L'Italo-Americano

I l P r i m i t i v o d i T u r i : " i t h a s t h e b e a u t i f u l c o l o r o f a g e d w i n e , a d r y tonic flavor, a most pleasant, harmonious scent, generous as a whole" (Dr Antonio Carpenè) Wine -- "the gods' nec- tar," according to classical mythology – has always been a n a n c e s t r a l s y m b o l o f human civilization, a pre- cious food with the deepest m e a n i n g . I n t h e O l d Testament, wine was con- sidered the symbol of all the gifts coming from God. A true myth! From Bacchus, divinity of the Romans, to Dionysus, god of the Greeks, all the way back to Osiris, worshipped by the ancient E g y p t i a n s f o r h i s m a n y virtues. I n G r e e k m y t h o l o g y , Dionysus was the god of ecstasy, wine and drunken- ness. A carefree, wild, sensu- al and chaotic being, embod- iment of all that was instinc- tive and irrational. An extra- ordinary vital force, that rep- resented life's will, nature's energy and the fertility of M a n a n d E a r t h . F o r t h e Greeks, Dionysus was an important god and celebrat- ing him was fun. In ancient t i m e s , D i o n y s i a n r i t u a l s were described and repre- sented as endless proces- sions where all participants, inebriated with wine, led themselves to a frenzy; these rituals mirrored the events in the god's life, with its chaotic processions of women, the maenads (also known as bac- c h a n t e s ) , w e a r i n g l a u r e l crowns and animal skins, and men dressed like satyrs. All participants, drunk with wine, danced to an obsessive r h y t h m a n d a b a n d o n e d themselves to the dithyra- m b , a n a n c i e n t f o r m o f choral lyrical poetry. This rhythmic, tumultuous dance was accompanied by ancient musical instruments, like flutes and drums. The aim of the ritual was reaching a special state of possession, and it climaxed with the hunt, killing and consumption of a wild ani- mal. In figurative art, Dionysus is represented as a youth w i t h f e m i n i n e t r a i t s , crowned with laurel and ivy l e a v e s , o r g r a p e v i n e s . I n ancient Rome, the purest wine was called merum and was used especially during religious ceremonies. During the most sumptuous ban- quets, the symposia, it was diluted with warm or cold water, in quantities propor- tional to the density and the quality of the wine itself. The use of a large terracotta vase called krater, with a wide rim and handles in a variety of shapes, was common in both Roman and Greek sym- posia, especially to mix wine and water. Each krater was painted and dedicated to a god. Often, the mixture was sweetened or aromatized, depending on the season. Marcus Terentius Varro, Virgil, Pliny the Elder and Lucius Junius Moderatus Colummella, respected men of letters, agronomists and naturalists, dedicated many a study and literary works to viticulture and to the art of winemaking. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, con- s i d e r e d w i n e a n a t u r a l medicament, useful to help the kidneys and digestion. Plato wrote that a moderate consumption of wine could give strength and vigor to the body. In the 9 th century AD, the doctors of the Schola M e d i c a S a l e r n i t a n a b e l i e v e d i t p o s s e s s e d a plethora of beneficial proper- ties: "it sharpens the mind, s t r e n g t h e n s t h e s i g h t , improves hearing and makes the body strong." Dante, our S o m m o P o e t a , d e d i c a t e d some verses of his Divine Commedy to wine, evoking with a metaphor the idea of STEFANO DE CAROLIS LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Nothing is as satisfying as having homemade bread and wine in a vineyard, especially in beautiful Puglia (Photo: Stefano De Carolis) The legendary life of Primitivo di Turi wine Continued to page 34 THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano Transporting grapes to the winery (Photo: Stefano De Carolis)

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