"No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." ~Epictetus, circa 60AD Artwork by Barbara R. Felisky A characteristic of the region is that the nights can be a little cooler than in the valley; this effectively gives the vine a little "rest" from the intense heat of the day, and hence the wines tend to be more aromatic and more elegant. "The fig orchard forms another great part of the farm, but more interesting to strangers are the vineyards. Some of the grapes are growing over pointed stakes set all along the upland terraces; a portion of the vineyards, however, is on level ground. Here a most picturesque method has been used for training the vines. Tall and graceful trees have been set out--elm, maple, oak, poplar. The lower limbs of the trees have been cut away and up their trunks and around their upper branches now swing the vines in magnificent festoons. The growing vines have sprung from tree to tree. The warm breeze has set the rich clusters--already turning purple or golden--swaying above our heads. The air is filled with brightness, greenery, and fragrance. The effect of this 'vineyard grove' is magical." ~William Stearns Davis (1910)