Angry purple skies followed us all day but that didn’t stop us as we had a big day ahead!  Our destination was the area of Aglianico del Vulture DOCG.  Vulture is an extinct volcano that has left the land with soil that is not only very fertile but also offers excellent drainage.  Our first stop was Cantine del Notaio. This winery has been a going concern since 1998 with an annual production of 400,000 bottles, some of which can be found in our Ontario stores from time to time.  We were taken on a fascinating tour of their cellars which were hand dug back in the 1600’s.  We asked about the slime on the walls and were told it is naturally occurring algae!  That along with white mold occurring on the floors and some walls are all nature’s humidity indicators.  Naturally, we tasted a lovely selection of their products; Protesto a frizzante Aglianico rose, La Firma – 100% Aglianco red and l’Autentica – a delicious passito made of a moscato and malvasia blend.