Submitted by Hope Murphy on the 2019 summer session program in Italy sponsored by the School of Nursing…
On Tuesday, June 4th, our study abroad group and I visited the Capezzana winery in Carmignano, Italy. During this tour, we saw the wine vineyards, old and new wine vats, and visited the olive oil mills. During this experience, we learned how wine and olive oil is made and aged. Interestingly, we learned that wine should not be exposed to oxygen because it goes through an oxidation process, making the wine give off a vinegar taste. To avoid oxidation, nitrogen gas is used to eliminate exposure to oxygen when bottling and storing the wine. We also learned that olive oil is put through a hydraulic press and centrifuge (which splits the water from the oil) and created into a paste before it is turned to a liquid for storage. I always knew that you could drink wine years later, but I never knew you could do the same with eating olive oil. We also later learned that balsamic vinegar follows the same pattern. After the tour of the winery and olive oil mills, we had a lunch which consisted of risotto, salad, bread with olive oil, cheese and assorted meats. It was fascinating to see Italian culture and how a typical meal is eaten in Italy. It was an amazing opportunity.
