In Greek mythology is said that, Dionysus (God of Wine) asked one day to Silenus, his tutor for advice on how to wage war without the use of weapons. Silenus advised him to use thyrses (rod twisted ivy and vines) and drums (which made only the sound) and above all have something that resembled blood: wine. Silenus told about a plant that looked very funny fruits, which love so much the company to be always together around a single stem. "If you blink these fruits, he said to Dionysus, comes out a liquid equals the blood, if you will eat them, they give the body the same energy, in short, is why, he said, that the plant I called Screw".
So Dionysus, having won with the "crash" Indies and Egypt, he was planting the screw, collecting the fruit, forcing his subjects to eat it and when he saw them besmeared on the face and hands, said: "Now you can no longer say that I do not pour blood too. "
The first fingerprints of '"domestication" of the screw, from Latin vitis, are found in parts of Asia and the Caucasus. The discovery of some seeds dating back to 8,000 BC allows to determine the period of commencement of the practices of viticulture - around 5,000 BC The Vitis vinifera appears in Mesopotamia. After many centuries, the seeds of the vine, migrated to Europe, apparently pushed by the wind. The Egyptians have left us with testimonials frescoes on the graves describe pergolas and with very low foliage.
Later it was the time of the ancient Greeks who spread wine culture by studying the types of vines and first wine-making techniques.Homer tells us that the greek wine came from the island of Lemnos, was of good texture and fruity taste.With the advent of Christianity and the decline of the Roman Empire, the wine takes on a sacred function.
Story of Grapes
The grape is appreciated since the dawn of time, so as to rediscover it in mythology as the result of pleasure in the banquet of the gods, in the canteens of the principles and in the paintings of the great masters. The grape is the symbol of the Eucharist. Why wine is produced from it, which for the Christian culture symbolizes the blood of Christ. Until the mid-800, however, had no great difference between table grapes and this for making the wine. It was Italy who started the first distinction among connoisseurs of wine grapes than from food. The fruit, a symbol of life, is the most precious possession gives us the land at the end of the summer because it is a veritable treasure trove of nutrients that helps our body to cope with the return to the rhythms winter. Why grapes "for eat" as the Romans called it, is a wealth of southern Italy. In the years '53-54 they begin to plant the grapes Italia obtained from the intersection White Grapes and Muscat of Hamburg and the results are seen immediately. In the 70s', was introduced the system of "sheets", plastic covers placed on the rows of grapes to protect against the weather and allow you to be able to pick the grapes until the month of December.
And how true that Rutigliano owns the land suitable for cultivation of any culture, it's also true that it has a protection almost "divine", told the following story: in 1612, thanks to the devotion and with the alms of the people of Rutigliano , was built a new convent of the Capuchins. One Castellano of Spain, had commissioned an excellent craftsman of Brindisi, processing an image of the Holy Cross. Done the work, except the head, not perfected, nor joint to the body, he put everything in a box to take him to Barcelona, home of Castellano. Party therefore from Brindisi, praised the author, step-by Rutigliano, and headed to Bari, but the animals that carried the wagon, arrived the entrance of the the old road still leads to the convent of the Capuchin Fathers, they stopped and there was no how to make them walk. Then the author went out of his mind, and allowing animals to take the path that they liked it, he saw that they walked towards the convent. Once at the convent, the animals stopped again, and there was no way for him to continue the journey. The author, then thought to ask for hospitality for a night at the Capuchin Fathers, and asked to deposit the case in the church of the Convent, tightly closed. The next morning, having voiced the friars, the desire to see the work of the craftsman, they went to church. Opening the case, the author saw the head of the Crucified completed in a most excellent way, and realizing that it was not his work, he fell to the ground unconscious. The friars admiring the wonderful work, did not know how to explain what happened. It was then that the author, for received the many signs, so he decided to donate that crucifix to the Capuchin Monastery. Devotedly donated the picture to the Convent of Rutigliano. This was a great gift to the town of Rutigliano, who began to become a great power for its thriving agriculture. In 1709, he presented himself in Apulia a great drought, the plants were dying, animals, having nothing to eat, they could not outlive, and consequently also the men, a catastrophe was about to happen. It was then that the Mayor of Rutigliano of that year, and is addressed to the Superior of the convent, to be able to carry in procession the sacred image, as a sign of penance, until he had obtained a copious rain. So, September 15, 1907, the SS. was carried in procession through all the streets of Rutigliano, with all the people stayed in the church for 8 days, and before that on the eighth day ended a heavy rain that fell satiated all the people. This was not the first and last time that our country resorted to the SS. Crucified, and he had to listen ...
