oa DON Isaak of Rack iti Winemaking is hosting an old-
‘fashioned grape stomp Saturday at Perk and Tilford.

Put your best foot
forward at benefit

By Layne Christensen

News Reporter
layne@nsnews.com

IF a grape stomp grabs you as
fun but berries squishing
through your toes doesn’t, Don
Isaak has got it covered.

“Booties are available for weenies,”
says the proprietor cif Rack It!
Winemaking, who’s holding a Grape
Crush Challenge at his Park and Tilford
location this Saturday, Sepr. 20.

Wednesday, September 17, 1827 — North Shore News —

Grape stomp party p anned |

Isaak was joined by two dozen pairs
of feet ata similar event this time last
year. Collectively, crushed more
than one ton or approximately 70 crates
of grapes. This year he'd like to build on
that amount.

Proceeds from this year’s Grape
Crush will benefit the North Shore
Association for the  Mentaliy
Handicapped.

For every crate stomped, Rack It! will
donate $2 — the grape crushing and
pressing tee he usually charges clients —
as well as the net proceeds from the sale
of grapes.

“it’s quite a spectacle,” says Isaak of
the event, which takes place on the side-
waik in front of his shop, located next to
Save-on Foods.

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Two stomping barrels will each
accommodate two pairs of feet, “three if
you're cosy,” he says.

The old-fashioned grape crush is per-
fectly sanitary, he says.

Participants must wash and sterilize
their feet before stepping into the barrel,
says Isaak, who typically receives a visit
from the health i inspector before an event
like this.

Still squeamish?

“Feet are really no different than the
hands that pick the grapes,” he says.

Foliowing the grape stomp the
“must,” as the crushed grapes and juice
mixture is called, will be pressed to
extract the juice, which is then used to
make wine. The event rakes place from
10 a.m. to # p.m. Saturday.