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Sunday, October 3, 1999
By GUY PRIEL Journal Staff Writer CAMBRIA -- Thirty-three people, ranging in age from five to 60, braved the chilly weather on Saturday as they took off their shoes and socks and donned their shorts or rolled up their pants legs to participate in the first ever grape stomp at Morgan Creek Vineyards. Ten teams of people climbed into plastic buckets filled with grapes for the three-minute stomp, as 100 friends, relatives and curious on-lookers cheered, while Bob Novotny of Sleepy Eye, the Morris Dancers and the Heritagefest Narren entertained the crowd. The winners were determined based upon the amount of juice extracted following the stomp. The grapes and juice will not be used for any wine made at the winery. "We used table grapes that were purchased for the event," Owner Paula Marti said. "Ours are too precious to stomp." Despite Friday's snow, the event was well-attended, with 27 people on the waiting list, she said. "We had to give up some spots of people who had pre-registered to people on the waiting list," Marti said. "That is why we said the stomp would start promptly. Whoever wasn't here by two had to be replaced." Prior to the stomp, the participants were provided with coffee and hot chocolate while they remained in the warmth of the shed, but most of them were psyched and ready, she said. "I was a little disappointed because the snow hindered our picnic space," she said. "We have plenty of room for picnic tables that we had intended to make us of, but that wasn't possible." Most participants stated that stomping the grapes was fun and provided quite an aerobic workout. "We dressed warmly, but we were overdressed by the time we were done," one participant said. "It was cold in the grape tubs, but if we had gone one minute longer, I think I would have passed out." The event was part of a series of monthly activities planned to celebrate the beauty of the valley, draw people to the winery and celebrate the growing season, Marti said. "The whole idea was to schedule the event as part of Oktoberfest, but with this type of weather, we may have to schedule it earlier next year," she said. Part of the future plans include development of a cross-country ski trail along the creek and through the vineyard, she said. "I remember taking a trip to Europe and watching as people stomped the grapes at one of the wineries, so I was intrigued when I saw the ad for this event," Melissa Abrahamson of Bloomington said. "It was really interesting to watch. I don't think I would have stomped, though." Following the stomp, people were invited to stay longer, enjoy the entertainment and eat a hearty meal of ribs, slaw and bread, taste some wine and enjoy the overall atmosphere, Marti said. "I never realized there was a winery here until just recently," Colson Parker of Mankato said. "It is a really ideal location and I may just be brave next year and sign up for the stomp myself. It looked like fun."
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