What was once seen as hard labor is now the latest must-have getaway for wealthy wine lovers. People are dropping thousands to go to a “Grape Camp” in Sonoma County, Calif., and do the hard labor of making wine by engaging in every part of the process. The camp costs $5,000 per person, $7,500 per couple. For the sky-high price tag, wannabe sommeliers receive meals, lodging and three days of grape-fueled labor. The fruits of their labor will be made into a rosé next year. Among the activities is the chance for participants to recreate their very own I Love Lucy moment by ditching their shoes, sanitizing their feet, and wading into a giant vat filled with juicy grapes. Participants likened it to the episode of the sitcom that saw Lucy knee-deep in a barrel of grapes, smashing them with her feet. Paying top-dollar to get your feet dirty has been mocked by many outsiders, with comments on social media like, “Ah, the idle follies of the wealthy,” and “If they’d pay five grand to pick and stomp on grapes, I wonder what they’d pay to mow and edge my lawn." Those who have engaged in the grape stomping, however, call the camp “a beautiful blend of education, community and joy.”
