Got Wine?

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The annual Minnesota Food & Wine Festival, fondly known as the "Grape Stomp," is coming up fast—Friday through Sunday, Sept. 12–14, at Carlos Creek Winery near Alexandria, Minnesota.

The event features three wonderful days of music, wine tasting, chainsaw carving, and a variety of foods and crafts. Tour the beautiful winery grounds on Segway Personal Transporters or Surrey bikes.

And don't miss the crowd favorites—the grape stomps. Eight teams of two compete throughout Saturday and Sunday for the title of Champion Stompers, culminating in the "I Love Lucy Look-Alike Contest," where contestants reenact the iconic television scene.

Friday night's welcoming reception benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Tickets, $10 each, are available in advance at the winery or online, where you can also register for contests and events.

This is a beautiful time of year to take a day trip to Alexandria, enjoy some local Minnesota foods and wines—and maybe stomp your way into the winner's circle.