"Magical places are always beautiful and deserve to be contemplated ... Always stay on the bridge between the invisible and the visible."― Paulo Coelho. At Principe Corsini, the invisible became visible to me at first glance.
A few months ago, wanting to learn more about the Chianti wines of Tuscany, I asked my sommelier friend, Kevin, who recommended Principe Corsini. From my first visit there, I knew there was something more than just a story about wine.
At lunch, during our tasting, I noticed a young couple eating beside us, sharing their stories with the other visitors, laughing and enjoying themselves. To my surprise, he was the villa's chef with his wife.
Gaetano Arnone was the chef of a famous Michelin Star Italian restaurant in NYC called Babbo. He and his wife, Meigan Arnone, arrived in Tuscany in 2020 to start a new chapter of their life.
This culinary star became the villa's private chef, sharing his love of the kitchen with the guests of the villa. However, their genuine charm and dedication to Italian culture caught my attention, I felt identified.
After that visit, I was left with a lingering curiosity, so a few months later, I contacted Meigan, who also plays a significant role in the villa and works as the winery's creative director, social media manager, and photographer. She has a way of effortlessly capturing the loveliness of the Tuscan countryside in her photographs.
I wrote her, telling her I wanted to learn more about Villa Corsini, and the winery (Principe Corsini) and she replied, excitedly telling me to visit again; there were so many stories she wanted to share. And so I went with the expectations of a child about to open a box of treasures.
Principe Corsini, is in San Casciano Val di Pesa, just a thirty-minute drive from Florence. It is the first commune that holds Chianti Classico region a select wine-producing area with an outstanding landscape like any you see in the postcards of the Chianti area.
The villa is a piece of Italy's history, acquired in 1363 and designed by the renowned architect Santi di Tito by the end of the Renaissance. Villa le Corti is a national monument recognized for its largest private archive holding documents from 1020 to1960, for its incredible architecture, gardens, and superb wine cellars.
With over 600 years of experience in winemaking, at Principe Corsini, they also produce olive oil, grow organic vegetables, and plant seeds in their gardens and farmhouse. On top of that, they do an extraordinary job hosting events, and offering cooking classes, day tours, and tastings in this regal atmosphere.
The property holds 600 acres of land, producing different styles of wines: mostly from Sangiovese, Tuscany's signature stamp grape, but they also have plantings of Merlot, Colorino, and Canaiolo. On one of its southeast-facing slopes lies “the Gugliaie vineyard”, a fertile piece of land with a history like no other.
Sometimes, in life, connections are meant to happen by sheer serendipity, and you are destined to cross paths with people who will have an impact on your life. And that's precisely what Gaetano and Meigan experienced in meeting Fiilipo Corsini and how it changed their lives.
Filippo Corsini, son of Duccio Corsini, owner of the villa, arrived in NYC to do his internship at Babbo, a restaurant where Gaetano worked. One of the main reasons why Filippo gravitated to that restaurant was because they had an extensive Italian wine list.
But, yes, that boy had something special; his entrepreneurial and enthusiastic spirit made him an excellent worker and a fast learner. According to Gaetano, he managed to gain the respect of everyone in the kitchen in 10 days.
But Federico had a dream: he wanted to produce wine. Before moving to NYC, he’d had a previous experience with an uncle in Patagonia, Argentina, where he learned about biodynamic viticulture. In this practice, they base their procedures on the lunar calendar to plant and harvest, using homeopathic remedies or "preparations" to fertilize the land.
When he returned to Italy at only 20 years of age, he was ready to start and asked his father if he could give him 24 rows to plant vines. His dad cautiously told him to start with three, and then “we'll see how it goes.”
But the kid was persistent; Fico IGT Toscana Sangiovese was born under his name, Filippo, and also because he planted a fig tree or fico in the vineyards. What’s more, Italy also has a funny word for something or someone that is very cool: Figo. So the brand name was inspired by this backstory.
The first vintage came out, and guess what? Fico IGT Toscana Sangiovese 2015 became an outstanding wine, winning 96 Points James Suckling, 92 points Robert Parker, and Wine Advocate, top worldwide wine critics who gave the highest scores.
Filippo’s father, Duccio, impressed by the quality of his son’s wine, decided to transform all the winery practices into biodynamics, aiming to improve the condition standards of the soil, the wine grapes to the cellar, and the wine itself.
Unfortunately, Filippo Corsini was not destined to finish the work he had put his heart into. He died tragically in a bike accident in London in 2016. Such a loss is unimaginable, but it was through the love and support of all of his friends that the family gathered the strength to continue to produce his memorable wine.
Fico IGT Toscana Sangiovese was born a winner and continues to achieve top scores by influential wine critics and magazines.
2016: 96 pts James Suckling, 94 pts Falstaff, 93 pts Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
2018: 96 pts James Suckling; 94 pts Robert Parker - Wine Advocate, 96 pts Wines Critics
2019: 95 pts James Suckling, 97 pts Wines Critics
2020: 95 pts James Suckling
"Fico" is made by a three-selection process. It is harvested by hand, hand selected, and finally, it goes to the conveyor, where the belt shakes any remaining stems, leaves, and lesser grapes—fermented in open French oak and daily punch-down. "Fico" is released after 15 months of aging. The result of this meticulous process is incredible. And yet the yield of the wine is meager, obtaining only around 800 to 1000 bottles per year.
For the family, harvest time slowly became a tradition. By the end of summer, friends and family visit Principe Corsini excitedly to pick the grapes in a joyful atmosphere. And just as Meigan said, "everyone cares so much about the wine." But Filippo didn't stop surprising everyone. After his death, his father found the notes of the following wine he was aiming to produce: Pre-Filo, another top-notch wine, with higher yields by reducing one of its production processes.
Fico and Pre-Filo are both IGT Toscana wines certified organic. Filippo Corsini built his legacy at a young age and left his mark. He accomplished his dream and became a successful winemaker, he left a gift to the world, and we are lucky to enjoy his wines.
Cheers to Fico and Per-Filo; Long live these wines! EGZ
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