SAINT HELENA, Calif. - Believe it or not, at grape harvest time, full out crush parties are relatively new in Wine Country. But those parties may hold an important key to pulling the industry out of its doldrums.
Harvest time party
If you want to expand your market, make sure to include the younger generations. To do that, V. Sattui Winery celebrated its Golden Anniversary with a harvest "Crush Party" on Friday night.
There was wine grape stomping for anyone and everyone. Modern crushing was also on display. Party goers not only tasted wine, but sampled the kinds of grapes that went into it. There was a display of how oak barrels are toasted to help impart flavor into the wines they would hold.
A band played into the late hours as people strolled, chatted, met new friends, ate a vari