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| Carlo Ferrini- Consultant |
If you look at the common denominator in some of the
premier Chianti Classico Estates of Tuscany making some
amazing wines, one person stands out as the common thread.
Carlo Ferrini is like a magician who has helped various
estates like Castello di Brolio, Fonterutoli, Principe
Corsini and Brancaia in Maremma produce memorable and
well awarded wines during more than the last decade.
He is a viniculture advisor for some of the most renowned
wine-growing estates in Tuscany.
The 53 years old Carlo Ferrini, the namesake of a famous
Italian composer and pianist of the last century received
degrees in both agronomy and enology at the agricultural
university of Florence in late seventies, a rare distinction
at that time. He started working with the Consorzio
del Chianti Classico and became the Technical Director
in 1986. He conceived and implemented the "Chianti
Classico 2000" project. He is also a member of
the prestigious Accademia della Vite e del Vino.
This job gave him the opportunity to examine nooks
and corners of the historic heartland of the Tuscan
wine industry. He learned where Sangiovese and other
local vine varieties produced their best fruit. He fine-tuned
the adaptation of viticulture methods to Chianti Classico's
diverse terroir.
He left the Consorzio in the early 1990s to work as
a consultant with a range of Tuscan estates.
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| Filippo Mazzei- Producer Fonterutoli |
Since 1991 he has been a consultant with Fonterutoli.
Like most of his favourite styles- fully extracted and
powerful age-worthy wines made from blends, he has crafted
their Super Tuscan Siepi, an IGT wine made with 50%
Sangiovese and 50% Merlot. The latest released vintage
has been given 93 points by Robert Parker. His friend
and the producer Filippo Mazzei with whom he works the
best feels it deserves more than 95. "Today 95-96
are important for a wine to be distinguished and differentiated'
he says. All the same, Ferrini's technical skills have
dovetailed Mazzei's entrepreneurial and managerial skills.
He has also collaborated with Duccio Corsini of Principe
Corsini for their Chianti Classico wines. (Incidentally,
Duccio has part Indian blood- his great great grandmother
was the Begum of Meerut) since 1992.
When the Ricasoli family took control of Castello di
Brolio in 1993, he was associated with Baron Francesco
Ricasoli as the winemaker consultant. He has helped
in making Castello di Brolio and the Super Tuscan beauty
Casalferro (iron horse) international stars, winning
several top awards.
He personally visits each of his Tuscan clients about
once every two weeks. During the harvest time, his visits
are more frequent. In fact, I caught up with him at
Fonterutoli where he was busy observing the maceration
of Merlot which had just been harvested.
He believes that the Italian wine industry is in a
revolutionary phase. The momentum began in the 1990s
when there was a steady increase of interest in vineyard
areas outside the traditional zones. Most of this interest
has focused on the Tuscan coast. Producers have been
planting a wide range of different grape varieties using
differing technologies. Carlo feels 'it will be forty
years before we know what grape varieties grow well
where. During this time, the best vineyard technologies
will slowly become evident.'
Carlo tries to make the best wine he can from the mix
of terroirs each client has. He loves Sangiovese as
the basic grape for premium wines. But he likes to blend
4-5 varieties to get better balance and complex blend.
Blending is in fact his most important enological tool
to create the wines his clients want.
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