SINCE 1780 · 245 YEARS OF HISTORY
Our
Winery
Hand-carved into the volcanic rock of Mount Vesuvius by my ancestor Vincenzo Oliviero. For over two centuries, it has safeguarded grapes, wine, and family memories.
Our
THE ORIGINS
On July 12, 1780
This is the date when the cellar was completed by my ancestor, Vincenzo Oliviero. This date is certified by both notarized deeds and an inscription on the masonry. For over two centuries, this cellar has been owned by the Oliviero family.
A FEAT OF ENGINEERING
Carved into the rock
The cellar is carved beneath a slab of volcanic rock from a Plinian eruption, with a thickness of between 3 and 5 meters. The cavities were formed by the phenomenon of volcanic magma caving.
The excavation was carried out by hand: sand was removed and the rock was reinforced with masonry, which still supports the large farmhouse above, an outbuilding of the Oliviero family's farm. In the cellar, wine was made and stored from grapes grown on the farm, sold to local wineries, and consumed at the Fuocomuorto inn.
1906 — 2006
A Hundred Years Under the Ashes
The treading vat — the place where grapes were trodden with feet — was last used in 1906. In that year, a volcanic eruption invaded and buried the winery under a fury of lava, ash, water, and sand. The treading vat remained buried for a hundred years, under three meters of sand.
It resurfaced in December 2006, during excavation work to reinforce the rock vault. Today, perfectly preserved, it is the first artifact you encounter when descending into the cellar.
WATER · AIR · TEMPERATURE
Tanks, ventilation, storage
The two cisterns for collecting rainwater, in use until a few years ago, are still well preserved. Also visible are the waterproofing layers of pressed lapilli, which were used to contain the water.
The ventilation system has two openings: one to the south-west, and one to the north-east. The main entrance follows a natural cavity; the secondary opening, however, was created by drilling through the three meters of rock on which the building rests.
Cisterns and openings are arranged at the four cardinal points, ensuring optimal ventilation in every season — ideal temperature and humidity for preserving Lacryma Christi even in the hottest summers.
A REFUGE IN WAR · TODAY A VIBRANT WINERY
From air-raid shelter
to today's winery
During the last world war, the cellar was used by locals and evacuees from Resina (now Ercolano) as a shelter from American bombings: a place of hospitality and safety in the heart of the rock.
After reinforcement work to improve the building's stability, today the cellar is alive again. It stores wine produced by the farm of Vincenzo Oliviero, who has resumed the viticulture and winemaking of his namesake ancestor, producing Lacryma Christi D.O.C.
COME AND DISCOVER IT LIVE
Visit the winery
We'll take you on a journey to discover 245 years of this winery's history: the press, the cisterns, the impermeabilization with lapillus, the volcanic rock. The tour concludes with a tasting of Lacryma Christi.