Open House Encourages Guests To Be Their Own Winemakers

Celebrate the end of the summer and the harvest of Californian and Italian grapes with Grape Expectations on Kearney Street.

Grape Expectations will be hosting two open houses at its wine cellar to welcome in the new season of grapes, as well as new customers. The open house will give customers, and potential customers, a chance to taste different wines created by Grape Expectations wine makers, while also choosing what types of wines they would like to create for themselves.

The two events are being held Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The event is free, open to the public and sure to charm the taste buds,  with guests encouraged to explore a new hobby to share with friends, family and other wine lovers.

Grape Expectations was established 11 years ago by husband and wife co-owners Jim and Mary Ann Lowney.

When guests become winemakers with Grape Expectations, Mary Ann Lowney said, they have the chance to be part of the entire wine-making process, from picking the types of grapes they would like, to crushing and pressing them, then racking them and hosting a barrel party where winemakers get to taste their own wines.

The process then starts all over again with the new season of spring grapes from South America, Mary Ann Lowney said.

“We have great customers who come back each season to make new wines," she said. "Some make the same wine each time, others try different varieties.”

As the summer comes to an end, and the cold weather creeps closer, start warming up with some wine at Grape Expectations.