Imagine yourself back in 17th Century Europe. You hear church bells ringing loudly,
carts decorated with ribbons filled with all kinds of vegetables and fruit. The
horse pulling the last cart load is decorated with garlands of flowers and colorful
ribbons. A magnificent Harvest feast follows the cart parade and there are fresh
baked breads, sweets, and ample dishes to tempt everyone. A special seed cake is
distributed to the celebrating farm workers, and of course lots of freshly fermenting
wine. There are many games played by adults and children, and much merriment, music,
and song. It is a once-a-year event looked forward to by everyone – it is the celebration
of the end of the harvest – an event rich in tradition which has occurred for centuries
all around the world.
Given the differences in climates and crops, harvest festivals can be found at various
times throughout the world. The U.S. and Canadian thanksgiving days are believed
to have been created by settlers and Native Americans, duplicating the harvest festivals
and celebrations of their own countries. Ancient harvest festivals were traditionally
held on or near the Sunday of the harvest moon (the full moon nearest the autumnal
equinox). Religion has long played a role in some harvest celebrations and would
include decorating churches with baskets of fruit and food, singing hymns, and the
blessing of the harvest.
Encyclopedia Britannica traces the origins to “the animistic belief in the corn
[grain] spirit or corn mother. In some regions the farmers believed that a spirit
resided in the last sheaf of grain to be harvested. To chase out the spirit, they
beat the grain to the ground. Elsewhere they wove some blades of the cereal into
a 'corn dolly' that they kept safe for 'luck' until seed-sowing the following year.
Then they plowed the ears of grain back into the soil in hopes that this would bless
the new crop.”
Today's harvest celebrations resemble the celebrations of long ago as we have kept
many of the traditions of merriment and thanksgiving. But whatever the tradition
or background, the real reason was and still is the same today - that everyone is
jolly happy to be done with the boat load of backbreaking work. Additionally, if
it is a good season then everyone is happy having a full warehouse or a full wine
cellar with delicious wines. And if the season was not favorable then you want to
drown your sorrows. In any case it calls for a celebration!
Wineries all over the globe gather the grapes and celebrate harvest with some of
their own traditions such as grape stomping, selecting wine queens, special tastings,
etc. At Wölffer Estate Vineyard we have our own Harvest Party on Sunday of Columbus
Day weekend and it has quite a history of traditional and not so traditional events
and happenings.
It all started in 1992. After the last grapes were picked my wife Dushy and I made
onion tarts at home. Christian Wölffer brought trays of bread, salami's, and cheese.
Fresh fermenting wine was served and about 40 friends gathered in the vineyard for
a fun afternoon. There was plenty of fun and games. Partners would throw berries
at each other at a 10-foot distance and whoever could catch the most (with their
mouth only) got a prize. There was a contest based on who could pick up a cork with
their mouth from the floor without using their hands. Music was made by my friend
Franz Westermaier with his accordion, interrupted by lots of speeches and toasts;
it was a lot of fun.
This very humble beginning has evolved, as has the quality of our wines, into an
amazing festival of the highest caliber. Grape picking, a winemaking relay that
includes everything from stomping to corking your bottles, great food, a petting
zoo, stilt walkers, the final of the Wölffer derby (a serious horse jumping event)
and a great dance band. One of the highlights was and still is the barrel rolling
competition. Men and woman alike compete in this highly contested race. There is
a 72 feet long race course with a turnaround area followed by a straight line back
to the finish line. Sounds easy? It is quite a challenge and many battle scars have
been carried off this field of glory. Just ask David Loewenberg, the famous East
End Restaurateur, and if you are lucky he might show you his battle scars!
The bottom line is, as serious as business can be and as serious we take ourselves,
we also know how to have fun and how to have a laugh. We certainly miss Christian
Wölffer at the harvest parties over the last few years. He knew how to perfectly
combine work with fun and how to celebrate the two together.
Below is a recipe to enjoy both wheat and grapes from the harvest, a rich dessert
bread!
Grape Bread
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 3 cups red grapes (without seeds)
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup of Wölffer late Harvest dessert wine
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla until light in color.
Mix dry ingredients together and gently fold the dry mixture into the egg mixture
until moist. Gently fold in grape skins and nuts. Pour into two greased and floured
bread pans. Bake for 1 hour or until it tests done in the center with a toothpick.
Gently remove from pans and cool.
