3rd Annual Grape Stomping and Harvest Festival at Ponte Winery

TEMECULA- To celebrate the bountiful grape-growing season, Ponte Family Estate Winery in Temecula is hosting its 3rd Annual Grape Stomping and Harvest Festival on Sunday, September 18th beginning at 3 p.m. Tickets are now on sale for this sell-out event that promises to be an afternoon of delicious food, outstanding hand crafted wine, live entertainment, hay rides through the vineyards, and fierce grape stomping competitions.

Ponte Winery’s Event Manager, Mindy Smith, explains, “We’re the only winery in the valley that holds a grape stomping competition. “Stompers” sign up in teams of two and play for prizes such as cases of wine, family dinner packages at Ponte’s Smokehouse Restaurant and Gift Baskets filled with Gourmet items from our Marketplace! One player stands in a half barrel and vigorously crushes grapes while the other teammate holds a funnel and wine bottle and catches the grape juice that is flowing out from the bottom of the barrel. The first team to fill the bottle wins and moves on to the semi-finals. It is quite a competition to see!”

At 5:00pm the Heart of the Harvest Buffet will be served and is being prepared by Ponte’s Executive Chef Steve Stawinski. Ponte Winery is located at 35053 Rancho California Road in Temecula. Purchase tickets by visiting http://www.pontewinery.com or by calling (951) 694-8855.