The temperature drops below freezing, reaching -10 to -12 degrees Celsius. The sky is clear, and the moon and snow are the only sources of light until dawn begins to break. In the silence of the ice-covered vineyards, the harvest begins. Each night, the grape picking must be completed by 7 a.m., followed by the pressing of the grapes, done slowly to avoid warming them.Thus begins the magical process of producing Ice Wine, a wine made from frozen grapes.The most widely accepted theory about the origin of Ice Wine dates back to 1794 in Germany when a harsh winter forced…
Author: Marcella Pace
Majestic centenary vines, some reaching up to three meters in height, climb and intertwine, producing strong and lush grapes capable of resisting the most feared pest for winemakers.Ungrafted vines create evocative images that punctuate the Italian viticultural landscape here and there. In the latter half of the 19th century, the rapid spread of phylloxera—a pest originating from North America, now present in all wine-growing countries—caused the death of nearly 80% of European vine varieties it attacked. To save viticulture from extinction, European vines began to be grafted onto American rootstocks, which were resistant to phylloxera at the root level.While phylloxera…
The frigid temperatures at high altitudes, the ocean depths where grapes or bottles are left to rest, the tunnels of an ancient silver mine, and of course, the wood of large barrels or barriques, steel, amphorae, concrete vats, or cocciopesto—there are endless ways to refine a wine. In some cases, these methods come from ancient traditions, while in others, they are true experiments.However, a special container or magical setting is not always necessary. According to Peppe Vessicchio, musician, arranger, conductor, and composer, music can influence the aging process and improve the wine. His project, conceived in collaboration with Riccardo Iacobone,…