Francesco Marone Cinzano, owner of Col D’Orcia winery, a noble man with a longstanding passion for wines.

Text by Herman von Bernhardi

On his recent visit to Bali during a wine tasting at Gado Gado, FRV Travel had the opportunity to talk with Italian wine producer Francesco Marone Cinzano, owner of Col D’Orcia winery in Italy and La Reserva del Caliboro in Chile, about what lies behind the success of his wines, both in Italy and Chile.

Please tell us about your self and your family background.
I was born in Lausanne in 1959, and in 1981 I began my financial training at the Kidder Peabody Bank in New York to prepare myself for my involvement in the family company which took place in 1982 at Cinzano Australia. In 1985 I moved to London with IDV to take care of the promotional strategy for Bayleys Irish Cream and in 1987 came back to Italy to work in Cinzano at the Export Department in Turin taking care of international markets. In 1992, I inherited from my father the Col d’Orcia Estate and I became the chairman of the company.

How did you become a wine producer and a grape grower?
My life is linked with my family’s longstanding tradition of winemaking, which dates back to the seventeenth century. For more than four centuries the Cinzano name has been synonymous with high quality wines. I consider myself the heir of a secular familiar tradition; nowadays I carry on the activity and devote myself to it.

Where does your passion for wines come from?
It’s a real passion that leads me to search for new solutions in order to improve what already exists and to explore new frontiers following my family’s traditions.

What makes the Montalcino area in the Tuscany region so special?
As my father used to say, the terroir of Montalcino is “a land gifted in the production of great red wines, a fertile land where sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon have unique characters and are able to express power, elegance and personality, all at the same time. Wines that – wherever drunk – cause strong emotions.” Its climate is typically Mediterranean, with limited rainfall concentrated in the months of March, April, November and December with a high number of sunny days throughout the whole vegetative season ensuring a gradual and complete grape ripening.

Do you only produce wines in Italy?
In 1995, I started my Chilean project having a precise target; to obtain a world class wine combining extraordinary climatic and morphological characteristics, my family wine making tradition and the choice of the best genetic material available. Searching for a new terroir in the wine valleys of Chile was comparable to a treasure hunt. I discovered that one area of Chile showed the best potential for producing red wines with a grand aging perspective: the Maule Valley. Particularly, the hilly highlands lying just east of the central valley.

Why did you decide to produce wines in Chile?
I decided upon an area where I felt there was a great potential to produce world class wines with great ageing perspective and the Maule valley offered me this.

What makes the Caliboro (Maule region) so special?
It’s a combination of intense luminosity from consecutive months of clear skies, fresh dry southerly winds that blow all through the warm seasons, yet just enough rainfall to allow dry farming. All together it offers the optimal harshness, typical of dry Mediterranean climates, for growing traditional red grapes.

What is the philosophy behind your wines?
The wines of Col d’Orcia, all produced and bottled at the cellar, are known for the meticulous process of vinification and the same care is taken with every phase of the production cycle. Now, looking at the future of Col d’Orcia and La Reserva de Caliboro in Chile, I’m conscious that quality means evolution, research and experimentation to find excellence and innovation.

What are the secrets behind the Col D’Orcia’s success?
For many years, in collaboration with the University of Florence, a substantial number of research projects have been conducted, and many are still in progress. The aim of all this research is the improvement of the grape quality of our vineyards, and is concentrated on planting systems, agricultural management of the vineyard and clonal selection of the grape varieties. Also with the University of Milan and and the collaboration of Professor Scienza, we are currently selecting the best plots of land on our property for the planting of the new vineyards and the choice of the root-stocks. All these new vineyards benefit from the knowledge accumulated over 30 years and will continue to improve the quality of our products.

In how many countries are your wines available?
About 70.

How many bottles does Col D’Orcia produce per year?
Col d’Orcia, 800,000 bottles and Viña La Reserva, de Caliboro 100,000.

What do you think of the Indonesian market and its potential for your wines?
Although the consumption of wine in Indonesia is relatively new I have found good professionals, very knowledgeable and capable of recognizing a good price/quality relationship. I am convinced my wines will continue to gain distribution and help consumers get closer to the consumption of good wine.

What do you think about our beautiful island of Bali?
I can’t wait to come back.

Wines available in Indonesia
Col d’Orcia
Spezieri : sangiovese, ciliegiolo, merlot
Chianti Gineprone
Rosso di Montalcino : sangiovese “Brunello”100%
Brunello di Montalcino : sangionvese “Brunello”100%
Viña La Reserva de Caliboro
Erasmo: cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.

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