Harvest a Labor of Love

by Aaron Claycomb

Upon their arrival to UD’s Eugene Constantin Campus, every Rome student is quickly introduced to the naturally woven beauty of Italian culture, where the table is the heart of every home. A large, round mosaic table overlooking the vineyard offers one such popular outdoor gathering space, where a big holm-oak shades the sun, and nearby, the olive grove yields virgin olive oil used for delectable campus meals.

Whether salivating over homemade pizza freshly baking in the forno — the outdoor wood oven and grill — or devouring spaghetti alla carbonara in the Mensa, these moments of family and community are essential components of the UD Rome experience.

A popular vintage of choice for dinner? The 2020 Due Santi Rosso. “Some Americans might scoff at a cheesy pasta with a dry red wine, but I can assure you the Italians mix and match,” attests Benjamin Gibbs, BA ’15 MBA ’18, former student affairs director in Rome.

The rich foothills beneath campus produce a bountiful harvest each fall during what is called the vendemmia, or grape harvest, where students handpick merlot and cabernet sauvignon grapes from the vineyard.

Associate Professor of English andrew Osborn, Ph.D., recounts this experience of UD Rome students in “The Harvest,” a poem he penned in reference to aeschylus’ “Eumenides,” the epic Greek tragedy. “We were bad surgeons about it to be sure,” he writes. “Our fingers, viscid, Merlot-purple-stained, faltered and groped like that logy Fury chorus at Delphi, urging itself up from the dream.” Shortly thereafter, he continues, “We’d swarmed out into the honest light and loved the fun demands of La Vendemmia as the sun’s lavish attention ripened every color.”

“The Rosso is perfect with thick steaks, pasta with red sauces, roasted chicken and even Sunday roasts,” offers alumnus michael Housewright, BA ’96. “The 2021 Rosato sings with salads, seafood pasta and highly seasoned meats like fajitas or Vietnamese pork chops.”

“Both of these wines are the best we have produced, and while the Rosato is not typically considered a wine to age, it will drink well for several years,” says housewright. “The 2020 Rosso will drink beautifully now with some air, and will age gracefully for at least a decade.”

Special offer

Enjoy a taste of Rome with your next Italian inspired dish and receive 15% off plus free shipping when you order three or more bottles of Due Santi Wines using the promo code udtower at cellarbrowser.com.