Procacci bros. family tradition.

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I was just sent this article from last year about procacci Bros, the place where my family has gotten our juice & grapes & equipment for generations. And I've made it a point to continue to purchase here every fall and keep that family tradition alive.

http://www.phillyvoice.com/wine-ralph/

I love this place, and reading it just made me that much more anxious for September. With last years wine put out for tasting alongside the meats, breads and cheeses amid all the chaos. Also, I now know where our "**** red" recipe came from, and also know that I've been making it wrong, neglecting the Thompson seedless grapes.
I'm already decided on my fall grape varietals, but maybe I'll try and convince a family member to finance a small batch of the **** red and I'll make that too.
Does anyone else have longstanding family traditions with winemaking in the fall?
 
LOL, that is exactly what my Italian immigrant grandpa called his wine, too, which sparked huge controversy on the board when I posted that name. And that is why it is blanked out. Just thought I'd explain. :h I wish I had a supplier within 200 miles like the one you have.
 
Oh man your lucky to be near that goldmine. Im in the sunny Okanagan in Canada British Columbia and theres probly 250 wineries within 2 hours of me and not a single one of them ive talked to is willing to share any grapes or juice with the home wine makers. I think there own winemakers take there recipes and crops very seriously, so much to not share the fruits of there labour. I will try again for fresh grapes this year but me and my wife are now looking into selling our home in the city and purchasing a small vineyard of our own this year.
 
Lol @Smok1 ! If you can't beat em, join em! I suppose I am lucky. But I never looked at it like that. Procacci was always just part of life for us. They sell Regina vineyards grapes and I'm pretty sure they are the only place who sell them locally.
But I also have another monster supplier 30-40 min away at Gino Pintos, the one mentioned in the article in Hammonton NJ. They wholesale as well as owning their own trucks to supply countless shops who then re-sell in the Tri-state area. Accessing fresh grapes is just something I've taken for granted it seems.
And yes @jswordy , I was definitely a little taken aback when I saw that name censored. Though I do understand. But that word was always just used by us referring to the wine. And nobody ever thought twice.
 
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And yes @jswory , I was definitely a little taken aback when I saw that name censored. Though I do understand. But that word was always just used by us referring to the wine. And nobody ever thought twice.

Hah! When I was about 18, my two best friends and I went to an Italian restaurant in South Philly, and tried to get served. (Drinking age was 21.) I'm Irish and my two best friends are 100% Italian. One friend tried to play it cool and order the wine, and said just what he grew up hearing. "We'll have a bottle of the d--- red, please." The waitress looked at us, shook her head, and just said "I don't think so." Needless to say, we did not enjoy any wine with our dinner that evening.
 
And yes @jswordy , I was definitely a little taken aback when I saw that name censored. Though I do understand. But that word was always just used by us referring to the wine. And nobody ever thought twice.

I completely understand. But people got way bent out of shape about it. I was totally surprised. My grandpa called it that all his life, and he came through Ellis Island. All his Italian winemaking friends called it the same.



Some here at that time called him a fool for that. I'm sorry about that Grandpa, but you were nobody's fool!
 
I completely understand. But people got way bent out of shape about it. I was totally surprised. My grandpa called it that all his life, and he came through Ellis Island. All his Italian winemaking friends called it the same.



Some here at that time called him a fool for that. I'm sorry about that Grandpa, but you were nobody's fool!


Very similar situation with my family as well. That's just what we all called it- and still do. And I literally grew up drinking the "Family Red". Growing up, by around age 12 we were permitted to have a glass of homemade at dinner whenever we had spaghetti & meatballs, which was often. Naturally I acquired a taste for the Family Red.
For many years I preferred my dads and grandfathers homemade to ANY other wine. I used to describe it as "that homemade 'family' red kick". Needless to say my buddies also acquired a taste by the time we were teenagers. I had a band in those days and we would jam in the garage, which also had the barrels and demijohns and cases of bottles making for some great nights.
I have so many stories and fond memories about the homemade Family Red. My favorite one was the night a buddy and I were hanging out with 2 of the prettiest girls in the neighborhood. After enjoying some "family red" together we ended up pairing off with the girls and making out. We felt like kings of the world afterwards and proceeded to celebrate after the girls left. Well we celebrated a little too hard, and my buddy's mother, who is Italian and very familiar with our homemade wine, will still bring up her brand new white sofa that was ruined after he went home and got sick. My grandfather was in tears laughing when we told him about it.
This type of wine, the "Family red"'as I'll call it, is exactly that. It reminds me of family, and nothing but good memories.
That really is a fantastic picture too. Definitely a 'framer'.
 
Very similar situation with my family as well. That's just what we all called it- and still do. And I literally grew up drinking the "Family Red". Growing up, by around age 12 we were permitted to have a glass of homemade at dinner whenever we had spaghetti & meatballs, which was often. Naturally I acquired a taste for the Family Red.
For many years I preferred my dads and grandfathers homemade to ANY other wine. I used to describe it as "that homemade 'family' red kick". Needless to say my buddies also acquired a taste by the time we were teenagers. I had a band in those days and we would jam in the garage, which also had the barrels and demijohns and cases of bottles making for some great nights.
I have so many stories and fond memories about the homemade Family Red. My favorite one was the night a buddy and I were hanging out with 2 of the prettiest girls in the neighborhood. After enjoying some "family red" together we ended up pairing off with the girls and making out. We felt like kings of the world afterwards and proceeded to celebrate after the girls left. Well we celebrated a little too hard, and my buddy's mother, who is Italian and very familiar with our homemade wine, will still bring up her brand new white sofa that was ruined after he went home and got sick. My grandfather was in tears laughing when we told him about it.
This type of wine, the "Family red"'as I'll call it, is exactly that. It reminds me of family, and nothing but good memories.
That really is a fantastic picture too. Definitely a 'framer'.

That pic is taken from a Super 8 movie my uncle shot. Grandpa made "Italian Red" and "Italian White" wines. Like you, small sips came my way all through childhood. He kept his barrels in the basement. I only wish I had been a little older, as my uncles, who helped him as kids, do not recall his recipes in any exact manner.

Here's my mom from another home movie, with two bottles of grandpa's wine at one of his birthday parties. At her right is my grandma, at her left is my Uncle Joe and Aunt Della, who was born in Italy just before my grandma emigrated to join her husband in America.



Yes, we had family gatherings back then! Gathered at someone's house every holiday, too. This is one of two tables in my grandparents' basement for that birthday party. In the upper left, you can see the curtain that led into the room where grandpa's barrels were.

 

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