La Tenuta di Fiorano

Producer: La Tenuta di Fiorano
Varietals: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grechetto, Viognier

Lazio, Italy

At a Glance

• Ahead of its time, embracing organic viticulture in the 1940s when chemical methods were becoming the norm.

• Founded by Prince Alberico Boncompagni Ludovisi, the estate became legendary for its limited production, strong dedication to quality, and deep connection to the land.

• The estate introduced Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malvasia Candida, and Sémillon to Italy, demonstrating a visionary approach to winemaking.

• The estate maintains its artisanal practices, with hand-harvested grapes, fermentation in historic cellars, and extended aging to produce exceptional wines.

About La Tenuta di Fiorano

Prince Alessandrojacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi owns the Tenuta di Fiorano estate, which is situated between the Appia Antica (Appian Way) and Ciampino airfield. Tenuta di Fiorano's notoriety is inextricably connected to the legendary late Prince Alberico Boncompagni Ludovisi. Between the 1940s and the 1950s, Prince Alberico developed a passion for winemaking. He planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for his red wines and Malvasia Candida and Sémillon, both of which were new to Italy at the time, for his whites.

When asked about his estate, Prince Boncompagni said, "My uncle was ahead of his time and had a keen intuition for viticulture." During a time when nobody else in Italy was growing these varieties, he planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sémillon at Tenuta di Fiorano," says Mr. Boncompani Ludovisi. All the farming has been Organic for a very long time. The grapes are still today picked and pressed by hand and the wine is fermented in the Vecchia Cantina (Old Cellar), after which the wine is moved to the Cantina Storica (Historic Cellar) where it first ages in old barrels and later at length in the bottle.