Memorable Moment: Grape Harvest in Tuscany

I’ve lived in Italy for almost 8 years and have always expressed my desire to be part of the grape harvest, vendemmia, which takes place in fall. For some reason or another, I’ve never got the chance to do so until this year.

Abundance of grapes

I was beyond excited to receive an invitation to be part of the grape harvest with Cecchi at their Valle delle Rose vineyard in Maremma, Tuscany. Even better, I participated in this vendemmia with a group of lovely ladies!

I’d be upfront and say that we had it easy. We picked grapes for an hour or so but nothing back breaking like most would experience. I’m not complaining and it was nonetheless, a fabulous experience. We were provided with the necessary gear and given some basic points as to how to select the right bunch of grapes.

Getting our hands dirty

As I went about scrutinizing each bunch, I also had the chance to taste a few right off the vine. My goodness – they were sweet and divine, and wished I had more than just a few!

After the harvest, we also had the opportunity to see the process of how grapes were transformed into wine and got a ride through the vast, and beautiful estate. Although the Cecchi estate is not open to the public to be part of the grape harvest, there are many other opportunities to participate in one in Italy.

Val delle Rose vineyard in Maremma, Tuscany

Check out WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) in Italy where you can really get your hands dirty. As a volunteer, you’ll work alongside locals and in return, be provided with accommodation, food and a good dose of life in Italy.

Today, I’m off again to another first, always with Cecchi. This time, we will be olive harvesting, and I’m sure it’ll be another memorable moment. Follow me on Twitter and the hashtag #cecchiharvest to get a glimpse of this experience.

Have you taken part in a vendemmia? What was your experience like?