Oct 17th Top Ten Posts From the Bloggers in Italy
We have been busy with the grape harvest! We happily make juice from our own grapes which makes a change at breakfast and we made enough last year to last us right through, not every day, but it is nice to be able to have a change some days from the commercial fruit juices. We have been doing the same this year and in fact have fresh grape juice straight from the vines some mornings when D has felt particularly motivated.
So having decided not to make any wine ourselves, it was somewhat of a surprise to find ourselves doing so this weekend!
Our Wonderful Neighbours have many hectares of grapevines of differing varieties both at home and on land they own elsewhere. They make enough wine to last themselves and their immediate family members the year. This year has been a bumper harvest for not just grapes but fruit in general as you know from my Apple posts. This meant that the wine tank was full to capacity this weekend with the white wine grapes picked off the vines in their garden. We have forgotten the variety but will be writing about the process again so will report back with more with details.
First we were shown just how full the wine making trough was!
There was however one small problem there was nearly two rows of grapes still unpicked and there was rain forecast for Monday morning, which would ruin them.
Solution they decided that it was time that we learnt to make wine, I mean grape juice, what can you be thinking of! Now as veterans of home made wine making we were not that enthusiastic which is exactly why we had made grape juice. However having been taken under the wing of this kind Italian family since we moved here, we really had no choice but to comply willingly. The process is interesting and fun but we do have rather discerning palates when it comes to our wine drinking. Sweet white wine is not too our taste so we are hoping that we can get this right. If it turns out as good as the wine we drink when we are entertained at their house we will be satisfied, we will just have to wait and see.
Summonsed on Sunday afternoon to pick the grapes and start the wine making process I remembered to take my camera with me. We picked an enormous amount of grapes from just these two rows, the photos show probably a third of the total!
Once picked they are pulped either with the electric machine above or as they used to be done as demonstrated below by David, no bare feet here!
Our two barrels awaiting the next stage of the wine making process.
Once they have fermented for a few days we will be given our lesson for the next stage.
![Outdoor Wednesday button[5]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZUIr7zH_zVfuwaTKnl-b7lXL-M5nKGIcc1-vL_UoDyp_Oa6rivDEbu9mqu6v4jsk0POHl889Bmo04aEq-LVUaX7ytyFu4DQgHtAN2QUaOjlYmrQ0MHZPNIzcOocbp1IOy4iHsQKDZxY/?imgmax=800)
Wow Linda what a fabulous experience and your neighbours are brilliant . So great to be taken under their wing, just the neighbours we all would like to have :-) .
ReplyDeleteWow, such a documentary!
ReplyDeleteMay be I was able to enable (pun intended) my wall at FB ....?
That's so great to have neighbors like that! I think wine making sounds like a lot of work, but worth it!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed. This is just the life! Whatever it is that you're both doing to keep up with such a full schedule, continue on. It's amazing to read about how you manage dishwasher sagas, guests, an overabundant apple harvest and now grapes! Way to go Lindy Lou!
ReplyDeleteThose are some gorgeous pictures of grapes. Boy haven't you been blessed this season?! I hope you are enjoying every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteHere's a clip that always gets me to chuckle. I'm sure your wine making was a little bit different! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw0D-Rv_vro
Julie
How fantastic, so much to do though. All looks very interesting and then to taste. :) xx
ReplyDeleteAnne - We are so lucky to have such kind people living next door.
ReplyDeleteAlessandra - Thanks, I will take a look at your FB wall.
Linda - Yes it is great and so far the winemaking has been fun. After all we did not have acres and acres to pick.
Lakeviewer - We have to do some more to the wine tomorrow
Rowena - Thanks Rownena, remember it is our life, no paid jobs so not that hectic a schedule.
Julie - The fruit harvest this year has been phenomenal, yes we are making the most of it. Will take a look at that clip.
Allison - It is very interesting, looking forward to tasting now.
What a great experience! Your life is full of wonderful moments.
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic!! I loved seeing the process through your lens. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice experience! I look forward to read the rest, night! Maureen
ReplyDeleteOh Linda - I loved this post and the photos are just wonderful! I hope some day I can experience wine making. Fingers crossed that the wine turns out just the way you like it!
ReplyDeleteAlissa
Unknown Mami - All our life's are full of wonderful moments, but you are right we are certainly experiencing some great ones :)
ReplyDeleteRambling Tart - Thankyou, pleased you found it interesting.
Daydream Living - Definitely more to follow on this process.
Alissa - Thankyou, do add wine making to your list of must try experiences. Will let you know how it tuns out.
How wonderful. I can't wait to hear how it turns out. Last Christmas I bought my brother-in-law a wine making kit. Unfortunately, our photos from his "experiment" look NOTHING like yours! ;) And the wine . . . I don't have the courage to try it. It's still bottled up in my cabinet. I think I'll wait for yours!
ReplyDeleteLeanne -We carried out the next stage in the process yesterday and I will be writing a post during this coming week. As for your brother-in-law's home made wine, I think you should at least try it. After all he may be making the next batch soon:)
ReplyDeleteI have always thought vineyards were among the loveliest of places, there is an "air" about them. Loved your photos of the place and the experience!
ReplyDeleteJennifer - Thanks I will be writing about the next stage of the experience soon.
ReplyDelete