New Mexico winegrape growers report a record crop with grapes nearing maturity. That’s the good news. The bad: With months of forced closures and a ban on wine festivals thanks to Covid-19, there’s still plenty of inventory from the past that needs to go to make room for new supplies.
So, New Mexico Wine, a trade group, is promoting the purchase of discount cases, six-packs, and trios of wine to help wineries sell their latest vintages. These sales will make room in tanks and barrels for the 2020 grape harvest and keep the agricultural traditions of New Mexico winemaking alive and thriving, the group says.
Every purchase of wine comes with automatic access to the GRAPE AID 2020 live show set to take place on Saturday, September 12, 2020h. Pickup locations are set up across New Mexico while local and national shipping is being sponsored by VinoShipper, which will provide fulfillment to 44 states.
Finally, this entire campaign will culminate in the biggest online, virtual benefit concert of the year, GRAPE AID 2020, featuring a star-studded, high-energy and multi-dimensional broadcast of performances by New Mexico musicians and bands, interviews with growers and winemakers, wine education, karaoke and lots of virtual toasts to the New Mexico harvest.
National performances will include Elle King, Ozomatli, Eilen Jewell, Roses Pawn Shop, Frank Ray and dozens of other performers from Nashville, Austin and Los Angeles. The lineup of local musicians includes every style of music imaginable, including performances by Michael Martin Murphy, Josh Grider, Bri Bagwell, Alex Maryol, Joe West, Jono Manson, Baracutanga, Carlos Median, Byland and others.
At 6:00 p.m. MT on Saturday, September 12, 2020, GRAPE AID 2020 will transition into a live “Drive-In Concert” in partnership with AMP Concerts for GRAPE AID Live featuring New Mexico’s newest singer-songwriter transplant, Elle King. Performing solo, this rare performance by King will be the capstone to GRAPE AID 2020.
Winegrapes have been grown in New Mexico since 1629, making the tate the oldest documented grape growing region in the U.S. Sacramental and celebratory vintages have been produced for nearly 400 years.