2nd Annual Harvest Festival and Grape Stomping

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/c/3/4/event_155996372.jpegUnless you live in the immediate area you may not know that if you turn just a few streets away from the downtown area of Monroe, North Carolina, you will literally stumble upon Treehouse Vineyards, a family-owned artisanal winery specializing in muscadine wines. And while you may wonder how a winery can exist in the middle of a residential area, you’ll soon find out that the vineyards are situated so that they are quite charming and secluded. The vineyard has been open for a little over two years and is run by the second and third generations of the Nordan family (who live on the property) and occasionally first generation family members help out as well. The Nordans bestow such niceties upon everyone who visits that there is no doubt you’ll feel right at home after hearing their stories of how the two actual treehouses on the property came to exist, or about the horses that roam the pastures and vineyards, or about how the wines got their names. You can even take a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery, conducted most likely by one of the family members, and not only see the pride that the Nordans take in their business but also learn how the grapes are processed from the time the vines are planted until they are bottled, corked and labeled for sale.

Treehouse Vineyards will host their Second Annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, September 15 from 11:00 am until 10:00 pm. The festival will include food vendors, craft vendors, a DJ, grape stomping which begins at 2:00 pm, and live music from the Rachel Garcia band beginning at 7:00 pm. The tasting room also features a lot of great wine related merchandise and snacks that make perfect gifts for wine lovers. The festival will be a fun-filled day for everyone, including children who are always curious about the treehouses and horses and who love to swing in the oversized swing under the tree. Make plans to participate in the Lucille Ball look-alike contest – the idea is to recreate her “Grape Stomping” episode (http://www.tv.com/shows/i-love-lucy/watch/lucys-italian-movie-17248/) (the action starts around 17 minutes in this clip.)

Plan to spend the day relaxing in the casual atmosphere enjoying the wine and ambiance of Treehouse Vineyards. There is a shaded patio area with tables, rocking chairs and a fire pit as well as a newly built pavilion area with additional seating but those areas usually fill up quickly when there is a crowd so bring a blanket or a chair so you can kick back and relax. Picnic baskets are also welcome, but in order to comply with North Carolina ABC rules, no outside alcohol is allowed.

Treehouse Vineyards
301 Bay Street
Monroe, NC 28112
704.283.4208
http://www.treehousevineyards.net