2 October in an Italian town Marino a traditional grape festival took place Marino Grape Festival(held annually on the first Sunday in October, starting from 1925). This event is one of the oldest harvest festivals in Italy. The autumn festival is full of ancient traditions and is held in the central square of Marino. The town itself is located near the capital of Italy - about 21 km southeast of Rome, in the region Lazio. In the Middle Ages, luxurious villas were built here and extraordinary wines were created, which already gained considerable popularity in that distant time. Today the autumn grape festival is a secular event, but in the recent past it had religious motives. The fact is that on this day the Catholic Church celebrates Day of the Madonna del Rosario (Madonnas of Victory). Italians believe that the image of Madonna XII century protects the crop, protecting it from diseases and bad weather. 
IN 1571 Madonna helped Christians win the battle with the fleet of the Ottoman Empire. This battle took place in Gulf of Patras and became a decisive event in the war. After this, Madonna del Rosario began to be called the Madonna of Victory. That is why in Marino on this day there is a solemn procession in honor of the heavenly patroness Madonna del Rosario, and a medieval knightly tournament is held in the city.
The holiday itself takes place in several stages. In the morning, a solemn mass is held in the churches in honor of the Madonna del Rosario, followed by a festive procession and parade on the occasion of the victory over the Turks. The celebration moves to the central square of the city, where the culmination of the action takes place: within one hour of Fountain of the Four Moors flow of white wine from Malvasia Marino DOC variety! So if it's good for the job 
If you take it on, you can get a lot done. This is the main attraction of the festival, the fountain is a symbol sort of Column and built in XVII century. During the festival, the town turns into a real fair of local delicacies. For the taste of connoisseurs, various smoked meats are offered, prepared according to signature Italian recipes from pork and spices; fresh bread; sweet buns - chambella and many other culinary delights. A huge amount of grapes are eaten (the best local varieties), and wine flows like a river, as if from a cornucopia (every year from 150 t. local white grapes are prepared 3 thousand liters guilt). The fun continues until late at night. The festivities end with a carnival and colorful fireworks.
The Harvest Festival in Marino precedes the Grape and Wine Festival in Bardolino. The city is located close to Verona on the shore Lake Garda. As part of the wine and grape festival, the doors of all wine cellars open, and anyone can taste the wine. Wine tasting is accompanied by theatrical performances and concerts. The holiday ends with fireworks.
How nice it is to sit by the fire in chilly weather, with a promising “crack”, pull the cork out of a dusty bottle and pour fragrant moisture into a glass, preserving the aroma of the hot sun, free breeze, generous earth! Divine pleasure, isn't it? And we owe this pleasure to the beautiful creation of nature - the grapevine. It is not surprising that over the many centuries that have passed since humanity began cultivating grapes, the ceremonies associated with their ripening and harvesting have acquired the character of a national holiday and are celebrated in different countries with invariably wild fun.
Let's begin our acquaintance with the grape harvest holidays from the ancient wine region - Hellas. Long before our era, the inhabitants of the Peloponnesian Peninsula organized festivities dedicated to the god Dionysus, timed to coincide with the beginning of the collection of a valuable product. The fun at these festivities was very riotous and even often obscene. It acquired a decent appearance during classical Greece, in the 5th century BC. Through the streets of cities, from the temple of Dionysus to the temple of Athena, young men carried grapevines, after which competitions of “staphylodromoi” - runners with grapes - were held. Nowadays, different regions of Greece celebrate the day of the grape harvest at different times, staging theatrical performances to introduce tourists to ancient history.
Now let's move to another ancient grape region - Italy. The most popular and generous holiday there is considered to be the grape festival in the city of Marino, near Rome. It is held on the first Sunday of October, the festival begins with a solemn mass and the opening of the fair, parades of medieval knights and tournament re-enactments take place. And then comes the turn of the main event - in the square in the center of Marino, white wine begins to flow from an ancient fountain! Of course, the assembled spectators do not really allow him to wander aimlessly into the ground; a cheerful feast at the fountain and in the surrounding wine cellars simmers until the night. As darkness falls, the lights come on and the sky lights up with fireworks. Every year one and a half hundred tons of grapes are spent on the holiday.
Moving further west, we find ourselves in sunny Spain. Here you can really celebrate until you drop - in September-October, as many as ten grape harvest festivals take place in different Spanish provinces! However, the program for all these holidays is similar - theatrical stamping of grapes, wine and gastronomic tastings, excursions to enotecas. The differences are mainly related to local cultural traditions - for example, in the Basque Country, the highlight of the program is considered to be bullfights and pelota - a kind of ball game. Valladolid annually prepares a giant paella for four thousand eaters. Zaragoza hosts Spain's largest gastronomic festival. Everywhere is fun and interesting.
