The First Annual Cinnabar Grape Stomp Competition September 16, 2012

The First Annual Cinnabar Winery Grape Stomp Challenge will take place September 16 from 1-4 PM as part of Celebrate Saratoga—A Village Block Party.

The First Annual Cinnabar Winery Grape Stomp Challenge is open to the public. Competition, however is expected to be fierce with teams from the wineries, Village merchants, realtors, and local organizations competing for a trophy.

Teams will compete by crushing 20 pounds of grapes barefoot in a wine vat for 90 seconds. And believe it or not, 90 seconds can be very strenuous! The juice at the bottom of the bucket will be measured to determine a winner. One person in the team will stomp the grapes and the second person will ensure the juice from the crushed grapes flows into a container. A fresh batch of grapes will be supplied for each contest. Of course no one drinks the juice from the event—it is thrown out but the grapes will be composted. This is strictly for entertainment value but also a historic reminder of how wine used to be made.”

Contestants can register by going up to www.celebratesaratoga.com or can register on-site at Fifth and Big Basin Way. A price of $25.00 for the “competitive teams” and $15 for the photo opportunity teams will be charged. Cates, says, “What a great photo opportunity for this year’s Christmas card!!” Just follow the laughter as people compete for the trophy.