Vendemmia della Carata Festival Celebrates Vintage Harvesting in Polpenazze
As with every grape harvest season, the “Vendemmia della Carata” festival returns to Piazza Biolchi in Polpenazze with its charming and folkloric celebration.
Start of the Event
An event that began last evening with a “rustic dinner” and the inauguration of the permanent exhibition of vintage agricultural tools, particularly those related to “harvesting.” These include the gerla, the vat, the wine press, the “vendemiarine,” all worn in traditional costume, and the “carata,” a tool once used in agricultural transportation, now loaded with vines and grapes to be harvested in the town’s main square.
The grape harvesting operations will take place throughout the day today, Sunday, which will also feature a parade through the streets of the town and the Valtenesi area, showcasing vintage cars. The event will include also a visit to the Bottarelli Winery of Picedo.
Events and Celebrations
At 12:00 PM, a lunch will be held in the historic center with an exhibition of antique cars, followed by the start of the parade at 4:00 PM featuring vintage farm carts and machinery, culminating in traditional grape crushing and foot stomping in the vat, similar to old times, with the final pressing.
At 5:30 PM, still in Piazza Biolchi, there will be a concert by the local band “Francesco Marchiori,” directed by maestro Luigi Bertuetti. At the end of this 13th edition, from 7:30 PM onwards, a rustic dinner open to all will be held.
Dishes and Entertainment
This is a culinary gathering of its kind, reviving rural recipes from a not-too-distant past, characterized by simple, traditional dishes. Many of these recipes had fallen into obscurity but are periodically revived, thanks to festivals like this, appearing very honorably back on our tables.
Roast skewers with polenta, veal cheeks dressed with Valtenesi extra virgin olive oil, mixed boiled meats, soppressa, local hen, tongue, tripe, pork rinds with beans, tomato-flavored lucanica sausages, salami, grilled cheese, peppers in oil with cheese, French fries, and finally, local cakes and desserts. The meal will be paired with wines from Valtenesi and, of course, a good grappino.
Most of the proceeds, as has become tradition, will be donated to charity. To keep company with the lively tables, the Bruno Castrini Band orchestra will perform dance music, including traditional, modern, and ’60s hits.
