We are now tying up the vines and this year Marco “sourced” some vinco from our neighbour’s garden. Those of you who know him can probably imagine the exact scenario. Offshoots from willow trees were used all over Italy for this purpose before being replaced by bright green plastic cord.

Prosecco producer Luca Ferraro is also using this method at one of his vineyards and writes lyrically about his own memories of tying as a child here . Typically for Italy, every region has their own name; strópe up in Veneto and bekve in Istria (see here another great post with step-by-step tying instructions).The beauty of vinco is that doesn’t strangle the vine in the way that non-degradable synthetic ties do. It just simply breaks off under pressure from the swelling vine.Flexible, biodegradable, sturdy, locally sourced, free…  bravo Sassetti!