Watauga Lake Winery to host annual Grape Stomp on Saturday
Published 5:53 pm Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Contributed Photo/Watauga Lake Winery A group takes their turn in the vat stomping grapes.
Contributed Photo/Watauga Lake Winery Stomping the grapes is the traditional way to prepare them for winemaking.
Contributed Photo/Watauga Lake Winery Participants in last year's Grape Stomp at Watauga Lake Winery show off their commemorative t-shirts bearing their footprints.
Watauga Lake Winery is inviting the community to join them in celebrating the harvest with an old-fashioned Grape Stomp.
The winery is starting its sixth year of operation, and this will be the fifth year they have hosted the Grape Stomp according to Linda Gay, who along with her husband Wayne owns both Watauga Lake Winery and Villa Nove Vineyards.
This year, the annual Grape Stomp will take place on Saturday, Sept. 9, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Watauga Lake Winery, located at 6952 Big Dry Run Road, Butler. The event is free and open to the public.
“It’s a fun time,” Linda Gay said. “We really enjoy it.”
Attendees will get the chance to try their hand, or rather their feet, at crushing the grapes in a large vat. Those taking part in the event can also purchase a special commemorative t-shirt which they can personalize with their own footprints as they step out of the grape stomping vat.
“We have a little tiny tub for the children,” Gay said, adding they provide poster board for the children to leave their footprints on if the parents would like to do that. Last year, a family made footprints at the event with their child who was about two months old, Gay said.
The day will also feature tours and wine tastings. The winery will be open for purchases, and Gay said they will be offering some special deals for the event.
Food will also be available for purchase during the event as well.
“We do have a wood fired pizza oven and will be doing pizza and sangria,” Gay said. “That has been a big hit. We do Sangria Saturdays with the sangria and wood fired pizza.”
“We will also be doing wine frappés,” she added.
The day will also feature a Lucille Ball look-alike contest. Many fans of the “I Love Lucy” television show will remember her famous attempt at crushing grapes in the episode “Lucy’s Italian Movie.”
Watauga Lake Winery is inviting attendees to channel their inner Lucy by dressing up as the famed red-head. The winner will receive a bottle of wine and a pizza. Judging for the contest will take place at 2 p.m.
For more information about the Grape Stomp, contact Watauga Lake Winery at 423-768-0345 or visit their website at www.WatuagaLakeWinery.com.
