A few days ago, on twitter, oliviaemarino had been asking for suggestions about an itinerary for their upcoming visit to the Treviso region and the piece they intended to write about it.

Since I love my land, my hills and the pleasant town of Asolo, I could not resist such a lure and I wrote on their blog, pointing out the places in the area that, in my opinion, were absolute “musts”.

And so it happened: this morning, to my great delight, Pietro and Silvia came to visit our Firm, taking photos, filming videos and inquiring with healthy curiosity about our work here.

Together we tasted the Prosecco Sparkling Wine base, pairing it with Oliviaemarino’s crackling and olive-laden puff pastries.

I feel inadequate to convey my happiness at meeting these two young enterprising people, who are so interested in the history of out wines and of our region.

This is a valid example of the powers of the social networks, in which we so strongly believe and that allow Bele Casel to know and be known.

Facebook: Bele Casel , Luca Ferraro

Twitter

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Work in the cellar continues. We assayed all Proseccos, trying very hard to memorize each minute variation. This (here) is how Prosecco looked like at the end of the fermentation process.

Two days ago one of the tanks started exuding some redolence of thickening and dregs.  This is the perfect time to begin the decanting. This once we will not work in an inert environment:  without overdoing it, small amounts of oxygen are required.  The first part of the container will be gravity-filled, while the remainder will be done with the help of a pump.

Yesterday, after decanting the last of the tanks, we once more assayed each wine; one after the other, in religious silence. At the end of the tasting no words were necessary.  A mutual exchange of approving glances was all we needed to express our gratification. We will remember this year not only because of the Asolo DOCG, but also because of the exceptional quality of the wines.

Today it has not been a real grapeharvest day, 20 persons for just one ectar of Merlot, 50 quintals finished in two hours time, a joke!

At 10.30 a.m. tables for lunch were ready, bread and cheese already cut to be eaten, hot grills, and all workers seated down  holding a full  glass  of wine just to celebrate the last grapeharvest day! Can I tell something? We stand up around 03.00 pm a bit drunk but happy for having  finished  with the harvest.

As per samples analysis, once fermentation it will be over we will get a wine with  13.5 alcoholic degrees.

Grape was tasty and crispy like never, once removed from the bunch, the skin released immediately its colour so I think that this year would be great, but I will leave you  judge it.
For now we can say that it has been a success.

Good night to everybody
Luca

Six days, six  hard days but at the end all Prosecco has been completely harvest! Today we had harvest grape of Caerano’ vineyards,  from these grapes it will be produced the Prosecco  Doc Treviso.

We could have got 180 quintals in this vineyard, but we yield less than 100 quintals.

Today my father has filtered the must for the Millesimato 2009 after have tasting all the musts present in the cellar.

The must for our best product comes from “Pellizzon” vineyards.

Grapeharvests are not finished yet, there are 40/50 quintals of Merlot left but still I would like to anticipate my thanks to:

Giacomo who let me being present even if he starts to give hard time to my wife for the willing to join us in this world!

My father who weared out his shoes soles up and down in the cellar for checking wines and musts.

My mother who has made wonderful home- made lunches and for having welcome all our workers.

My sister and her boyfriend for “waisting” their last relaxing time before starting a new life in the adults world.

Luciano nicknamed Ciano who for six days has unloaded full buckets at a machine-gun pace.

My parents in low for having drove all the way long just to come and help us!

And to all the others workers that make this grapeharvest 2009 unique!

Today  has been an easy going day, I helped my father in the winery doing the last decanting, that this year take more time than in the past. Every tanks before being filled up is saturated with carbon dioxide to avoid any contact of the grape juice with the oxygen.

At noon and in the afternoon we received two full load of grape coming from “Pellizzon” vineyards.

Since I ve got some time to do it, I ve decided to load some photos regarding our work in the vineyard.

A “Glera” bucket that will become from the 1st of april Asolo Prosecco Docg Superiore

Grape into the bucket is unloaded into a wine case hanged up on a fork lift

And from the wine crate goes into the trailer

And these are all the steps followed in the vineyards, soon I will show you what happens in the winery

Have a nice sunday

I dont know if it s time to smile or to cry….Prosecco from Cornuda’s vineyard has been completely harvest as well as “Altin” vineyards, the “Pellizzon” one would be completed tomorrow. And these two are the good news. Let’s talk about the negative side, about 80 quintals are waiting to be crashed due to the sudden breaking of the olive  pomp, a pomp for the loading of the whole grape into the crashing machine.  All has happened on saturday night where is impossible to find a technician available. We will grind on with the hope that someone soon or later will came to help us  and leave us to end up with our work.

Thanks God, in the winery everything goes well without any problem.

Following a photo of a frozen steel tank due to normal must cooling operation.

Good night for now….see ya

Luca

Tonight I will be very short on writing the journey because tiredness is inexorably coming and we start ending with our work later than we used to. One thing makes me very happy and proud, must analysis is excellent, I cant describe my satisfaction when I read that the juice extract, the value that describe the wine structure, was at 24g/lt, I belive I never seen Prosecco’s must with these kind of value.

Fermentation are going on regularly and my father is always  looking after them.

Tomorrow will be an harder day, on saturday relatives and friends come to help us and it will be not easy to handle all of them.

I wish you a good night

Luca

After a night thunderstorm, the second day grape’s harvest can begin. The unsettled weather during the morning allowed the must temperature to remain low and preserve it better.

This morning we ended up on the first part of vineyard with about one ectar of Prosecco. We almost reach the grapes quantity grant by the new d.o.c.g. regulation ( 120 quintals/ectar).

While we were working outside in a natural environment and breathing fresh air, my father was busy in the winery following technical procedures by checking fermentation, decanting and graft selected yeasts.

Thanks to the new press bought for this harvest and of course for all the others will come in the future, wine is kept in a inert room.

Tomorrow we’ll repeat…same place, same time, same people!

Good nigth all!

Today working hours very early in the morning, set up last things to do and let’s start with the 2009’s grapeharvest! Starting time for all the helping workers around 08:00.

During the first four hours the total harvest has been around 39 quintals, followed by a delicious lunch time, pasta with home made tomato sauce, meat and home-grown vegetables.

In the next four hours harvest has been of 43 quintals.

For my father and I it is not over yet! We have still two hours ahead for the wine press to finish its cycle, half an hour to empty and wash up the press and once everything is done everybody goes to sleep because tomorrow will be another hard day!

Good night

Luca

p.s. Photos and videos coming soon…