L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano " N o p o e m w a s ever written by a d r i n k e r o f water" ~ Horace Rome, the beloved Eternal City, has contributed much to the modern world. Think about it: architectural innovation, models of gov- erning, roadways, the Julian c a l e n d a r , a m a z i n g a r t , cement…the list goes on and on. But perhaps most endur- ing (and possibly most appre- ciated) is ancient Rome's contribution to the art of wine making. Rome's love affair with w i n e h a s d e e p r o o t s . Intertwined like the tendrils of a grape vine, Roman cul- ture has been inseparable from wine from at least the days of the Empire, if not before. Can you imagine nib- bling a fork full of piping hot pasta alla gricia while gaz- ing at the Colosseum…with- out a glass of wine in hand? Of course not. "Nothing more excel- lent nor more valuable t h a n w i n e w a s e v e r g r a n t e d m a n k i n d b y God" ~ Plato While the earliest nota- tions on wine and wine mak- ing date back over six thou- sand years, we can thank the ancient Greeks for planting the first vines on Italian soil. Void of any altruistic inten- tion, the idea was to simplify having wine at the ready for love and war and everything in between. Viticulture flour- i s h e d . B y t h e t i m e Alexander's regime was con- q u e r e d a n d t h e R o m a n Empire began to thrive, the love affair of the people with fermented juice was well- established. As Roman rule and trade spread across the occupied world, so, too, did vineyards. Cuttings attentive- ly planted and tended by con- quering soldiers found fertile s o i l i n a r e a s o f W e s t e r n Europe now renown for fine wine. You can raise a toast to a Roman soldier next time you enjoy that glass of lusty Bordeaux or perky Pinot. While much of the art of wine making today can claim ancestral rights to ancient R o m e , t h e o r i g i n a l g r a p e varietals have been largely lost over ensuing centuries. Through a visionary collabo- ration between the Parco A r c h e o l o g i c o d e l Colosseo (The Colosseum A r c h e o l o g i c a l P a r k o r PArCo) and Cincinnato Winery, one particular vari- etal of old is finding new life i n t h e a n c i e n t s o i l o f t h e Palatine Hill. " A g r i c u l t u r e – t h e R o m a n c i t i z e n ' s m o s t morally worthy activi- ty." ~ Cato the Elder Following in the footsteps o f P l i n y , C a t o , a n d o t h e r great thinkers who celebrat- ed the labors of the land, Cincinnato Winery origi- nated in 1947 as an ethically minded co-op. Located in Cori, a small town about 30 miles southeast of Rome, the co-op today consists of 105 f a m i l i e s f a r m i n g 5 5 0 hectares of land. Members share a passion for organic methods, cultural preserva- tion, and regeneration of n a t i v e v a r i e t a l s s u c h a s Bellone and Nero Buono. In fact, the name itself hon- ors a revered Roman dicta- t o r , L u c i u s Q u i n c t i u s Cincinnatus (519 BC – 430 BC), who upon retirement shunned the riches and roy- alty of Rome to return to work the land near present- day Cori. T h e C o l o s s e u m Archeological Park (here- by referred to as PArCo) has only been in existence since 2017 but is a kindred spirit to C i n c i n n a t o ' s v a l u e s o f preservation of culture and heritage. Succinctly stated, PArCo's main mission is to serve as guardian to the his- torical heart of Rome. The Park's boundaries include the grounds whereupon sit the treasures of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus, and every other priceless piece of real estate within this area: it's a mighty calling. Along w i t h c o n s e r v a t i o n a n d improvement, PArCo also strives to connect ancient Roman culture to present- d a y R o m e . P a r k d i r e c t o r Alfonsina Russo chooses the term "ethical operation" to define the goal of increas- ing public awareness through means such as educational workshops, interactive tech- nology, and giving visitors first-hand experiences that bring ancient Rome to life. It was the shared idea for a hands-on experience con- n e c t i n g o l d t o n e w t h a t o p e n e d t h e d o o r f o r C i n c i n n a t o W i n e r y t o forge an exciting new – or perhaps "renewed" – collabo- ration with PArCo. Why not reestablish an original/his- toric cultivar vineyard in the soil of the Palatine Hill? "We enjoy an enduring bond with Rome…in particular with its a g r i c u l t u r a l o r i g i n s , " C i n c i n n a t o p r e s i d e n t N a z z a r e n o M i l a t a remarked. "For us, cultivating on the Palatine Hill means not only producing wine, it means culture." "Wine is sunlight held t o g e t h e r b y w a t e r " ~ Galileo In keeping with the goal of authenticity, the ancient cul- tivar Bellone was chosen. T h e b r i g h t g o l d e n - g r e e n grapes were widely grown throughout Roman provinces and resulted in a bright, high- ly drinkable wine. Even Pliny the Elder makes mention of the merits of this fruit, refer- ring to it as the "pantastica grape." Whether his pet name was the result of the grape's thin, bread-like skin (panem is Latin for bread) or favored to be paired with bread, we will never know! However, the choice of Bellone is fit- ting, and nicely honors the goal of bringing an authentic product back to its ancestral ties with Roman culture. The young vineyard drapes itself across an area on the Palatine Hill known as Vigna B a r b e r i n i , t h e n a m e a holdover from the 17 th centu- ry when the Barberini family had an extensive garden here. From present, the first vint- ing of Bellone is at least three years away. Sorry, though: you won't be able to buy a b o t t l e f r o m y o u r f a v o r i t e enoteca. However, you might be lucky enough to score at least a sip, as PArCO has plans for on-site educational programs on Roman vinicul- ture, wine making, and yes… tastings. "It will embody the i n n o v a t i v e v a l u e o f t h e C o l o s s e u m A r c h e o l o g i c a l Park project, conveying its most profound values in a liquid and fragrant guise," states Milata. T h e B e l l o n e v i n e y a r d endeavor, in effect, completes the vision of what Pliny's N a t u r a l i s H i s t o r i a extoled as the symbols of Roman culture: Ficus, Oleum et Vitus. In addition to the newly established vineyard, PArCo facilitates cultivation of 189 olive trees within its grounds, as well as an active- ly producing honeybee oper- a t i o n . T h e t h r e e p r o j e c t s underscore the importance of agriculture in ancient Rome, as well as facilitate opportu- nities for cultural education. Harvests from these pro- grams will not be sold com- mercially but are hoped to be a tangible connection to the r i c h e s o f R o m a n c u l t u r e , both ancient and modern, made available to visitors in this remarkable and historic setting. Ancient vines find new life in the Roman Forum PAULA REYNOLDS NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Soon special wines made with ancient vines typical of Rome will be available for tastings in the Eternal City (Photo: WineDonuts/Shutterstock)

• Cover