The last blog post about the roof (I promise!)

While I'm typing here, we've got some rather heavy thunder and rain outside. So, it's especially nice to know that the roof is ready and everything's safe and dry inside.

Now we can officially move from the roof topic to more earthly matters such as windows and doors. As of now we have the metal structure in place for the windows and now I'm eagerly looking forward to sharing with you photos about the developments when I'm back from my travels next week.

The other earthly matter I wanted to share with you is an absolutely incredible and original fish soup of Lido Esperia, run by a very nice couple Miriam and Vicenzo. Their fish soup is so unique that it has been also on Italian national TV.
We had the opportunity to taste this famous soup at the dinner of the aspirant sommeliers. So, first of all you get this huuuuuge hot plate right from the owen, then the waiter removes the lid and a 2-hour struggle with the soup can start :) Usually you're supposed to first eat the fish and whatever other marine life forms that have been caught in the morning. When you think you've almost managed to eat all, you get chitarra pasta (served on seashells) to put inside the delicious tomato sauce. Oh, almost forgot, this soup is one of the dishes that fits remarkably well with Cerasuolo wine.

The Lavazza factor

Interesting. Since we've had the coffee-machine in the winery the roof guys started to show up almost every day and now... the roof is ready! I'd like to think that the coffee machine changed things here. Anyway, the roof guys were so nice. I'll miss them.

Our roof seems to have become quite well-known in Tollo. When people talk about the location of Vigneti Radica winery, then usually it goes something like this: "Have you seen that building with the big wooden roof? Ok, good. This is Vigneti Radica."

On a more vinuous note, we're currently "preparing the reds" as our enologist says. There's a nice aroma of wine in the air. Not as strong as during the harvest but a kind of delicate hint. Yep, these days we're doing the malolactic fermentation for the reds.

Below a few words to those of you who'd appreciate an overview of malolactic fermentation (a very simplified one).

What is malolactic fermentation?
To explain this we need to look at the acids that are present in wine. There are many different acids but right now we are interested in malic acid and lactic acid. Higher quantity of malic acid means that wine has more pungent taste, whereas higher quantity of lactic acid gives a softer and fuller taste. Malolactic fermentation means that malic acid is turned to lactic acid, in order to soften the taste of the wine.

How does it work?
Malolactic fermentation is something that can occur naturally during the fermentation process or can be triggered by introducing special bacteria. It's better to trigger it because spontaneous malolactic fermentation can produce weird results.
Also, malolactic fermentation is good for red wine, because this is where we look for more soft, round taste and therefore need to reduce malic acid. On the other hand, to white wine malolactic fermentation is a very bad enemy, because it makes the wine lose its freshness.

The weekly DIY column

Working for a small family company is a completely different experience compared to working for a multinational. The key difference being that you get to learn number of new things for which in multinationals there are special departments in India or Poland or 'the other building somewhere across the town'.

So, in the past weeks I have learned the following:
Not all modems are wireless by default.
Printers have cartridges that have to be replaced once-in-a-while. I also learned that you can send the old cartridge back to HP and then learned by calling HP that in Italy this system is not in place yet.
Transport documents are a whole different world. In fact, a kind of underworld. With their own language and rules.
Ricevuta bancaria is quite a clever thing to avoid fraudulent customers.
Wine can be delivered overnight to some thousands of kilometres away but this will come at the cost of 2 nights' stay in a 5 star hotel or a medium-size Ferragamo bag

The last but not least - humanity still uses fax machines! Jesus.... I've SO grown to despise this Olivetti monstrum together with its error messages and the useless user manual!

In the meantime, fax machines aside, we are experiencing huge progress here in the winery. The roof is being completed, slowly but surely. The roof is already 7 months past the deadline, so observing the progress is kind of like watching the seasons pass...
Yesterday we had a very important milestone - the Lavazza coffee machine arrived. The roof-builders were especially happy with the coffee machine, so hopefully now that they have constant supply of coffee, they'll come to work more often.
Where there was a hole in the entrance is now a kind of iron cover, so no more risk of someone falling inside the hole.
And since last week the bathrooms have the windows. Quite nice achievement, especially in cold weather as it is these days.
Today I made order for the doors, so by the end of the month we should have the doors for the office and the bathrooms. By the way, who would have thought there are so many different kinds of door handles to choose from? Casting the door handles took me ages this morning...

That's it for now. Thank you for the attention. Oh, and please send us emails instead of faxes.

Tullum DOC

People have asked about the new Tullum DOC and in the absence of sources in English language I’ve created a very concise overview of the newest denomination of Abruzzo region.

First of all, what is a DOC?
DOC (Denominazione d’Origine Controllata) or DOCG (Denominazione d’Origine Controllata e Garantita) is a quality assurance label meaning that wine has been produced within the specified region using defined grapes and methods of winemaking.
In Italy there are approximately 300 DOC and DOCG denominations, of which Abruzzo has one DOCG (Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane) and until 2008 three DOCs (Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Controguerra and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo). DOC Tullum or Terre Tollesi is the newest denomination, launched in 2008.

What is DOC Tullum about?
DOC Tullum or Terre Tollesi means that the grapes are cultivated in Tollo (Province of Chieti) and that wine is made and bottled in Tollo. Tollo is an area about 5 km from the Adriatic Sea and about 30 km from the Maiella Montain that enjoys a unique mix of delicate sea breezes and the thermal excursions charateristic of the high altitudes.
Excluded are the grapes that grow in the valley or below 80 meters from sea level. Density of vines must not be above 3300 per hectare and maximum production per hectare is from 9 – 13 tonnes, depending on the variety.
There are six sub-types of Tullum DOC. Four whites: Tullum Bianco, Tullum Superiore, Pecorino and Passerina and two reds: Tullum Rosso and Tullum Rosso Riserva. For each sub-type there are strict specifications about the used variety, winemaking techniques, alcohol, acidity etc.

For example here in Vigneti Radica we produce Pecorino Tullum DOC and it has to meet the following characteristics:
- minimum 90% of Pecorino variety
- maximum production per hectare is 9 t
- minimum alcohol content must be 12%
- the wine must have rather intense straw yellow color and delicate aroma of fruit. The taste has to be dry, fresh, and sapid.

More information (in Italian) about Tullum DOC can be found at http://www.tullum.it/ .

Peculiar moments

Meeting at the Enoteca Regionale where positions for Vinitaly stands are drawn.

A Serious Signore reads the number of the stand and pulls out the name of the corresponding winery from the box. About forty people from small wineries who’s position at the Vinitaly will be decided soon listen unusually quietly and take notes of the names of competitors and the numbers of their stands. And then...
"Fourty-five," reads the Serious Signore, folds open the little piece of paper and announces - "Vigneti Radica".
"Eeeh?!" come the echoes from the room. Someone more knowledgeable repeats "VIINYEETI RAADIKA". "Vigneti Radica?" come the echoes again and forty pens make the scribbling sound.

Yep. This was the moment when our winery officially stepped on the Italian Wine Map.