Mackinaw Vineyard Makes a Mess with Grape Stomping
By: Andrew Barra WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: September 2, 2012
MACKINAW - Mackinaw Valley Vineyard is switching up its dress code today.
People are allowed to ditch their shoes and socks.
But as WMBD's Andrew Barra explains... They have to be okay with getting a little messy.
This was the process of making wine many years ago. Today - Mackinaw Valley Winery is bringing it back.
Owner and Wine Maker Paul Hahn says, "The grape stomp is nothing more than having fun. It is the old world way of doing things. People climb in the tubs - squish it with their feet."
Lark Fisher and John Bean came all the way down from Princeton to get their feet a little sticky.
John says, "We've never done it before and the grapes are kinda fun. We've always talked about it. We are drinkers. We enjoy wine. But we're usually red drinkers, so we figured they try it."
The feeling, they say, is ...different.
John says, "It's kinda strange. You're interested to feel what'll slide between your toes. But there's a lot of stems and everything. it;s kind of an interesting feeling."
Lark says, "I was expecting it to be squishier , and it was just more slippery than anything."
Sunday's event - is for fun. But back in the day...this was serious business.
Hahn says, "That's how they used to do it. They did it for two thousand years this way, stomping it with their feet."
Nowadays, the process is more modern, as it is obviously, much more sanitary.
Hahn says, "You don;t want a bunch of people's feet in your wine."
Lark says, "Lets hope they don't make it that way."
John says, "We're not drinking it if they're making it that way."
That way they are leaving the stomping fun...to these guys.
The Vineyard is in process of harvesting grapes.
That runs from early august to mid September.
Bottling the wine happens throughout the year - based on the kind of the wine.
People are allowed to ditch their shoes and socks.
But as WMBD's Andrew Barra explains... They have to be okay with getting a little messy.
This was the process of making wine many years ago. Today - Mackinaw Valley Winery is bringing it back.
Owner and Wine Maker Paul Hahn says, "The grape stomp is nothing more than having fun. It is the old world way of doing things. People climb in the tubs - squish it with their feet."
Lark Fisher and John Bean came all the way down from Princeton to get their feet a little sticky.
John says, "We've never done it before and the grapes are kinda fun. We've always talked about it. We are drinkers. We enjoy wine. But we're usually red drinkers, so we figured they try it."
The feeling, they say, is ...different.
John says, "It's kinda strange. You're interested to feel what'll slide between your toes. But there's a lot of stems and everything. it;s kind of an interesting feeling."
Lark says, "I was expecting it to be squishier , and it was just more slippery than anything."
Sunday's event - is for fun. But back in the day...this was serious business.
Hahn says, "That's how they used to do it. They did it for two thousand years this way, stomping it with their feet."
Nowadays, the process is more modern, as it is obviously, much more sanitary.
Hahn says, "You don;t want a bunch of people's feet in your wine."
Lark says, "Lets hope they don't make it that way."
John says, "We're not drinking it if they're making it that way."
That way they are leaving the stomping fun...to these guys.
The Vineyard is in process of harvesting grapes.
That runs from early august to mid September.
Bottling the wine happens throughout the year - based on the kind of the wine.
