Hand picking, a tradition that pays off

In our vineyards the grape harvest has always been done exclusively by hand. It is a careful and well-kept activity that is part of our history. It takes place mainly between the months of August and September. The harvested bunches are first cut with scissors and then placed in small crates of 16-18 kg, taking great care that there is no crushing of the bunches on the bottom.

Once we are sure of this, the grapes are finally ready to be pressed. Harvesting grapes by hand means mainly tradition but above all selection. We continue to harvest grapes as our grandparents handed down to us. With the methods that have distinguished us for years and that have always made a difference. We always carefully choose each bunch, so that only those in perfect condition are cut, both for ripening and for cleaning.

Anyone who has two founding partners like Peppe and Franco, who are currently in charge of the vineyards, certainly has the utmost attention even at this stage. The difference with those who produce wine in an industrial way is clear. Starting with the costs. They certainly fall short of theirs. But what they may manage to save first both in terms of time and resources used, is certainly lost later: in quality. And we know how we think. Here quality has always been placed first. Grape harvesting in large wine industries is not done by hand like we do here. But they rely on the so-called “grape harvesters”, powerful machines that certainly allow a greater set of grapes taken in less time, but which do not make any selection in their path.

In fact, one of the main problems of the mechanical harvest is that of the worst quality of the grapes harvested with a qualitative decrease in the starting product. A decrease due to the presence of foreign materials such as fragments of leaves and shoots, petioles, pieces of bark that can contribute to the sensory profile of the wines produced. The harvest is then the apex of our hard work. A tiring job but which has always given us our great satisfaction. In search of that quality and that tradition that differentiates us from others.