Next to Spain, at the very edge of the Iberian Peninsula, sits small Portugal. Here, too, they do not forget to pay tribute to the beautiful vine - in the second half of September, local residents enthusiastically organize the Vindima festival. Traditionally, grapes are crushed; gastro tours and folklore performances are organized for tourists. And in the island possessions of Portugal, Madeira, a festival is held dedicated to the famous wine that bears the name of the island. It is very popular among tourists, who can take part in various costume shows, watch a parade of grape pickers and taste wines for free. In addition, they have the opportunity to take part in the process of making Madeira themselves.
In France, famous for its wines, one of the most popular wine festivals is the celebration of young wine - Beaujolais Nouveau. According to tradition, it takes place on the third Sunday of November, when the grapes have already been harvested and pressed, the fresh juice has stood for several weeks and has turned into a light young wine with a bright taste. It is not stored for a long time, so the French have a tradition on this day of going around several bars and drinking at least a glass in each so that the goodness does not go to waste. And in the capital of France, at the beginning of October, a local harvest festival is held - it turns out that in Paris there are also vineyards in Montmartre. The wine from Montmartre itself is not considered something refined, but on this day you can watch performances of folk ensembles from all over the country.
Small, mountainous Switzerland also has its own vineyards, and at the end of September local winegrowers hold a Wine Festival. For three days, the small town of Neuchâtel drinks, walks, and has fun. The streets are painted with various decorations, city brass bands are thundering, one and a half hundred thousand tourists are tasting wines and gorging themselves on the delights of Swiss cuisine. Stands selling wine are installed at every step, people are delighted and ecstatic. and at the end of the celebration, a grand parade of ancient carriages decorated with garlands of flowers is organized. A piquant detail: according to tradition, only virgins are allowed to decorate them...
The traditions of viticulture are treated with great respect in Romania. It is not surprising, since Romanians consider themselves direct descendants of the Romans and believe that the rich wine-making history of Ancient Rome continues in their country. At the end of September, on the Exaltation of the Cross, “grape week” begins in Romania, exhibitions, tastings, and fairs are held. Jugs and even barrels are displayed at the wine cellars for everyone to enjoy. At the market, customers are given whole tubs of wine - try it for your health! And these days old people splash wine in the faces of children so that there is abundance in their homes.
In neighboring Bulgaria, traditions are similar to Romanian ones - the grape harvest also begins on Cross Day, the holiday is called Grozdober. Bulgarian families, wearing festive clothes, go to the vineyards to pick the first bunch. It is believed that before this, new grapes cannot be eaten. In the evening, priests bless the harvest, meals and homes, after which the people begin the festive dinner. Of course, the holiday attracts many tourists; performances and folk ensembles are organized for them. In the central square of a town or village, the most beautiful girls crush grapes in large vats with their feet to the sounds of music.
Now let's move to the other side of the Black Sea, to sunny Georgia. Georgians believe that it was in their country, in the Alazani Valley, that people began to grow grapes and make wine from them. The holiday dedicated to the beginning of the harvest is called Rtveli. The grape harvest here begins at the end of September, the date depends on the ripening period. Large Georgian families come to the gathering, and there are hundreds of them here! They work during the day, and in the evening they enthusiastically empty containers for the new harvest, and many toasts are made. It is considered obligatory to drink to Georgia, St. George, to the harvest, parents, friends, women, to the world... then whoever wants to do it. And so on for several days until the grapes are harvested.
Of course, in addition to the countries and festivals listed above, there are many more wine-growing regions, and probably in all of them there is a custom to celebrate the beginning of a new harvest. We touched upon the most deserved ones, where all world viticulture came from. It's nice to see that all these places have maintained a respectful attitude towards the sunvine, a source of prosperity for local residents, joy and fun for everyone. Let's hope that the good tradition of growing grapes will continue for many years to come, despite all sorts of climatic disturbances, religious and other prejudices. After all, a heavy bunch filled with earth and sun is one of nature’s greatest gifts to man!
Isabella, Riesling, Chasselas, Pinot, Muscat, Cardinal... White, amber yellow, pink, blue or black, the grapes appear in abundance in fresh fruit bowls in autumn. But not only! The sweet flesh of its berries, ripened in the summer sun, also decorates salads, hot dishes and cheese plates, giving them a divine sourness. The berries burst in the mouth and release a delicious pulp that is refreshing and gives a pleasant taste. True pleasure!
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate Vitis vinifera sylvestris, a forest grape: they ate the berries and squeezed the juice out of them. And the desire to domesticate wild grapes appeared about six thousand years ago in the Middle East, when the fermentation process that turns juice into wine was discovered. And although the Greeks and Romans also ate table grapes, they truly reigned on royal tables during the Renaissance: the greatest Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Suleiman the Magnificent, brought the Chasselas vine to King Francis the First of France, who ordered it to be planted in Fontainebleau. Subsequently, Louis XIV did the same at Versailles.
