You’re tired of tasting. You’re weary of winery tours. You want something new: the experience of truly making wine, starting with stomping the grapes.

Stomping grapes to make wine is an ancient practice that has been replaced by machine processing, although some winemakers still say it’s the best method. "The foot crushing gets the fermentation going quicker and adds to the intensity," Gary Robinson of California’s Left Bend Winery tells Tasting Table.¹ Stomping grapes is also a gentler process that avoids crushing grape seeds, resulting in a smoother flavor.

Want to feel some fruit between your toes? There are plenty of wineries and grape festivals where you can try grape stomping, both in the United States and overseas.

Grape stomping at Grgich Hills Estate in Napa Valley 

Renowned vintner Miljenko “Mike” Grgich invites visitors to enjoy stomping grapes at his Napa vineyard. The experience is offered daily from mid-August through late October; just show up, take off your shoes, roll up your pant cuffs and jump into the barrel of grapes. Afterward, you can put your winy footprints on a special T-shirt to take home and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine. Leery of drinking wine flavored by hundreds of tourists’ feet? Don’t worry: The stomped grapes and juice are used for compost.

Grape stomping at a Tuscan vendemmia

In Tuscany, the grape harvest is called the vendemmia, and it’s a highly anticipated event. The minute the grapes reach peak ripeness, everyone joins in to harvest them and begin the fermentation process. If you’re traveling to Tuscany in mid- to late September, ask your hosts to let you know if your visit coincides with the local vendemmia, and if you can participate.² Or, you can join a tour that includes a grape stomping experience, just for fun.

Stomping white grapes at Enoch’s Stomp in Brenham, Texas

Rather not have purple feet? Head to Brenham, Texas for the White Grape Harvest Festival at (where else?) Enoch’s Stomp Vineyard and Winery. The July festival includes vineyard tours, live music and a grape stomping contest in which couples compete to produce the most juice. Best of all, you can pair your wine tastings with a lunch that tastes like summer in Texas: smoked brisket, jalapeno-cheddar biscuits, and strawberry shortcake.

Competitive grape stomping at Carlos Creek Winery in Minnesota

Minnesota actually has a thriving winemaking business. More than 40 wineries operate in the state, most of which are found south of Minneapolis. One of the best known is Carlos Creek Winery, which annually hosts the annual Grape Stomp and Fall Festival on the second weekend after Labor Day.

At the festival, grape stomping is serious business. More than 300 teams compete, each consisting of two people: the stomper and the “juicer.” In special heats, people can compete in togas, Minnesota Vikings fan costume contest, or the “Lucy Look-A-Like” contest. After three days of intense competition, the grand champions win a case of Vino De Feet wine.

Doing a stomp français in Provence, France

The French call grape stomping pigeage — doesn’t that sound more elegant? You can take a culinary tour of a Provencal farm, where you can learn the French art of winemaking and stomp some grapes in an enormous, antique oaken barrel. Afterwards, enjoy a buffet of cheese, paté, charcuterie, red wine (bien sûr) and a tasting of the farm's olive oil and truffle oil.

Grape stomping with the family at Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley

Would you like a little luxury to go with your purple feet? Calistoga Ranch, a spa resort in a wooded canyon, offers a family grape stomp experience. Kids can happily smoosh grapes while their parents get a hands-on lesson in wine blending with a winemaker. That’s not the only activity offered: guests can also take a painting or photography class, enjoy a guided bike tour or hike, practice yoga or just kick back and play bocce ball.

Punching some grapes at William Chris Vineyards in Texas

Part of the process of making red wine is the punch down, which means breaking up the floating cap of grape skins in the fermentation vat. Mixing and remixing the skins with the juice helps oxygenate the mixture, allows heat to escape, and produces a richer flavor. At William Chris Vineyards, a winery 50 minutes west of Austin, guests are invited, usually on the first weekends of August, to help punch down the grapes — with their hands, not feet! Participants learn about winemaking in a seminar, then scrub their arms all the way up to their shoulders before plunging them into the vats.^3

Adding adventure to your grape stomping in South Africa

In South Africa, the grape harvest season takes place in February and March — autumn, in the southern hemisphere. The Hands-On Harvest in Robertson Vine Valley is a wonderful way to experience winemaking in all its glory. Spanning four towns and 20 wineries, the grape festival includes picking, grape stomping, vineyard safaris, wine blending and wine tasting. You can get a workout along with your Chenin Blanc by going rock climbing, hiking, golfing or mountain biking in the area.

Wherever your oenophilia takes you, don’t forget to protect your wine vacation with travel insurance. Get a quote for your next trip.

Related Articles

• Setting the Table for Success at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival
• Exploring the Finger Lakes Wineries Region
• A Taste of Portugal’s Madeira and Port Wine Tours