May 1st, Labour Day.
It is useless to retrieve the historical origins of this day of international celebration since it is not “where” that counts, but taking inspiration from it for an insight in the “work” involving wine production certainly deserves attention.
From its origins to modern times, wine has come a long way; once considered food which helped rural workers to sustain themselves, today it has almost become a status symbol!
We should actually start from those farmers who once produced this drink selected drink as family nourishment, often as medicine. Our credit goes to them for the sacrifices brought to the vineyard, for the work, for the care in feeding the fields that require great attention throughout the year. Thanks to those men who with their passion have protected biodiversity, soils and traditions. An applause to those men who still look to heaven and earth with eyes of gratitude. It is the winemakers who have decided to carry on the “unconventional” production systems. They are those who have or have not developed organic or biodynamic crops in their wines driven by passion. Without going into the controversies that inflame the discussion tables on the subject, we are only interested in emphasizing the value of craftsmanship, the care of love, the care that if it is read in the eyes of these men. A tip I can give you is to visit a small winery that works respecting nature, without using the great technologies offered by modernity, but using only the savoir-faire learned after years of handed down traditions.
From this romantic image of the winemaker figure, let’s move on to the reality of the wine business. For here too we speak of “work”; the so-called “winejobs” are booming, in addition to professions with the highest training and competence such as winemakers, hundreds of other professional figures gravitate around a bottle of wine! And just to name a few, let’s start with the grape harvesters, passing through the cellar-men, getting to the “buyers”, not forgetting the distributors, the wine-shops and finally the sommeliers who take care of the last moment of life of the wine: uncorking!
Then elsewhere we will deal with WINE BLOGGERS! Did we talk about wine as a status symbol in the introduction? I would say yes because unfortunately today many forget the poetry of the natural origins of wine and simply sip a Petrus, rather than a Batard Montrachet, or a Sassicaia without dwelling on the most important aspect: if that sip is so pleasant it is because there is the work of hundreds of men!
Now, to give you an example of the emotions that the work and the effort of the vineyard give, I have chosen a small producers from Campania.
Azienda Agricola Adelina Molettieri, is located in Montemarano. Highly suited place for the production of Aglianico and consequently of large Taurasi. This small family-run business is located in the Chianzano district. Adelina and her sons Marco and Raffaele produce wine as they have always seen it making. They take care of the vineyard as if it were a member of the family. Terror is felt if in August the weather announces hail, or if frosts are announced out of season. They dedicate their energies to the vineyard, they don’t use synthetic products, they bring healthy grapes to the cellar that will receive few interventions. In short, what results is an authentic product that in full respect of environmental sustainability keeps the quality standard of Aglianico constantly high.
Aglianico DOC Cesiné 2011 (100% Aglianico) is a wine that amazes for its fragrance still present after 9 years from the harvest. Morello cherry, plum, green pepper, a hint of liquorice. The powerful, but not aggressive tannin and the acidity still present wink at us, suggesting that we uncork this same vintage in 5 years … to unveil other surprises.
But like Adelina Molettieri there are many vintners who work hard, our thanks to them because if they weren’t there… those magical emotions that a glass of wine gives us could not exist.