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SATURDAY: Linville Falls Winery to Unveil Elevation Winemakers Blend at Grape Stomp

By Jessica Isaacs | jessica@highcountrypress.com

Excitement begins to fill the air as seasons change here in the High Country, and the folks at Linville Falls Winery invite you to celebrate the latest harvest at the fourth annual Grape Stomp event on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The winery began this fall-weather favorite following its 2012 opening. The annual event continues each year, offering a fun way for friends old and new to ring in a new season of winemaking.

“We reserve some of our fruits off the vines for the public to enjoy stomping in an old-fashioned way like our ancestries did,” said Tasting Room Manager Linda Wiseman.

Also that day, the winery will unveil Elevation, a winemaker’s blend of red hybrid estate-grown Noiret, Marquette and Marchele Foch grapes.

“The two reds we have on the tasting bar now are west coast crushes that we barrel aged in our barrel room, but the grapes for Elevation are all grown right here on our 40-acre estate. It’s very special for that reason,” said Erin McCreary, the winery’s in-house event planner. “Jack brought over a sample from the production room and the first thing I noticed was the beautiful, deep, rich red color. Of course, it tastes wonderful, as well.

“There are all different senses that go into wine tasting — seeing it, smelling it and then the taste. The first sense is to see it, and when you have a wine that is that beautiful in color, it immediately imparts a sense on you that it’s going to be a really delicious wine.”

Try Elevation and jump right into harvest time at Linville Falls Winery by stomping some grapes yourself on Sept. 17.

“Grape stomping is not a common occurrence, so being able to get your feet dirty in a throwback to tradition is a lot of fun,” McCreary said.

While you’re there, enjoy a meal from Poor Man BBQ’s food truck, celebrate with live music from local bluegrass band The Typical Mountain Boys, grab a glass or two and see the place in all its glory.

“Everything is in full beauty. Right now, the leaves on the vines are coming into their colors. Every vine produces a different style and color leaf, just like trees,” said Wiseman. “The fruit is on the vine and the property is at its peak of beauty with sunflowers and wild marigolds. The air is perfect and it’s a great time to celebrate the harvesting of the fruit.”

There is no cost to participate in the grape stomp, although you can leave your footprint on a winery T-shirt for $15 if you’d like to have a souvenir.

The grape stomp celebration takes place during the winery’s regular operating hours from noon to 6 p.m. that day with live music from 2-5 p.m.

“Grapes are on all the vines right now and it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s fun to se the guys working out in the field and there is anticipation for what is to come. Harvesting is obviously the first step before the crush, and after the crush we get our wine,” McCreary said. “It’s a unique time of year to see all the grapes hanging on the vine and know that those are the grapes we’ll be using to make our next wines. The whole area is just gorgeous right now and, with the changing of the seasons, it feels more and more like fall every day.”

Visit linvillefallswinery.com for more information.

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