The “Vendemmia” (Italian meaning for the grape harvest) is one of the most fascinating experiences you can experience in Tuscany during the month of September. It’s a wonderful way to learn a lot about local food and wine traditions but also about local culture. Those who tried it report that the atmosphere of a functioning winery is something absolutely unique! In Tenuta Torciano you can take part in a traditional harvest in a fascinating winery and taste some excellent local wines served at lunch. If you visit Tuscany at the beginning of the harvest season you can try the ancient tradition of trampling grapes. This is an old harvest habit used until a few years ago to facilitate the fermentation of grape juice. We hope you can coincide with it!
Nothing is sadder for a farmer than watching his grapes ruin the vine. Although some wines require grapes that are aged to produce the prized vin santo or other liqueur wines, most of the harvest is destined for a normal or reserved wine to be shared with friends. Actual harvesting requires very few tools: a sharp pair of garden shears or a small knife with a hooked tip, a small and medium-sized wicker basket, some larger bins and of course large stainless steel vats.
Contrary to popular belief, the harvested grapes are no longer “trampled” – even if the image is folkloristic, the truth is that it is not very hygienic. However, the great lunch at the end of the harvest is still a very popular event! After a morning of harvesting, pressing, pouring and processing, there will certainly be an invitation to sit at a table that overflows with the colors and flavors of the season!
Our harvest experience takes place in the morning for about an hour. You will meet our local guide and enjoy an introduction to the world of vineyards before you begin! The guide will give you a lot of information about plants and vine cultivation, as well as the weather conditions of the seasons and how they affect the fruits. Then you will take the scissors and the crates and start collecting the grapes together with your guide or other wine producers.
After having collected some bunches, you will follow your guide and the tractor towards the operational areas of the cellar, where you will see all the machinery involved in the process, to understand the winemaking process in detail. From the destemming to the fermentation barrels you will learn in detail how grape juice turns into wine. Finally, you will rest in the tasting room of the property tasting some excellent wines produced by the cellar, served together with a complete lunch.
The real harvest experience starts here in Tenuta Torciano! It’s like going back to the memories of our childhood. We have always lived the harvest as a feast, where our generations gathered to celebrate this great event … and where everyone worked together. Our grandparents, our parents and we children, everyone had his task. From the collection to the transport of the grapes from the vineyards to the cellar where the grape processing began. It was like a dance! A delicious and excellent lunch was always the highlight of the day, with a nice “schiacciata” with grapes for dessert!
For more details and reservations contact our booking office at +39 3662324058 or send a message to: booking@torciano.com
