Thriving Viticulture in Southern Italy

After the longest bus ride of the month we have finally found ourselves in breathtaking Southern Italy, home of Naples, our farmhouse/hotel in Sorrento and the ruins of Pompeii. One of the most surprising things about our time in Sorrento has been the lack of meat at meals. Up north every course was extremely meat heavy, but down here ham and steak have majorly been replaced with fresh fruits and vegetables. This isn’t too surprising when you see the vast amount fruitful farmland covering this area of the country. Unlike the farms I’m used to back home in Montana, these aren’t fields of monotonous wheat but a mix of citrus fruits, wine and olives.

 The article Matt and I were assigned for this portion focused on the viticulture of ancient Italy. It was questioning why, despite the difficulty of growing grapes, Italian farmers continued to choose to use their land to grow them when it could at times be very unprofitable. An example of period scholars’ opinion on the farmers’ decisions is Cicero talking to Rullus in 63 B.C. saying “Sell of his woodlands and keep the vineyards – how about that for a prodigal son!” Due to the risk associated with growing grapes, it was deemed unwise to enter the market as a producer. However, the demand for Italian wine, both of poor and great quality and everything in between, made its production impossible to avoid. So it continued, and became a staple of the Italian economy despite its many obstacles.

 After visiting Pompeii, it was obvious why it was one of the few areas of Italy where producers won more than they lost in the wine game. The volcanic soil was a great environment to grow everything under the sun, and the dense population made for an immediate market. It was a blast to roam through the ruins and imagine the bustling port town that once stood beneath Vesuvius, and the wine industry that thrived there.