THE GRAPE HARVEST IN POMPEI: AGREEMENT FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF MASTROBERARDINO’S “VILLA DEI MISTERI” WINE AND A PREVIEW OF THE EXHIBITION “VINUM NOSTRUM” TO BE HELD IN FLORENCE IN 2010

During the grape harvest conducted among the ruins of Pompeii in mid October, not just grapes were being picked: it was also an occasion for the Archeological Area Commissioner, Marcello Fiori, to sign a protocol with the Agricultural Councilor of the Campania Region, Gianfranco Nappi for a project that has the goal of valorizing the biodiversity of the area and to promote the grape cultivation within the archeological site.

There will also be the exhibition “Vinum Nostrum” to be held in Florence next June 2010, and a new marketing project for the distribution of the wine “Villa dei Misteri” by Mastroberardino (the winemaker at the core of this cultural and entrepreneurial idea), produced with grapes that derive from vines that were present in Pompeii before the volcanic explosion in 79 BC, which sealed the city under a blanket of ash.

The wine of the ancient Romans, in fact and the biodiversity of their agriculture is the key to the re-launching of Pompeii. The ninth harvest from the ancient ruins will provide 1,800 bottles that will be used as a “business card” for the archeological site in Italian embassies around the world.
On the 22 hectares located within the walls of the ancient city the use of pesticides is prohibited and a small piece of land has managed to stay isolated and in perfect biological equilibrium for the past 250 years. In the accord between the Commission and the Region other agricultural products will be produced on this land and then sold in areas within the site.