Excelsior Wine Estate | Picking | Stomping | Tasting
Experience the age-old magic of winemaking at Excelsior Wine Estate’s ‘Hands on Harvest’ event. Pick, stomp and taste your way through a shared celebration of tradition, community and connection to the land.
The visually stunning and memorable grape-stomping scene in the 1995 period romantic film, ‘A walk in the clouds,’ is one that beautifully captures the essence of traditional winemaking. It also depicts the tactile and sensory experience that symbolises a connection to the land and creating something.
So, when Excelsior Wine Estate issued an invite to their annual ‘Hands on Harvest’ event - the first since Covid - I was desperate to attend. The opportunity to pick and stomp grapes, with the authentic backdrop of an actual vineyard, really appealed to me.
You have to understand that one of my personal missions in life is to trace my genealogy to a French Huguenot progenitor who brought vines from the homeland and planted and established a vineyard in this corner of the world. I am still sleuthing this elusive ancestral connection, but having access to a ‘hands on’ Excelsior experience like this seemed like the next best thing.
Much to my disappointment, due to a prior commitment of my husband's, I was unable to commit to the 2025 ‘Hand on Harvest’ event. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would have to wait for next year.
But the story does not end there…
The plot thickens
The day before the event, I decided to pop in at the Graze Deli at Excelsior Wine Estate for a few hours of remote working. Arriving 45 minutes early, I met Deon Le Roux, the Deli’s manager. His gentlemanly kindness towards this ‘damsel in distress’ was a reminder of the slow-living hospitality practised in the Klein Karoo. He invited me to sit, order a cappuccino, breathe, and just enjoy Excelsior’s really pretty lake-side setting.
We got chatting, and I asked about the story of the ‘Hands on Harvest’ event. I then queried if it was a closed, private event, or if it would be possible for me to pop by and take some photos of the grape stomping the following day. He said I was welcome to ‘maak ‘n draai.’
Just an aside: Excelsior’s Graze Deli needs to make it onto your Route 62 travel itinerary. This family-friendly spot is likely to become one of your favourites.
‘Gate-crashing’ the party
On the day of the event, I made my way to Excelsior, hoping to be in time for the grape stomping.
On arrival, Deon was expecting me and immediately invited me to take an extra bucket and some shears and join the group to pick the grapes that would be stomped. I was more than delighted to lend a helping hand.
I set off with my bucket alongside the gathered group of happy ‘pickers’ (including a young couple on their honeymoon). Clearly the early morning coffee and mosbolletjies had put everyone in good spirits.
‘A walk in the vineyards’
With Peter De Wet - Excelsior’s friendly owner and our guide - we wandered into the vineyards. Our ‘picking patch’ was rows of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes planted in 2002. (Some historical context: Excelsior’s generational history dates back to 1859, so there are many stories here).
Peter explained that these grapes were ripe for harvest. In fact, the day before, they had 60 pickers harvesting 92 tons of grapes in 6 hours. (That’s 1 ½ tons/person). We were clearly not going to be offered a job anytime soon, but that was not the point of this excursion.
He quickly put us at ease by saying there are no rules when it comes to picking the grapes; we could just choose a row and ‘have at it.’ That was all the encouragement we needed to immediately ‘be in the moment.’ We were also invited to taste as we picked, with each grape’s 24% of sugary sweetness adding to the immersive experience.
‘Dancing’ upon the grapes
With buckets loaded to brim, we made our way back to the wooden barrels under the tree. The air was charged with excited anticipation; contagious to those of us who were spectators.
Shoes were removed, skirts were hiked, and grapes were tumbled into the barrels. The rhythmic nature of grape stomping is one that is hard to describe. It was exhilarating to watch.
Perhaps this Italian proverb will do it justice: ‘Between the grape and the wine, there is the work of the vine and the joy of the feet.’
This is definitely a harvest celebration and a connection to a centuries-old community farming ritual. It is designed to be a shared experience for young and old. As the rich, red juice started flowing from the barrel’s taps, the wonder and awe were palpable. For a short while the rest of the world did not exist and the camaraderie among strangers with a common goal was intoxicating.
‘Let’s pretend’
I don’t think I was the only one affected in this way. I think everyone there - event partakers, the official photographer, staff, and ‘the gatecrasher’ all felt a personal connection to the land. For a moment in time, we could pretend this was our farm and our harvest.
That was the end of my experience this time. For those who had booked this year’s ‘Hands on Harvest’ experience, their journey was followed by a cellar tour, a wine tasting, a personalised wine blending and bottling, and a harvest table lunch.
I want to thank Excelsior Wine Estate for sharing their wine-making traditions with us and making such a unique experience accessible.
If you are planning a Route 62 road trip next year in March, make sure to follow Excelsior for updates of their next annual ‘Hands on Harvest’ event.
I am hoping that next year I’ll be able to reserve my spot and share the entire experience, first-hand, with all of you.
Watch this space…
Written by Leanne Johnson
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