Vite Maritata
I have a thing for bizarre wines. Especially if they’re white. Doubly so if they’re sparkling. Just so happens I came across such a fascinating find the other day, an Italian sparkler called Grotta del Sole Asprinio d’Aversa. Admittedly, I had no idea what it was, but a little cursory research via the Oxford Companion to Wine (Many thanks, Jancis.) turned up two facts: 1) that Asprinio is a specialty of Campania; and 2) that it is likely identical to Greco di Tufo. A little more digging on the internet and another fun fact emerged: this particular variety grows on trees. That’s right, the vines are actually intertwined with poplar trees in a traditional method called vite maritata, or married vine. They can reach 30 or even 50 meters in height, meaning farmers with ladders custom-made for the purpose are required to harvest them. So while I’m blogging, emailing, and Twittering away, a farmer in a little corner of Italy is climbing a narrow, handmade ladder to check on his Asprinio grapes. Sigh.
Having found this bottle and done this little bit of research reminds me why I love wine. Beacause it’s beautiful in its simplicity, and it connects us to humanity in a way Facebook never will.
Would love to know if anyone has experience with other interesting traditional harvest techniques…
