Giant Vines of Asprinio
I read about the Asprinio vines before coming to Italy and I knew that I had to see them at least once while here. Luck would have it that they were found in the exact area we would be living! Well, after waiting for over a year to visit this winery (Covid, cancellations, etc), it finally happened!! A visit to a winery that grows grapes unlike any other winery- STRAIGHT UP- and I mean 15 meters (about 49 feet) up!!
I Borboni belongs to one of the first families to ever settle in the town of Luciano in Aversa here in the Campania region. The Numeroso family cultivates the giant vines of Asprinio. This method of “marrying” vines to trees was introduced by the Etruscans! In order to harvest these unpruned and untreated green walls, workers are required to climb ladders (each of them have their own adapted to their shape) and fill small pointed baskets. The process of vinifying Asprinio is carried out in cellars dug into the tuff, which reach down to a depth of about 15 meters. Sadly, this form of viticulture seems to be slowly dying out… there is no younger generation to take over due to lack of interest.
We met with Nicola Numeroso, who helps run the family business since his father passed when he was 21 years old. He drove us a short distance to the only part of the vineyard that is open to visitors, gave us a tour of the winery, and showed us the cellar far below. We even caught a glimpse of the 2022 harvest happening! To see something of this magnitude and learn of its uniqueness was truly an experience!
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Our roots will forever be from here, America, born and raised. Yet, life requires us to move more frequently than we care to count. Whether living stateside or abroad, you can always find us traveling somewhere. We scout out places that you only think you can dream of one day seeing and we seek out those that aren’t found in guidebooks. We then bring them to life here in our travel memos, so hopefully, one day you too can visit them or at least be able to live vicariously through us. This blog isn’t just about crossing off places from a bucket list. It’s about absorbing and learning how other cultures grow and fit into the same world that we do. Life is short and the world is big. Enjoy and get out there!
American Roots. Traveling Boots. 