Today as yesterday, a Pasquali at work in the ‘Titolo’ vineyards in Barile, a town in the province of Potenza in Basilicata.
The work we do in the vineyard is not viticulture but gardening, so much care is given to our vines. And the Pasquali is the right tractor for our hillside vineyards: its stability is extraordinary, as are its turning radius
Located in Contrada Solagna del Titolo, in Barile in northern Basilicata – Italy, the Azienda Agricola Elena Fucci farm stands on generous piece of land where the six hectares planted with vines, located at 600 metres above sea level and spread out entirely around the winery, look proudly and boldly at Monte Vulture.
The setting around the dormant (but geologically not yet extinct) volcano is of unparalleled beauty: the sun, rain, snow and winds punctuate the changing seasons.
On these hills next to an important vine, Aglianico del Vulture, the Fucci family has always worked with passion to grow the unmistakable and unique character of their wine: ‘Titolo’.
From the first grape harvest, the winery decided to focus everything on a single label, ‘Titolo’, a wine designed to be unique.
“Both the size and yield of the vineyards and the quality given by the maturity of the plants certainly weighed on this choice, which I can now describe as strategic” says Elena Fucci.
“But also the desire to best represent the specific features of Aglianico and the area of Vulture.
A wine that was recognisable thanks to its ability to express the values of a volcanic soil, strongly mineral, dark-coloured and pozzolanic, with all the aromas of this wonderful and in many ways unknown corner of Italy”.
And indeed, for ‘Titolo’ the accolades are endless, starting with the ‘Three glasses’ awarded, for fourteen consecutive years, by Gambero Rosso’s ‘Vini d’Italia’ guide.
Helping Elena, but even before that her grandfather Generoso who bought the vineyards in the 1960s, is a PASQUALI tractor capable of moving with agility between the narrow rows of vines on the mountainside.
A 33 hp PASQUALI 970, air-cooled, 2-cylinder, 4-stroke Lombardini engine with 1332 cc displacement dating back to 1980.
“For Grandpa Generoso it is like his own son” says Elena, smiling, “he is so jealous of it that he has never allowed anyone else to drive it. Only he can. And woe to anyone who touches it!”
A success story, therefore, but one that looks to the future.
If the past of working the rows of vines in Contrada Solagna del Titolo bears the PASQUALI mark, this link will also be strengthened in the future: “To replace our grandfather’s old tractor, we decided to buy a new PASQUALI”.
The new purchase for the Azienda Agricola Elena Fucci farm is a PASQUALI Eos 60 RS, a 49-horsepower tractor that is ideal for working in wine-growing areas, even on slopes.
The low centre of gravity, rigid chassis with steered front wheels and all-wheel drive ensure unrivalled stability and grip.
“Its stability is extraordinary, as is the turning radius. The right tractor for our vineyards, which are situated on hilly terrain with rows about 2 metres apart.
In this way, we can continue working under the plant without the risk of damaging the vines.
The excitement of having bought the ‘grandchild’ of the old PASQUALI that we have always used is unique: I can already picture grandpa when he sees it”.
