It is time for grape harvesting!

I spent the last Sunday of Summer between Castelvetro and Levizzano, two small villages near Modena, known for their vineyards and the famous Lambrusco wine Grasparossa. During September, the municipality of Castelvetro organizes many events promoting their fine local products: wine, cheese and salami tastings. That mentioned Sunday, I joined a Grasparossa wine tasting: that is a Lambrusco wine for everyday lunch, matching perfect with fillet steaks or the famous Tigelle (small and round buns made of water, flour, lard and yeast).

It has been a warm sunny day and I spent the afternoon walking through the vineyards between these two villages, taking many pics of the juicy grapes, dark and almost mature. Then I visited the castle of Levizzano, from the X century, exhibitions and private events take place. Currently the castle is setting for the next exhibit opening in 2019 and presenting ancient historical tools and crafts.

A local wine grower explained me shortly the winemaking process and how the grapes turn into wine. He explained me also the ethimology of the name Lambrusco: this word comes from Latin, made of labrum (i.e. edge) and ruscum (i.e. wild), because the grapevines making Lambrusco wine generally grow up free, along the fields border. This nice guy taught me how to properly hold a wine glass in my hands. It may sound obvious for all the experts loving wines, but I drink a glass just once in a while and my knowledge about it is quite low, so that I found his lesson precious. I usually kept the glass from its “belly” instead of the stem. Keeping the glass from the stem prevents the wine to get warm for your hand’s heat and when you get closer with your mouth you are not distracted from the wine’s flavours by the smell of you skin.

Valentina Grossi

Travelling with Valentina