News

10 settembre 2012

Harvest 2012 – 2nd part: The Garganega

September 10th, 2012

Here we are finally!!!!! It's true the grape harvest has begun for a while, but when I walk the roads of the hills closest to me, dearest to me, the emotion rises. So, this morning I visited the green hills in the Soave area, one of those indigenous Garganega grapes.

I arrive surrounded by silence, quiet almost surreal, without being heard, without being seen, I proceed to snap some photos.

The "grandmother" doesn't have the straw hat this year and the heat of the early morning hours does not seem to bother her. In fact, I see her reach out towards the branch to pick the grapes as gently as possible, the finest one, the healthiest one, the more golden one.

A greeting and the eye falls immediately on the grandchildren who observe, listen and learn this art from their father, from their grandfather.

Honestly, it is the grandfather that captivates me the most.  A touch of emotion catches me, unprepared. This grandfather reminds me of mine. These long thin arms, but safe and capable remind me of my grandfather. So simple and elegant in his movements. He spoke little, but spoke in a "righteous way" and above all at the "right moment”.  I try not to show the melancholy note, but his silence, his almost being there as if it were a ritual, in this world, the world he first created and now lives with his son, grandchildren , this silence invites me to reflect.

Suddenly a "Hey Giorgia" calls me back to reality.  I go towards the pallet with boxes where various grapes are lying.  The view runs between the rows, between a vine and an olive tree, runs to the wheelbarrow carrying the boxes, pursues and loses between the golden grapes, juicy and sweet like this grape given with a smile.

The tractor loaded with selected grapes leaves towards the cellar for the drying cycle.  I think about the harvesting , the cycle of the grape as in a movie, the preparation of the vineyard, the planting, the trimming, the blooming, the harvesting, the wine... to the cycle of life...

Giorgia