Amador County – The “Big Crush” event last weekend drew visitors from far and wide to enjoy the best wines, food and live entertainment that Amador County has to offer. Also known as the Amador Vintner’s Harvest Wine Festival, the two-day event featured 34 wineries and was scheduled to align with the fall grape harvest.
The name “Big Crush” refers to a tradition as old as time: when family and friends would gather together to crush the grape harvest with their feet as the first step in the winemaking process. This labor-intensive method is rarely practiced in the modern day, but that doesn’t mean there was any shortage of harvesting activities. Thousands of guests were able to watch the harvesting process in full swing while sampling the fruits of that labor.
“We usually host the event at the end of our harvest season, but the weather this year delayed the process and allowed guests to view grape picking and harvesting activities they wouldn’t normally see,” said Jaime Lubenko, Executive Director of the Amador Vintner’s Association.
The variety of featured entertainment was as diverse as the wineries themselves. Vino Noceto winery featured the rockin’ blues of The Esquires, while an authentic mariachi band and tamales were the featured attraction at Borjon Winery just down the road.
“This whole event really gives me an idea of just how much work goes into making these wines and what a fun process it really is,” said Gina Cherrystone, an Ione resident. “We’ve been to six wineries so far and each one makes me more curious about what the next one has to offer.”
Lubenko said it is premature to calculate attendance and sales numbers, but presales were higher this year than in previous years. Overall, more people attended the event Saturday than Sunday. She said the rain that hit the area Saturday night and gray skies Sunday morning may have deterred some people from coming on the second day.
The profits generated from the event cover approximately 80 percent of the operating costs for the Amador Vintner’s Association.
Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
