The Ferragamo family, owners of the luxury fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo and the winery and hotel Il Borro, in Tuscany’s Valdarno di Sopra southeast of Florence, are expanding into the Brunello business. The family just closed a deal to buy the Pinino estate in Montalcino. The sale includes 40 acres of vineyards (with almost 19 acres designated for Brunello di Montalcino), a winery, aging cellar and current inventory back to 2012. The price is undisclosed.
“We have had our eye on Montalcino for many years and even distributed a wine from this part of Tuscany in the past,” Il Borro CEO Salvatore Ferragamo told Wine Spectator. “I feel that in expanding the Borro wines portfolio we looked at Montalcino and Bolgheri. And Pinino was the perfect size and with the most interesting quality wines for us to develop and include in the Borro wines portfolio.” (Massimo Ferragamo, Salvatore's uncle, separately owned the Montalcino winery Castiglion del Bosco until recently.)
Ferragamo confirmed that the company plans to keep the Pinino name for the historic property, which was established in 1874. The vineyards are split between two locations. One site is 10 acres, north of the town of Montalcino, near Le Chiuse, Il Marroneto, Siro Pacenti and Valdicava. That vineyard has stony, well-drained soils. A second site encompasses 30 acres of vines, located to the east, adjacent to Casanova di Neri. There, the soils are a mix of limestone and clay.
In addition to the 19 acres devoted to Brunello, the remaining 21 acres are classified as Rosso di Montalcino and IGT Sant’Antimo. The Ferragamo family plans to retain Stefano Chioccioli as consulting winemaker for the project. Total annual production is 6,700 cases.
The Ferragamo Wine Business is Growing
The Ferragamos’ wine ventures began in 1993 with the acquisition of the hunting estate and hamlet of Il Borro, purchased by Ferrucio Ferragamo from Duke Amedeo d’Aosta. Under Ferragamo’s guidance, the historic buildings were restored and the 2,700-acre property developed and converted to organic farming, producing grapes, olive oil, honey and seasonal vegetables. Its hospitality operation boasts villas and suites and is a Relais and Châteaux property.
Il Borro released its first wine in 2001, a Bordeaux blend Super Tuscan red. Today there are 210 acres of vineyards producing 12 different wines. A new 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon called Nitrito was recently released in the United States, retailing for $450 a bottle.
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