The winery is kicking off the celebration with a new preview event meant to capture the competition between Oregon Duck and Oregon State Beaver fans.
September 5, 2025 (Salem Hills, OR) (NASDAQ: WVVI, WVVIP) — Oregon’s beloved harvest tradition returns as Willamette Valley Vineyards hosts its 34th Annual Grape Stomp Championship & Harvest Celebration on September 20–21 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Estate in the Salem Hills. Additionally, the winery is kicking the weekend off early with a special preview stomp on September 19 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., inviting Oregon State and University of Oregon fans to stomp for fun ahead of the college football rivalry weekend.
For over three decades, wine enthusiasts have carried on the grape stomping tradition, bringing friends and family together to compete in the annual grape stomp and harvest celebration.
“Harvest is one of the most significant and anticipated times of year for our winery and for the wine industry as a whole,” said Spence Fogarty, General Manager of the Estate. “We are proud to welcome wine enthusiasts each season to take part in this spirited competition. Watching families and friends, generation after generation, return as stompers and swabbers reflects the enduring community and celebratory spirit at the heart of harvest.”
Grape Stomp teams are made up of a “Stomper,” who crushes the wine grapes with their bare feet, and a “Swabbie,” who steadies the barrel and collects the juice. Each heat lasts three minutes, and the team that gathers the most juice earns a spot in the Finalist Stomp at the end of each day.
There are several ways to attend the event:
- Grape Stomp Competition: $80 per two-person team ($60 for club members and owners), including two wine flights, a $30 wine bottle credit and a chance to compete for the grand prize.
- General Admission: $35 per person ($25 for club members and owners) and includes a wine flight, live music and a $15 wine bottle credit.
- Kids Grape Stomp: Free for children 12 and under with a parent present. The kids’ stomp will take place at 12:15 p.m. each day.
- Preview Stomp: $20 per person and includes a fun stomp and a wine credit ($15 for club members and owners). Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite Oregon State University or University of Oregon gear.
The ultimate face-off will occur on Sunday, September 22 at 5 p.m., when the final top two teams compete for the championship award. A special food menu created by Executive Winery Chef DJ MacIntyre will be available for purchase, along with wine tastings, a costume competition and live music. For more information, visit www.wvv.com/events/event-calendar.
About Willamette Valley Vineyards
Founded in 1983 by President Jim Bernau with the dream of creating world-class Pinot Noir while serving as stewards of the land, Willamette Valley Vineyards has grown from a bold idea into one of the region’s leading wineries, earning the title “One of America’s Great Pinot Noir Producers” from Wine Enthusiast magazine. In addition, all the vineyards have been certified sustainable through LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) and Salmon-Safe programs. With 1,000 acres under vine, Willamette farms its Estate winery in the Salem Hills, sparkling winery Domaine Willamette in the Dundee Hills, pioneering Tualatin Estate Vineyard near Forest Grove and Elton Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. The winery has expanded recently to include nine tasting rooms in Oregon, Washington and California – growth made possible by the stock ownership of many wine enthusiasts.
