Winemakers and families prepare themselves for the laborious task of finding and picking the best grapes that the season has produced.
The Italian grape harvest, locally known as “La Vendemmia”, is an age-old tradition dating back to the Roman Empire.
The harvest takes place over around two weeks from August to October every year, but the specific timeframe is determined year by year, depending on weather, rainfall levels and the ripeness of the grapes.
The grape harvest is the most crucial part of the winemaking process, and many Italian families still pick the grapes “a mano”, manually selecting the best of the bunch while leaving lesser quality grapes to live out their time in the vineyard.
The weather is a major factor in the harvest process, as rain, hail, frost and heat can pose a threat to the quality of the grapes.
The ripeness of the grape is the best indicator of when to begin the harvest.
But how can you tell when the succulent bunches are – literally - ripe for the picking?
Sweetness is the key, and the grapes are perfect for picking when the balance between sugar, acid and tannin levels is perfect.
When the grapes are ready to meet their fate, sun-kissed men and women of all ages flock to the vineyards early in the morning, when a fine blanket of mist still weaves its way through the vines.
A day of hard work begins.
Traditionally, the women make their way through the rows of grapes, selecting and cutting off the best bunches before placing them in a basket, while the men do the heavy lifting, carrying the full baskets to be transported to the wine cellar.
If you’re travelling in Italy around harvest time, you shouldn’t be surprised to find yourself driving behind a tractor packed with bouncing grapes, on its way to the cellar.
Nor should you be stunned to breathe in the intoxicating aroma of fermenting grapes as you stroll past a cellar door.
Once the grapes make it to the wine cellar, there’s only one thing left to do: make the wine!
The grape harvest tradition is still very much a family event in many regions in all corners of the “peninsula”.
No hard work goes uncelebrated in Italy, so it’s only natural that the harvest is accompanied by a series of wine and food “sagre” (festivals) from the north all the way down to the south.
In Panicale (Umbria) the community comes alive with dancing, music and – inevitably – food and wine during the third weekend of September, celebrating “La Festa dell’Uva”.
Meanwhile in Caluso (Piemonte), a similar festival takes place, while at the end of September the Bardolino Grape Festival features musical performances, firework displays, food stalls and wine tastings from local vineyards.
If soaking up the atmosphere of the celebrations isn’t enough of a taste of the harvest for you, then you can even roll your sleeves up and try your hand at picking the grapes.
Some wineries nowadays open their vineyards to tourists during the harvest, providing the opportunity for you to pick a bunch or two of grapes with your own two hands.
In reality, the grape harvest is a grueling process, leaving hands stained with grape juice and covered in cuts from the vines.
But it’s all worth it in the end, as Italians sit back after weeks of hard work, taking in a generous gulp of wine, and enjoying what has been an integral part of their diet and culture for centuries.
