The hazards of harvest

By Janet Eastman

JACOB and Gladys Duncan didn’t think too far ahead when they left their Central Point home Saturday to join the fun at the Upper Rogue Wine & Farm Tour-Harvest Celebration.

Soon after arriving at Agate Ridge Vineyard in Eagle Point, however, Jacob was rolling up his denim pant legs and stepping into a halved oak barrel. And Gladys, wearing a very vulnerable long white sweater top, was crouched near the ground and filling an empty wine bottle with juice Jacob was smushing out of the grapes.

Such was the old-fashioned silliness of the annual harvest celebration held at several Rogue Valley vineyards, including Crater Lake Cellars in downtown Shady Cove.

The staff at Del Rio Vineyards in Gold Hill had hands full, pouring wines and leading vineyard tours. There was a guess-the-grape exhibit and a display of  ingredients with scents found in wine (coconut, blueberry, lemon, peppercorns, nutmeg).

Del Rio wine club members were having a blast turning in old and undesirable vintages to the Cash for Clunkers contest.

One submission: an unopened 1974 Blue Nun submitted by Gary and Bonnie Cox. “This was given to us by my wife’s sister in 1974 or so.  It’s been stored in the best conditions, 110° garage to –4° over the 35 years.“

Harvest celebrants at Agate Ridge Vineyard  were requesting Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Viognier at first. After a few rounds, there was a great thirst to try the lesser-known Roussanne/Marsanne. Kids were taken on hayrides and $7 BBQ lunches kept people busy in between the grape stomping contests.

For the Duncans’ efforts, they won the first round of  the contest and a tasteful Agate Ridge T-shirt. Thankfully, Gladys wasn’t also rewarded with a ball cap for sale in the Tasting Room shop that had three wine glasses outlined in rhinestones and read “Group Therapy.” Or a black T-shirt bedazzled with the words “Winey Bitch.”

In the background, winemaker Kiley Evans was busy overseeing a crush. He graciously accommodated lookyloos near the outdoor crushpad, but he tried to steer them away from inside the winery. “There’s a lot of CO2 in here and not much oxygen,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to pass out.”

For more info: Agate Ridge Vineyard, 1098 Nick Young Road, Eagle Point, OR (541) 830-3050, www.agateridgevineyard.com