Snow

On this day of political turmoil our Tollo village witnessed a quiet white wonder.


Tollo vineyard:


Those who didn't make it to the bottle:

The snow came as a bit of a surprise for the lemon tree:

The first tasting of Pinot Grigio 2010

This year's Pinot Grigio is a special one for many reasons.
It was a very good year for the white grapes. Some people say the best in the past ten years.
It's our second harvest. So, enologically speaking, we did many things better than the first time.
And last but not least, we had three special guests from Estonia who participated in the harvesting and winemaking. So you should be able to feel a kind of Estonian touch in the wines.

Below photos from the first Pinot Grigio tasting in Tallinn, where our guests where able to taste the product they made:

Hali:

Experimental grapes cultivated in Estonia:

Rein evaluates the color:

.. and the aroma:

Diana from Rotermanni Veinituba:

Ilo from Rotermanni Veinituba:

Ene has just recognized in the glass the grapes she picked:

Recounting the times in Italy:

Apparently the wine is rather drinkable:

And now for something completely different...

At the tasting last Friday I promised to our Estonian friends to share a photo of mould on Montepulciano d'Abruzzo grapes. Here it is:
For comparison a bunch without mould:

Pinot Grigio 2010...

... is ready!

Filtered vs unfiltered

Today we filtered Pinot Grigio 2010. I quite like the difference between before and after:

Pecorino harvesting

This is how Pecorino grapes look like. The bunch is distinctly compact and grapes very small. Compared to most wine grapes the skin is remarkably soft, almost like table grape. Sheep (pecora in Italian) go crazy after these:

Harvesting:

For Pecorino we use a traditional Abruzzi cultivation system called tendone where the vines extend over the space between the rows and form a kind of roof. Inevitably grapes have to be hand-picked using a special bucket. After a day's hand-picking the sensation is the same as having painted the ceiling:

I like these before-and-after moments:

Antonio. He had a bad hair day and was rather reluctant about being photographed:

Just a random shot of September sun shining through grape leaves:

Another random poetic shot of a a vine branch:

On the left our Pecorino grapes, on the right our neighbours' Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that will be harvested later in October:

Vendemmia 2010: day 4

The fourth day was the last day of Pinot Grigio harvesting. The girls were eager to pick more grapes but unfortunately the other white varieties Pecorino and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo where not ready yet.

Pinot Grigio grapes a moment before being harvested:
One word. Harvesting:

Hali demonstrates fresh Pinot Grigio harvest:

Job done!:

The tools:

Lunch:

Panini make wonderful models. They never close their eyes nor shift from the position:

Healthy tomato salad. Just tomatoes, some onion, some carrot, basil leaves and olive oil:

Teambuilding:

Healthy dessert:

Hali, the cat and the lemon tree:

Typical starters of the mountain cuisine of Abruzzi:

Probably the most famous Abruzzi dish - the arrosticini (lamb meat on a stick):

Vendemmia 2010: day 3

Actually on day 3 (which was Sunday) we didn't pick grapes with our guests. Instead we went to visit some lovely places hidden in the Appenine mountains.

Scanno lake. The mountains, the air, the transparent water. Just marvellous:

Scanno town is famous for its artisan jewellery:

At some point we felt a very inviting smell of fresh bisquits. Following our noses we found this - handmade bisquits:
This tiny bisquit store is run by a lovely couple who made the tastiest bisquits in the world: We could taste everything and also saw how the bisquits are made:

Typical street of Scanno:

Last look at Scanno:
Who has ever been to Sulmona, will never forget this sight! Sulmona is famous for its traditional candies (confetti) and the flowers with candy-petals are typical of this place :

Inside the candy-store:

On the food market:

Dried fruit on the food market:

Typical local cheese:

"Confetti Pelino" is the best known candy-factory of Sulmona:

We also came across a very old candy store:

Back on the food market where some quite graphic design elements were on display:

Salami and pane pugliese: