FRESCOBALDI-Caring and Inspiring Change While Producing Top Tuscan Wines

Marchesi Frescobaldi has long been renowned for their top Tuscan wines. We recently visited the region and have news about how the winemaker is setting a positive example with their program, "Frescobaldi for the Social Good." Our readers will be impressed and inspired by Frescobaldi's altruistic spirit and wonderful contributions to their community.

The island of Gorgona, located 20 miles from Liverno, has a penitentiary that houses men in the final phase of their sentences. Established over 150 years ago in 1869, it is Italy's last penal colony island. For the past 10 years, guided by Frescobaldi's talented agronomists and winemakers, the prisoners on the island have been cultivating Vermentino and Ansonica grapes to produce the wine of Gorgona.

Like many people who have been incarcerated, the inmates at Gorgona face both social and personal challenges when they are released. By participating in the winemaking project, the men are learning valuable work skills, earning money for their efforts, and acquiring confidence to return to their communities as productive, responsible citizens. Frescobaldi further ensures the men's futures by providing a full year of employment upon their release.

(Worker at Gorgona)

The administration of the prison at Gorgona originally contacted approximately 200 winemakers in the region hoping to start a program. It was Frescobaldi alone that heeded the call to become involved and recognized the need to develop the work program.

Gorgona wine is the fruit of a 2-hectare vineyard planted on east-facing, wind protected, iron-rich soils. The vineyard, initially planted in 1999 was then renewed and enlarged in 2015 and 2018. The Frescobaldi family has great pride in both the program and the outstanding quality of the organically grown white wine that is being produced.

Marchesi Frescobaldi's President, Lamberto Frescobaldi stated, "Surrounded by its scents and tastes, here in Gorgona there is anything one could wish for: love for this island, man's loving attention, hope for a better life, the influence of the sea, and this extraordinary environment, all elements that combine resulting in a wine that is inimitable, innately exclusive, a symbol of hope and freedom. It is the very essence of this unparalleled corner of the planet and of our project, a symbol that never stops to fill us with excitement."

(Lamberto Frescoaldi holding Gorgona Wine)

While the Gorgona project is headed by Frescobaldi, they have the support and enthusiasm of partners who share their mission including Andrea Bocelli who created the text and signed the bottle label of the 2013 vintage; Simonetta Doni, with Studio Doni & Associati, one of the very few international wine-label design agencies; Giorgio Pinchiorri, owner of Enoteca Pinchiorri, one of the most famous Italian restaurants world-wide; and Argotractors donated a vineyard tractor for use on the island.

Businesses and communities worldwide can learn from "Frescobaldi for the Social Good" with its prison reform initiative. Thanks to the success of the program at Gorgona, the rate of recidivism is 0% for men who have endeavored to learn winemaking skills. What a wonderful accomplishment thanks to Marchesi Frescobaldi!

To learn more about Marchesi Frescobaldi and their portfolio of wines, please visit https://www.frescobaldi.com/en.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marchesi Frescobaldi

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