Tradition Meets Taste: Inside Wölffer Estate’s Harvest Celebration

On Sunday, October 13th, Wölffer Estate Vineyard held its iconic Harvest Party at their Wine Stand in Sagaponack. Cheers! Or should I say, Prost! Set in a field neighboring the vineyard, the location provided a beautiful backdrop for stunning photo ops. In true Wölffer fashion, guests were welcomed with a glass of wine, and that first sip marked the start of a great time.

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There were beautifully decorated tables and benches in the middle of all the food stations—a perfect place to gather with friends and loved ones. Attendees were treated to various international food stations marked by their respective flags. Some of my favorites included the French station featuring delicious bread, crackers, cheeses, and jams; the German station served sizzling bratwurst with all the fixings; and the Mexican station offered skirt steak with delicious chimichurri and a fresh salad. As I took the last sip of my wine, I quickly found one of the numerous wine stations that served Wölffer’s iconic rosé; I opted for the Summer in the Bottle. Delicious. Crisp. The perfect accompaniment.

Once attendees were satiated, they headed over to various activities like barrel rolling, hayrides, and grape-stomping. Others just grabbed another glass of wine and sat on the hay bales in front of the live band to enjoy the moment and have a good time.

If you’ve ever seen a barrel-rolling contest, they make it look so easy. Well, Roman Roth always makes it look easy. I challenged my friend, and it was a humbling experience. Barrels are great for rolling, but turning is tricky. Regardless of whether you win, it’s so much fun.

The iconic German beer-holding contest, Masskrugstemmen, was the highlight of the party. Ten lucky men were given a 1-liter stein of beer (weighing about 5 pounds) to hold out in front of them at shoulder level for as long as possible. Masskrugstemmen comes from the German words ‘Masskrug,’ meaning one-liter stein of beer, and ‘stemmen,’ meaning to lift. Together, they create an exciting competition that tests both strength and a love of beer.

A crowd quickly formed around the men as they held their beer steins. The excitement was palpable as, one by one, the steins kept falling until one very strong man was crowned champion.

One of my favorite parts of the Harvest Party is the fashion! Many attendees were dressed in traditional German outfits, with girls in ‘dirndls’ (a traditional dress) and men in white shirts, Trachten vests, and ‘lederhosen’ (traditional leather breeches). Others opted for a more laid-back fall look with jeans, leather jackets, blazers, and felt fedoras. Many completed their fall look by stopping at Joey Wolffer’s Styleliner Truck, which featured some very chic fall pieces.

While there were many adult activities, the children were also having a great time! There were puppet shows, face painting, pony rides, hayrides, and a cute animal petting area featuring chickens, bunnies, and adorable goats. Children also had their sip of rosé (non-alcoholic, of course), cheers!