It is harvest time for many vineyards and in northeast Louisiana at Landry Vineyards, they celebrate by having an old fashioned grape stomp.
In the rolling hills of West Monroe, Louisiana you may expect to see corn, cotton, or soybeans or even peaches, but in this part of West Ouachita Parish you will find grapes
“We have grapes that are suitable to our growing conditions... but the ones that we do have are good.”
Jeff and Libby Landry own Landry Vineyards. Once located in south Louisiana, but Hurricane Katrina decimated their operation in 2005, so they relocated their operation about four hours north.
Each fall at harvest they celebrate with a grape stomp. So ladies come from all over the West Monroe area, dressed up like Lucille Ball from that infamous I Love Lucyscene and stomp away.
Landry says that this weekend is all about the Blanc Dubois grape, used for making white wine. Another weekend will be dedicated to the red grapes. He says that the stomp is a great way to remember how winemaking was done centuries ago before advancements in machinery.
“All of agriculture, over time we learned to increase our production. We use more mechanization, but the tradition of the ladies stomping... it’s beautiful,” he states.
Landry Vineyard has approximately 16 acres of wine grapes in production, producing 50-70 tons per year. Beside the Blanc Dubois, they grow Lenoir, black Spanish, and Crimson Cabernet.
“A very important part of our business and we’re committed to this, is growing grapes here in Louisiana. We are committed to that,” he adds.
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