carlo ferrini:
By Lia Tolaini-Banville
NEO-RENAISSANCE MAN
Carlo Ferrini, Italy’ s celebrated enologist
Lia Tolaini-Banville is a central figure in the growing Tolaini family wine legacy: she is an emerging star on the Tuscan wine scene with her Donna Laura wines, and a successful North American wine importer through Banville & Jones Wine Merchants. On behalf of The Cellar Door, Lia caught up with celebrated Tuscan wine consultant, and good friend, Carlo Ferrini. In this feature, Carlo discusses his accomplishments and philosophies about modern winemaking, and reveals what some winemakers are willing to do in order to maintain tradition.
No focus on Tuscany is complete without an introduction to Italy’ s most recognized enologist, a modern viticultural da Vinci or Michelangelo( and perhaps as talented), Carlo Ferrini.
Carlo was born in Florence in 1954 and graduated from the Faculty of Agronomy at the University of Florence in 1978. Starting in 1986, he worked in the technical office of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium where he was in charge of the lab. He acquired a deep knowledge of viticulture and enology, especially regarding the Sangiovese clones grown in Chianti, for which today he is undoubtedly recognized as the regional expert. In 1991 he earned the title of Academic of Vines and Wines, and in 1992 he started his career as a consulting enologist.
Carlo is tall and distinctive yet approachable and always ready to talk about his passion, wine. Carlo does not use email or carry a Blackberry and he doesn’ t even have an office, which means the only way to contact him is by cell phone. He does not speak English( so he says) and his Italian, with that suave Florentine accent, combines with his wonderful sense of humour to make
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