Part Four!!!

A picture of our table grapes! They are really big and sweet! I always sneak a few as I walk by


Here are pictures of the cantina in the acetaia vecchai. This is where the cooking of the must goes on. As the must is cooked, the impurities are skimmed off the top(Gilberto is doing this).
After the impurities are taken off the must is cooked with the paddles spinning for hours over an open flame until it is reduced to half its original size. There are three cauldrons with paddles that cook the must until it is half the original amount. Then the must is transferred into large cisterns and it starts the fermentation process. I accidently stuck my nose in and it was burned by all the alcohol. At this stage the top of the must is constantly bubbling! It smells good but a bit strong.






This might be my favorite picture! I think that it speaks for itself… I will have to agree with the boys!




Here is an imitation of a large aquila! It turns out the original was actually a buzzard or some such thing. It was in the attic of the house of a very old man. We went to deliver some new barrels of aceto to him. He had some really old barrels-from about 1750 and they broke and leaked aceto onto the floor below. His house is very old and filled with very old stuff. (Daniele was hungry…)