the earliest to cultivate vineyards and make wine on a large scale.
   • The method involved people stomping on grapes in large vats or stone basins to break the skins and release the juice, which would then ferment into wine.
2. Egyptian and Mesopotamian Influence
   • Depictions of grape stomping have been found in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings dating back to around 2400 BCE. Similarly, Mesopotamian reliefs from around 4000 BCE depict early winemaking, which may have included stomping.
3. Roman Empire
   • The Romans advanced the art of winemaking, including grape stomping. They built special stone basins called treading vats and used human labor to tread the grapes. Stomping was often a communal activity, and large festivals celebrated the harvest and wine production.

Why Stomping?

1. Gentle Extraction
   • Human feet effectively extract juice without crushing the seeds, which can release bitter tannins into the wine. This gentle extraction method helped produce a smoother, more palatable wine.
2. Cultural Ritual
   • Stomping grapes became more than a practical method of juice extraction; it was often a social and celebratory ritual. In many cultures, the grape harvest and stomping were part of larger festivities to honor the earth’s bounty and the gods or to simply mark the end of the harvest season.
3. Religious and Symbolic Significance
   • Wine, often associated with religious rituals, had deep symbolic importance in many cultures. For the Greeks, it was tied to the god Dionysus, the god of wine and festivity. For Romans, it was linked to Bacchus, their equivalent of Dionysus.
   • The grape-stomping process itself sometimes took on a spiritual or ceremonial aspect, symbolizing life, abundance, and fertility.

Modernization and Decline of Grape Stomping

1. Technological Advancements
   • By the Middle Ages, winemaking saw technological advancements, including the invention of the wine press, which began to replace grape-stomping as the primary method of extracting juice.
   • The press allowed for more efficient and sanitary grape processing, and over time, as hygiene standards improved, the practice of stomping fell out of favor for commercial winemaking.
2. 19th and 20th Centuries
   • By the 19th century, grape-stomping had primarily become an outdated practice in most commercial winemaking, though it continued in some rural and small-scale operations. With industrialization and the advent of modern machinery, pressing techniques became even more precise and sanitary.

Grape Stomping Today

1. Revival as a Tradition
   • While grape-stomping is no longer a standard method for wine production, it has become a celebrated cultural tradition and is often featured during harvest festivals and wine tourism experiences, particularly in Europe, the U.S., and South America.
   • Many wineries host grape-stomping events as part of the harvest season, allowing people to experience the ancient tradition first-hand.
2. Pop Culture Influence
   • Grape-stomping gained mainstream attention in pop culture, most famously through an episode of the television show “I Love Lucy” in 1956, where the character Lucy participated in a chaotic and comedic stomping scene at an Italian vineyard. This scene popularized the idea of grape-stomping as a fun, messy, and communal activity.

Cultural Variations

• In Italy, grape-stomping remains a symbolic part of winemaking traditions, particularly in southern regions.
• In Spain, the “La Pisa” tradition involves grape stomping as part of many festivals, often accompanied by music and dancing.
• Portugal still practices traditional foot-treading in regions like Douro, where it is used to make some high-quality port wines, as the foot stomping helps evenly crush the grapes while keeping the stems intact for fermentation.

Grape-stomping is an old method of winemaking and a symbol of celebration, community, and tradition. Its history spans millennia and many cultures. While no longer essential to modern winemaking, grape-stomping lives on in festivals and events, keeping the joy and heritage of this ancient practice alive.

Okay, enough of the nerdy wine history – let’s start getting to the Top 15 Locations to do Grape Stomping in the PNW:

Grape-stomping is a fun activity found at several wineries and events across the Pacific Northwest, particularly in Washington and Oregon. Here are some places to experience grape-stomping in the PNW:

Washington

1. Airfield Estates Winery (Prosser, WA)
   • Hosts an annual “Grape Stomp” during their Harvest Party in September. It’s a family-friendly event with food, live music, and of course, grape-stomping. We went this year for their 17th annual event and it was something else! This is usually scheduled for mid October
2. Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery (Woodinville, WA)
   • Known for its large wine events, the CRUSH Harvest Festival often includes grape-stomping. Check their event calendar for seasonal activities, usually in early October.
3. Maryhill Winery (Goldendale, WA)
   • Occasionally hosts grape-stomping as part of their fall events. The scenic views and fun atmosphere make it a great spot for stomping grapes while overlooking the Columbia River.

Oregon

1. Willamette Valley Vineyards (Turner, OR)
   • Famous for its annual “Grape Stomp Championship & Harvest Celebration.” This multi-day event at the end of September includes grape stomping competitions, wine tastings, and food pairings.
2. St. Josef’s Winery (Canby, OR)
   • Offers an annual “Grape-Stomping Festival” every fall, typically in early September. This long-running tradition is family-friendly and includes live music, food, and wine tastings.
3. Pfeiffer Winery (Junction City, OR)
   • Hosts a “Harvest Stomp” event during the fall season, which is fun for both adults and kids. The event includes wine tasting, live music, and a chance to participate in grape-stomping.

Idaho

1. Ste. Chapelle Winery (Caldwell, ID)
   • Located in the Snake River Valley, Ste. Chapelle hosts an annual Grape Stomp event in late September or early October. It’s a family-friendly event with food, music, and a chance to stomp grapes while enjoying their wine.
2. Hells Canyon Winery (Caldwell, ID)
   • This winery, also in the Snake River Valley, has offered grape stomping as part of its fall harvest festivities. Check their event calendar for the specific timing.
3. Kerry Hill Winery (Wilder, ID)
   Kick back while you enjoy the ambiance, view and good company. We host many unique events throughout the year, so be sure to check their event calendar for specific times.

Northern California

1. Harvest Fair at Sonoma County Fairgrounds (Santa Rosa, CA)
   • This is one of the most popular grape-stomping events in Northern California. The World Championship Grape Stomp is part of the Sonoma County Harvest Fair held annually in early October. Teams compete in a lively stomping contest with fun prizes.
2. V. Sattui Winery (St. Helena, CA – Napa Valley)
   • This Napa Valley winery offers an annual Crush Party, which includes grape stomping, wine tastings, food, and live entertainment. The event typically takes place in late September.
3. Grgich Hills Estate (Rutherford, CA – Napa Valley)
   • Known for its daily grape-stomping experience during the harvest season. Visitors can stomp grapes in a barrel, a nod to co-founder Mike Grgich’s Croatian heritage. It’s available from August through October.
4. Amador Vintners Harvest Festival (Amador County, CA)
   • The Big Crush Harvest Festival, held in October, features grape stomping among its many wine-related events. It’s a great way to experience the harvest in Northern California’s lesser-known wine region.

These events typically occur during the fall harvest season, usually between September and October (which means the season is coming to a close for 2024), so it is recommended that you check the wineries’ event calendars for exact dates.

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