How our Pillastro producers have used their time in lockdown

You might have been following our updates here on the blog and on our Facebook and Instagram pages from our global winemakers and producers as they tell all about how they’ve coped through the COVID-19 pandemic. With restrictions varying in different parts of the world, it’s been fascinating to learn how things have changed in vineyards and the wineries as well as how they have managed throughout.

The situation in Italy has begun to improve and seen a slight ease in the restrictions that once were. At Due Palme in Puglia, Italy where they produce our much loved Pillastro, they’ve shared an insight into how they are progressing post-lockdown and the changes which have had to come into place. A number of Government restrictions still remain in place for Italy which Due Palme are following. This has allowed them to make renovations to the winery and also start up their tastings again.

Whilst winery visits are still suspended, the winery has had a bit of a makeover. New steel silos for storage have been purchased to improve the production area. Work is not yet finished, and new silos will also be placed by the entrance gates.

Protocols provided by the Government are in place throughout the winery which include social distancing, PPE including face masks, gloves and even protective suits for those who are part of the bottling process. There is continuous sanitisation which also includes sanitising the air conditioning filters once a week.

Sanitisation process in winery

Tastings in the winery have resumed and the wine shop has reopened but with much caution. Protective protocols for tastings and visits to the shop include social distancing, hand sanitiser stations and a thermometer for checking temperatures. Production at Due Palme never stopped through lockdown. Workers at the winery worked every single day to ensure they met the demand of both the domestic and foreign markets, despite the drop in sales to restaurants.

Export Manager, Laura Bonfrate tells us “The enthusiasm that can be seen around gives us hope, although obviously for many the recovery will not be easy. We are ready, we accept the challenge of restarting many customers, joining them and working together on new projects and new ideas.”

Vines at Due Palme Winery

It’s too early to tell what harvest will look like but we wish them all the best and look forward to trying the 2020 Pillastro.

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About Laithwaite's Wine

We’re wine nuts, not wine snobs. We’ve been exploring the world on a mission to find great wine for the last 50 years. If you love adventure as much as we do, you belong with us. We know our winegrowers like family – and in some cases they actually are. Expect to hear from these legends of the soil, see behind the scenes access into vineyards and wineries and get news on fresh finds from our travels on this page. Drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for further health information. You must be aged 18 or over to follow.

1 thought on “How our Pillastro producers have used their time in lockdown

  1. Hello, It’s good to see Due Palme are doing well, we visited the winery last September and at no notice Angelo gave us a guided tour around the whole winery, very impressed by both his hospitality and the work they do there!
    I’ve recently take another case of Pillastro which is one of my favourites along with ill Papavro Primitivo. We had 8 days touring North & South Puglia and 33 days in total covering Corsica, Salerno, Puglia N & S, Sicily and finally Sardinia, trying wines along the way! Check out our travel blog with pictures of Cantina Due Palme and their wine shop?

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