In the heart of Basilicata, you’ll find the charming town of Pietragalla, home to a truly unique attraction: the Parco Urbano dei Palmenti. These semi-underground stone structures might look like something out of a hobbit’s tale, but they were actually built for winemaking.
Inside the park, you’ll discover a cluster of these intriguing stone palmenti. If you wander over to the Tofi area on the edge of town, you’ll see about 250 of these incredible structures, dating back to the 19th century. These palmenti are a proud reminder of the region’s rich winemaking heritage and offer visitors and locals alike a fascinating peek into the past.
Carved from excavated rock, the winemaking structures in Pietragalla are a brilliant example of practical design. Their construction maintains a nearly constant internal temperature, making it comfortable for farmers to work year-round. Smart ventilation is provided by the entryway and a small opening in the facade, while a turf roof effectively keeps water out. These features not only safeguard the winemaking process but also highlight the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the local farmers.
Each palmento had multiple tanks at the heart of the winemaking process. Harvested grapes, brought to the palmenti by donkeys, were usually pressed by women and children in the highest tank. The juice, or must, would flow into the lower tank to ferment. Finally, the wine was collected in a circulation tank and then poured into handmade barrels, ready for aging. This careful process showcases the communal effort and traditional methods that have defined Pietragalla’s winemaking heritage.
After aging in handmade barrels, the wine was moved to storage cellars called rutte, carved into nearby caves. Children often had the job of filling carafes or bottles in these dimly lit cellars, where candlelight barely reached the depths. Historical records from 1814 show there were 130 such cellars in Pietragalla.
Today, the Proloco of Pietragalla preserves and shares the rich history of these palmenti and rutte. They offer guided tours, allowing visitors to step back in time and explore the fascinating world of traditional winemaking in this unique Italian town.
