What could be more iconic than the imagery of stomping grapes? I searched for images and discovered a wonderful photo of a large black galoshes covered with purple juice and fragments of little dark purple gems. Pow! The concept of the event now had a name “The Purple Boot”!

Well, a name like that requires a very special trophy to vie for. My passion for art and for supporting artists demanded a commissioned art project. I love glass art. I reached out to Treg Silkwood, an amazing glass artist and instructor at the Bay Area Glass Institute and shared my vision. And so Treg created an iconic award, hand crafted like the wines of the vintners courageous enough to put their wines to the scrutiny of wine lovers near and far. A trophy destined to become a legacy of passion and good natured culinary artisan competition. Like the NHL’s Stanley cup, the Purple Boot Trophy, a chalice worthy of being filled with the nectar of the gods.

The base of the trophy utilizes the staves of an authentic American Oak medium toasted wine barrel. The barrel long retired now, and presently re-purposed to form the base of the Purple Boot Trophy! Nothing wasted, the oak barrel renews it's usefulness ithrough our trophy. The remainder of the barrel resides in the garden supporting the forthcoming summer and fall fresh produce.