By Shelbi LeMeilleur
Lucille Ball ventured over to the vineyards of Italy to create one of the most iconic moments of pop culture history. Lucy gets up to her usual shenanigans on I Love Lucy when she has quite the comical turn trying to stomp grapes for an Italian movie role. Luckily for Bryan College Station residents, they don’t have to travel across the Atlantic to try and recreate this moment.
Messina Hof Winery & Resort hosts the 42nd annual Harvest Festival this year, where guests can pick, stomp, drink, and be merry (sometimes even dressed as Lucy)! Every Friday and Saturday July 26 through Aug. 17, guests have the opportunity to be a part of Messina Hof’s wine-making process.
“This is one of those traditions that we’ve kept the same over the years,” explains Savannah Gaines, communications manager at Messina Hof. “Everyone can participate in this whether you’re a family with small children or a girls group or you’re just coming out with your spouse. We have all different kinds of people who want to come out and pick and stomp and that’s what makes it so popular is that it appeals to everyone.”
There are several ticket options to choose from, which allows festival guests to tailor their experience to their own tastes. The Daytime Harvest and Moonlit Harvest both allow guests to pick and stomp. The murder mystery dinners are always popular and sell out quickly. Cellar tours are available, as are wine pairing classes. The theme for the pairing classes this year is Farm to Table.
Two unique aspects of the harvest are the Big Kahuna Contest and the grape stomping. With the Big Kahuna Contest, guests search for the most interesting grape cluster, and a new winner is picked each day. The grape stomping is not only a fun activity, but leaves a lasting impression.
“Our grapes are unique that they bleed red juice,” says Gaines. “You do get to put your feet on the t-shirt, which is fun, because it’s something you can commemorate as well.”
Grape stomping isn’t just for the fun of it — everyone who stomps grapes is contributing to the vintage port for that year. Even if you’ve been to a Harvest Festival before, each vintage will be unique.
“Every year is different as far as how the grapes are growing that year,” explains Gaines. “The grapes are always different; the climate affects it. If its rainy that year — we’ve had a lot of rain this year compared to other years — that means the grapes are going to grow a little differently, and you get to be a part of that vintage. So every year you get to say, ‘I helped make this bottle of wine.’”
Harvest Festival is also a family affair! “[Messina Hof Founders] the Bonarrigos are very much a part of this event,” Gaines says. “We are on the second generation of leaders right now, and even their children are out here. So three generations of Bonarrigos, sometimes even Mama Rosa, who is our founder’s mom, will be out here.
“You really get to be a part of Messina Hof and see what joining the family is about.”
Tickets and more information can be found at www. messinahof.com/harvest.
“If you’ve never been then it is something you need to definitely take off your bucket list,” urges Gaines. “Where else in the Brazos Valley can you come, pick grapes, stomp grapes, and be a part of the wine-making process at one of the original Texas wineries?”
