With vineyards located on the foothills of the Pratomagno Mountains in Valdarno, Il Borro has been cultivating its renowned wine selection since 1997 with their first vineyard. The revival of Il Borro, an estate in central Tuscany, began with the purchase of the land by Ferruccio Ferragamo four years prior. In 2003, they launched their first wine, Il Borro, and in 2004 unveiled their second, Pian di Nova, both of which guests in Casa de Campo were able to sample at La Piazzetta last Thursday.
The Il Borro wines are tenderly known as the brand’s first-born, deemed “well-behaved and refined,” they are full and intense with ruby color and have a dry taste. Plants of the Pian di Nova wines are planted 100 meters lower than that of Il Borro, for a total of 200 meters above sea level in sandy soil and yield approximately 1.5 kg of grapes per plant, of which there are 4,700 plants per hectare. Incorporating 25% Sangiovese grapes and 75% Syrah, the result is a floral and fruity bouquet with hints of spicy notes. It is best paired with spicy and strong flavored dishes.
Simone Pinton, Sommelier for Casa de Campo, Franceso Pineider, Export Manager for Il Borro wines, and Massimo Caretta, Manager of La Piazzetta
The evening wine-tasting was led by the winery’s export manager, Francesco Pineider and included the assistance of Casa de Campo’s Sommelier, Simone Pinton and the manager of La Piazzetta, Massimo Caretta. With each wine, guests learned a brief history of the wine region and production, like that the estate has moved to a purely organic, biodynamic cultivation system. The total exclusion of chemical products along with the use of solar power, electric vehicles, and a biomass power plant cements their dedication to the land and sustainability.
A tasting of the Polissena and Lamelle wines were also within Il Borro’s selection, the first of which comes from the estate’s first vineyard, Politi and is said to represent “the most the Tuscan tradition.” The Polissena is composed exclusively of one of Tuscany’s typical grape varieties: Sangiovese, and pairs especially well with aged cheeses, cured meats, and a personal favorite of mine, wild boar.
Guests mingling outside La Piazzetta
Lastly, attendees enjoyed the Lamelle, Il Borro’s “youngest child” and the only white wine they offer, due to the area’s challenging environment for producing white wine. Straw-yellow in color, it’s made from hand-picked Chardonnay grapes and comes with notes of freshness as a result of its short cask life, 50% in new French casks and 50% in stainless-steel vats for just 8-10 days. It matures for two months in barrels followed by two months in the bottle before being sold. The Il Borro wine, in comparison, is left to mature in casks for at least 18 months and a further 8 months in the bottle.
Peg and John Shannon
All who came were pleased by the presentation, and to spend a night different from the rest in Altos de Chavón. Standing on the restaurant’s cobbled outdoor patio, warm lanterns made for a charming atmosphere, along with light music that preceded the last Flavors of the World event at La Piazzetta, New Orleans, on Friday and Saturday. It could be that wine and beverage tastings become an accompanying event to Flavors of the World gastronomy weekends, we certainly hope so, the last of which featured The Macallan Experience for Flavors of the World London.
View more photos taken during the Il Borro wine tasting at La Piazzetta by Mairobi Herrera on Thursday, November 9th:
* Product information from Il Borro’s website.
