Borrowed Time
I took this photo after taking lunch at Cantina del Vesuvio, an organic vineyard on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. These slopes are very fertile and there is little need to irrigate because the vines are rooted in dark and porous lavic soil, which naturally retains humidity, releasing it as needed. Volcanic rocks are rich in minerals, and although not immediately available to plants, thousands of years of weathering and being broken down has resulted in fertile rich soils, some of the richest on the planet in fact. The Naples area, which includes Mount Vesuvius, has such rich soils thanks to two large eruptions 35,000 and 12000 years ago. Both eruptions produced very thick deposits of ash and broken rocks which have weathered to rich soils. Today, the area is intensively cultivated and produces grapes, vegetables, orange and lemon trees, herbs, flowers and has become a major tomato growing region. If you buy a tin of Napoli or Cirio tomatoes this is where the tomatoes will have been grown.
The family vineyard here, established in 1948, grows Lacryma Christi, a variety indigenous to the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, that has been produced since ancient Roman times. The first mention of this grape variety being grown in this area dates to the 5th century BC.
It's a sobering thought that all this will be destroyed just like the Roman settlements of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and Stabiae were destroyed in 79AD, when the volcano next erupts, most likely within the next ten years. But more on that in later photos. But hey, che sarà, sarà as they say, and in the meantime I’m slowly enjoying a bottle of Apricot Grappa that I bought in their shop.
Borrowed Time
I took this photo after taking lunch at Cantina del Vesuvio, an organic vineyard on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. These slopes are very fertile and there is little need to irrigate because the vines are rooted in dark and porous lavic soil, which naturally retains humidity, releasing it as needed. Volcanic rocks are rich in minerals, and although not immediately available to plants, thousands of years of weathering and being broken down has resulted in fertile rich soils, some of the richest on the planet in fact. The Naples area, which includes Mount Vesuvius, has such rich soils thanks to two large eruptions 35,000 and 12000 years ago. Both eruptions produced very thick deposits of ash and broken rocks which have weathered to rich soils. Today, the area is intensively cultivated and produces grapes, vegetables, orange and lemon trees, herbs, flowers and has become a major tomato growing region. If you buy a tin of Napoli or Cirio tomatoes this is where the tomatoes will have been grown.
The family vineyard here, established in 1948, grows Lacryma Christi, a variety indigenous to the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, that has been produced since ancient Roman times. The first mention of this grape variety being grown in this area dates to the 5th century BC.
It's a sobering thought that all this will be destroyed just like the Roman settlements of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and Stabiae were destroyed in 79AD, when the volcano next erupts, most likely within the next ten years. But more on that in later photos. But hey, che sarà, sarà as they say, and in the meantime I’m slowly enjoying a bottle of Apricot Grappa that I bought in their shop.