Saturday 12 October 2013

Autumn brings "La Vendemia"

With the cooler, shorter days comes the spectacular changing colour of the leaves on the trees and most magically of all here in Tuscany, the maturing of the grapes on the multicoloured vines. Every year it is a spectacle to be enjoyed, so much so that while driving past the vineyards I have to stop and admire the scenery despite the fact that I go past these vines every day on my routine drive abouts.


Just like an artist's work, the vines are like a unique painting and each year the same vine may colour and behave differently to the year before, creating swirls and waves in tones of yellow, orange, red right through to a deep purple. Of course all this changing and varying of colour has a scientific explanation but it's far more romantic to watch it happen without thinking why or how! 



Once the vineyards have morphed into an impressionist's painting, it's time to gather friends and family and get picking the ripe bunches ready to be made into our beloved Vino. In fact most weekends from now onwards can become a fully booked agenda of harvesting in one vineyard or other as requests to help out come from all directions.




 It then becomes a day's outing for the young and old and traditionally lunch is usually included into the bargain, with of course the promise of a few bottles of wine! 
 
Have you ever taken part in a harvest where you are?
 

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