We're delighted to announce that — in an incredible first — Brunello di Montalcino icon Col d'Orcia has won the inaugural Environmental Advocate of the Year Award in Wine Enthusiast's prestigious #WineStarAwards.
This newly introduced category shines a light on those who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to sustainability ... which is something Col d’Orcia’s proprietors, Count Francesco Marone Cinzano and his son, Santiago, thoroughly embody.
Col d’Orcia’s sustainable journey dates back to 1973, when Count Francesco’s farther, Count Alberto Marone Cinzano, purchased the Col d'Orcia estate in southern Montalcino. Applying elements of a global, collaborative culture, his dynamic approach to managing the estate led to research partnerships with different universities in the region, particularly with the University of Florence and the University of Pisa. Now under Count Francesco’s leadership, R&D initiatives, in partnership with these universities, have extended to include cover crop testing, erosion control, and global warming mitigation.
During the last 50 years, Col d’Orcia has become a fully manual, organic, and sustainable property, achieving organic certification with their 2013 vintage. Since 2018, the estate has been undergoing targeted conversion to biodynamic farming.
University students have been coming to Col d’Orcia since the 1970s in order to learn and experiment, along with assisting in the harvest. Over 20 dissertations have been written about the estate and for many students, some of whom have gone on to successful careers in the wine industry, Col d’Orcia was their first harvest. Ongoing collaboration with the University of Florence has led to the most recent project, a carbon footprint reduction plan.
Sustainability is certainly no trendy buzzword for Col d'Orcia. It has been a fundamental link in their DNA since the very beginning — a legacy that will continue long into the future.
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