Hands on Harvest, October 11, 2008
Fantesca Estate & Winery announces its fourth annual Hands on Harvest program, which will take place at the Fantesca winery on Saturday, October 11, 2008. Hands on Harvest offers wine aficionados and budding vintners a chance to experience the magic of harvest for a day – without having to quit their day jobs!
If you would like to participate as a member of the Fantesca 2008 Crush Crew, here’s what’s in store for you:
You’ll be greeted at 8:30 a.m. with coffee, fresh fruit and baked goods – ample morning fuel to help tackle the harvest. You will work alongside proprietors Susan and Duane Hoff, Associate Winemaker Jon Leahy, and the Fantesca harvest crew who will demonstrate a day in the life of a Fall grape harvest. Duane will share tales with your Crush Crew about the Spring Mountain District and Fantesca’s 10-acre vineyard, while Jon Leahy will demonstrate when the grapes have reached optimal ripeness and appropriate Brix levels. The Crush Crew will be carefully tutored about how to pick and meticulously sort the grapes (using Fantesca’s Le Trieur triple-sorting system), as well as the “how and why” of tank punchdowns. Aspiring winemakers are encouraged to be as hands on as they wish, and should wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
After working up a sweat, the team will walk through Fantesca’s naturally cool cave to the Hoff’s home, where the Crew will be rewarded with a well-deserved harvest lunch prepared with vegetables fresh from the Hoff’s extensive gardens. While enjoying lunch and a stunning view of Napa Valley, the Crew will taste through Fantesca’s wines. Lunch will be followed by a 2006 component tasting. Or, for those who want to beat the heat, the Hoff’s invite the Crush Crew to bring their swimsuits for a dip in the pool or to simply relax under the pergola.
The Hands on Harvest day-long package includes:
- Fresh fruits, baked goods and coffee to fuel the Crush Crew
- A hands-on exploration of a day in the life of a winemaker during harvest
- Learning how to determine ripeness while picking and sorting fruit
- Educational information about the Spring Mountain District, Fantesca’s 9-acre vineyard, and their sustainable farming practices
- A rare tasting of Fantesca’s 2004 and 2005 Cabernet Sauvignons, as well as a component tasting of the 2006 vintage in Fantesca’s cave
- A harvest lunch at Proprietors Susan and Duane Hoff’s home
- Sunning, swimming and sipping the afternoon away
The cost is $175 per person. Hands on Harvest will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at Fantesca Estate & Winery, 2920 Spring Mountain Road, just 5 minutes outside the town of St. Helena. Please note that the winery is not normally open to the public. Hands on Harvest is limited to 16 people, enabling the Crush Crew the opportunity to learn, pick, sort and taste to their hearts’ content. As space is extremely limited, Fantesca suggests reserving as soon as possible by calling the winery at 707-968-0890 or via email at info@fantesca.com.