Very sweet research and development

“Look at them! Don’t the little ones look great?” Grape grower Vito Giuliano affectionately calls new grape varieties his little ones. He treats them like his own children. “They’re really sweet,” he says, munching on a few of them. Grapes are Vito’s passion, one could say his life. Now in its fourth generation, the family, near the southern Italian town of Bari, is dedicated to growing delicious grapes, and they are as imaginative as they were on the first day.

On this sunny afternoon in June, Wil Lemmer stands next to Vito. At SanLucar, Wil is the guy in charge of sourcing new varieties. He selects the most promising fruits, orders test fields with the growers, tastes and evaluates the results. “Wil and I are like researchers on behalf of good taste,” says Vito and laughs. Wil Lemmer: “I am the midwife of new varieties for SanLucar. In the end, it’s a team effort made up of sun, experience and even more passion.”

What seems simple at first, rarely turns out that easy. A lot of patience, investment and years of development work are necessary to create good varieties.

And once again, the two “grape maniacs” have succeeded. In the fields of the Giulianos, grapes are now ready to be harvested, which are not only resistant and adaptable, but also taste amazing. “We always juggle many factors,” says Wil, “the varieties themselves, the soil conditions, the amount of water, the amount of sunshine – all of these things play a part in our calculations.

Vito’s fields are virtually made for growing grapes. The dry and warm air ensures uniform growth and low disease infestation. The well aerated, stony soil around Bari and the low salt content in the water also have a very positive effect on the grapes. The water can flow off better through the loose soil, the roots get more air and the stones reflect the sunlight from below, as well.