Wine and Pesto Festival Celebrates Italian Traditions

If you’ve ever wanted to learn to make wine the traditional way, you’ll have an opportunity to get your feet wet from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the . 

The third annual  will offer attendees a chance to learn hands-on, traditional wine making and sample entries in the pesto challenge.

About 750 pounds of grapes will be crushed by hand, the first step in a several-month process resulting in about 40 gallons of wine. An antique crusher with hand-crank will be used to mash the grapes, but children will be allowed, even encouraged, to crush the grapes using their feet.

Marisa Tobias, president of the Fern Hollow Nature Center, and Mary Menniti, founder of the , created the festival.

Tobias said the event is a great way to bring people in the community together. 

“You see very different people bending over this barrel of grape stuff, sticking their heads and hands down in there…chatting and getting to know each other, and people that probably wouldn't have met otherwise. So I always like that part of it,” Tobias said. 

The equipment, which originally belonged to Tobias’ grandfather, a native of Falerna, Italy, has been passed down through several generations. Tobias now shares the equipment with her brother and through this festival, the greater area.

The winemaking process will continue after Sunday’s event. In about a week, juice from the grapes will be separated from the mash. Periodically, the wine will be tasted to determine its progress. In January, the wine will be bottled, and a pot-luck celebration will mark the occasion.

Tobias said the bottling celebration will be open to everyone who brings a dish and $10. 

About 80 people attended last year’s dinner celebration.

Tobias said there was great food, and children were able to ride in the Fern Hollow field.

“It was a really nice way to spend a cold, January afternoon,” Tobias said. 

All proceeds from the festival and subsequent events benefit the center’s education programs. 

According to Tobias, the center reaches more than 2,000 students from and nearby school districts.

Festival attendees will get to sample and judge an array of homemade pesto. Past entries have included unique concoctions such as lime-kiwi, arugula, sun-dried tomato, lemon-parsley and even kale pesto. 

The past two years, two sisters have won the pesto challenge with a traditional, basil-olive oil pesto. 

“They're the team to beat and are coming again this year,” Tobias said.

No reservations are required to attend the festival. Activities will occur rain or shine, as a large tent is available at Fern Hollow Nature Center. 

All of Sunday’s participants will receive a bottle of the finished Ruby Cabernet in January. Tasting of last year’s batch will be available at the festival.  

Call 412-741-6136 for more information.

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