Like other fruits, grapes are rich in sugars, minerals and vitamin B, and low in protein and fat. But what distinguishes it is its content of powerful flavonoid antioxidants, especially resveratrol - one of the most effective anti-aging molecules. This is what gives wine its famous ability to protect the heart.
Grapes are refreshing and invigorating. One of the seasonal varieties, golden "chasselas" with its delicate taste and almost brown color due to its very high sugar content, does not tolerate heat treatment and is mainly served with cheeses and in salads. Muscat, in turn, goes surprisingly well with meat. And Italian white grapes, with their heavy clusters and large, crisp, sweet berries, are especially loved by children.
Salted grape carpaccio with ripe parmesan
For 4 personsPreparation: 10 minutes
- 1 large bunch of large pink grapes
- 8 young sweet onions
- 2 sprigs basil
- a small piece of mature parmesan
- 4 tbsp. l. olive oil
- sea salt Fleur de sel
- freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Cut the washed grapes into quarters and place on plates. Add thinly sliced young onions and a few basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil, season lightly with freshly ground pepper, a pinch of salt and grated Parmesan. Serve.
Puff snack with grape puree
For 4 persons 25 minutes Preparation: 10 minutes
- 4 young turnips with a diameter of 3–4 cm
- 1 bunch of muscat grapes
- 2 small young zucchini
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 100 g soft goat cheese or feta cheese
- a few leaves of purple basil and leeks
- butter
- 4 tbsp. l. olive oil
- sea salt Fleur de sel
- freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Wash the turnips well and cut into thin circles using a slicer. Cut the grapes in half and place in a saucepan with butter and apple cider vinegar. Simmer everything for about 10 minutes until the consistency of thick puree.
Layer turnip slices and stewed grapes on each plate to create a vegetable version of a puff pastry. Scatter basil leaves and leeks around, drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Crumble the cheese on top and add a few thin slices of fresh zucchini. Instead of these vegetables or along with them, you can also add others - as your imagination dictates.
The main annual event in Kakheti is, of course, the grape harvest. They wait for it, prepare for it, and then naturally celebrate the result. In the fall, we managed to take part in Rtveli (that’s the name of this holiday) ourselves.
The grape harvest time in Kakheti varies slightly each year. It depends on weather conditions, but as a rule, Rtveli occurs between the beginning of September and the beginning of October and lasts 5-7 days. Rtveli is a family event: usually the whole family, all city relatives, come to harvest. The grapes need to be harvested as quickly as possible, before the rains begin.
This fall, Rtveli did not very well coincide with the election of a new Georgian president and came out a little crumpled. But no president can decree the grapes, and they still need to be picked, otherwise there is a risk of being left without wine. The Georgians cannot allow this to happen, and we were only too happy to help them.
Georgian friends of our Moscow friends took us to one of the vineyards near Sighnaghi, where we were given a bucket and pruning shears and sent “to the fields.”
Grapes grow here for homemade wine - different varieties mixed, white and black.
But they don’t really like to work in Kakheti, so we didn’t even have time to collect a couple of buckets of grapes (not counting a full stomach) when we were called to the table.
Our loot:
Overripe grapes straight from the vine are a mind-blowing thing, real concentrated Kakhetian sun. This one never reaches us.
The festive feast, in my opinion, is a much more significant and important part of Rtveli than the grape harvest itself. Actually, grapes can be entrusted to hired workers, but a festive dinner is a much more responsible event.
If khinkali is considered the birthplace of Georgia, then Kakheti is the birthplace of shish kebab. At first glance, Kakheti kebab is a very simple thing, but like all Georgian cuisine in general, it benefits from the excellent quality of the products.
Kakheti kebab is made like this: a local semi-wild pig is taken, which grazes in the fresh air all year round and eats well; not very carefully chopped into pieces along with all the fat and bones; seasoned with a handful of coarse salt and roasted over grapevine coals.
Grapevine coals are absolutely thermonuclear, burn out instantly and give off very intense heat. Thing! And no barbecue, this is all nonsense.
The serving is simple - meat, vegetables, shoti bread and homemade cheese.
And wine, of course. We need to quickly finish off last year's reserves to make room for new wine. In my opinion, Rtveli came up with this idea too =))
Some Baltic film crew stopped by our vineyard for a “spark.” In general, there are quite a lot of Baltic people in Georgia, and they suddenly all suddenly remember the Russian language, because the attitude towards Russian speakers in the country is completely different.
To the general amusement, the cameraman was immediately given a half-liter “penalty for sharpness.”
There is no feast in Georgia without toasts, and toasts are a separate type of Georgian verbal art. For example, our toastmaster and part-time owner of the Zaza vineyard pronounces one of them. Every time you definitely need to drink to Georgia, to St. George, to the world, to friends, to parents, to women, to the harvest... Then you are allowed to invent toasts on a free theme. In general, as Georgians say with a sigh the next morning, “it’s difficult.”
