As summer turns into fall, Italy’s harvest season is in full swing. I love the sound of the Italian verb “to harvest” -  raccogliere.  The harvest itself is the raccolto.  Raccolto is a general term applied to many different types of crops. At this time of year there is the raccolto di zucca (pumpkin harvest) for example.  In a few weeks the raccolto di olive (olive harvest) will begin.  But when it comes to harvesting Italy’s grapes, the simple word raccolto just won’t do.  The grape harvest has its own special term - the vendemmia (the verb is vendemmiare). Seeing the vendemmia, or better yet participating in it, is a peak Italian experience.  As I write this, the vendemmia is going on throughout Tuscany while I am stuck inside, finishing up a two week quarantine mandated by my return to Italy from the United States.  Poor timing on my part!  The best I can do this year is to live vicariously through some friends who’ve been busy helping with the vendemmia on their friend’s farm.  

The quality of the grapes varies from year to year due to the effects of temperature, moisture, and a host of other factors. Some years are better than others and this year is predicted to be a good one for the grapes, which should mean a good vintage of wine.  But just as the pandemic of 2020 has played havoc on so many aspects of life, the cultivation of grapes and the production of wine have not been spared.  There will be fewer experienced seasonal workers because of restricted entry of foreigners into Italy, this is sure to impact the harvest in some areas. It is also unclear what the market will be for wine distribution and export because of the financial effects of COVID-19 throughout the world.  Time will tell how severe the impact of such factors will be on farmers and wine producers. The usual harvest festivals will also be limited - just as many other events have been - a not insignificant cultural loss.

With these problems in mind, I think we all have a civic duty to buy lots and lots of Italian wine this year. It is the least we can do to help the local economy, wouldn’t you agree?

My friends who participated in the harvest shared some of their bounty with me, leaving a much appreciated bag of freshly harvested peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and herbs at my doorstep. In the bag were also some of the freshly picked grapes - more than I could possibly eat.  So, in the spirit of participation in the harvest, I decided to use them to make some grape jam.  With plenty of quarantine-enforced time on my hands I found myself “peeling” the grapes (actually it’s more like squeezing each individual grape to get the pulp out than it is actually peeling them). I then boiled the pulp, strained it to remove the seeds, added the skins back in, and cooked it a second time. The result was a gorgeous deep purple liquid as the skins infused the juice with color. Sadly, my jam making skills failed me and I ended up with a sort of thick grape syrup that never set up into jam. But hey, I’m all for celebrating my failures!  The syrup was intense and sweet - a little drizzle was perfect on fresh ricotta for breakfast. It was also good spooned over some warm tomino cheese with a salad for lunch.

By the time the olive harvest rolls around in early November I plan to be out of quarantine and spending a week on an agriturismo where the raccolto di olive will be in process. Maybe they will put me to work and I will look just as happy, and just as much in my natural element, as my friend Jim (below), looked when he took part in this year’s vendemmia. I’m happy he shared his experiences, his grapes, his joy, and his photos with me.