A villa in the Caribbean? Better a winery where to produce one's own wine, dream of many VIPs

Forget villas in the Caribbean, today the true dream of the VIPs is something else, it is to be winemakers in the most beautiful territories of Italy, and walk in the summer between the rows of vines, rather than docking the yacht near the beaches of Sardinia or the French Riviera. For someone it is a return to the origins and to their roots, for others, it is the fulfillment of a dream and a long lasting passion, for others, actually very few, it is an investment or little more, the fact is that over the years more and more celebrities, from Italy and not only - actors, singers, journalists, politicians - have decided to reinvent themselves as wine producers. Choosing, often and willingly, Apulia. The last one, in chronological order, was Riccardo Scamarcio, who, in Polignano a Mare, in 2012, bought a farm, “Rivale”, from which was born the homonymous wine: a pure Pinot Nero, limited production of just 5,000 bottles which pays homage, even in the label, to the great wines of Burgundy.

The actor from Trani, who worked with Nanni Moretti in his last movie (Tre Piani), but also with Paolo Sorrentino, Abel Ferrara, the Taviani brothers, Pupi Avati and Ferzan Özpetek, followed the path traced, first of all, by Al Bano, who, in his Cellino San Marco, has been back for many years, rediscovering himself as a farmer, as he dreamt as a boy, producing labels such as “Felicità”, “Nostalgia”, “Don Carmelo”. In Manduria, instead, were born Bruno Vespa’s wines, produced with the precious advice of Riccardo Cotarella, which became under the brand name “Vespa Vignaioli” a very important reality and a quality reference point for the whole Apulian territory. In Ascoli Satriano (Foggia), the story of the friendship between Michele Placido, actor, and Domenico Volpone, farmer, gave birth to the “Placido Volpone”, led by the sons of the two, whose production chain was among the first in Italy certified through the Blockchain.

Apulia is a destination loved by many, but certainly not the only one chosen by VIPs, on the contrary. The former Premier Massimo D’Alema, also him using the precious advising of Riccardo Cotarella, has chosen Umbria for its Cantina La Madeleine, purchased after having sold the boat that many headaches had given him when he was leader of the Pds. But the region capable of really catalyzing the attention of actors, singers and everything else, from Italy and from every part of the world, is Tuscany. The most prominent name is undoubtedly that of Sting, also because at “Il Palagio”, once owned by the Marquis of San Clemente, he and his wife, Trudie Styler, spend a lot of time, and besides producing wine, in order to help the world of catering affected by the pandemic, they even created an association, which is called, not by chance, “Every Breath Foundation”.

Same job, but much less way has made Gianna Nannini, who, west of Siena, her hometown, has taken over a few years ago Certosa di Belriguardo, dating back to 1300: 75 hectares of the estate, 8 of which are planted with Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, from which is born a treasure of 60,000 bottles produced every year. In Lajatico, in the heart of Valdera (Pisa), are born the labels of another great of Italian music, perhaps the most beloved voice in the world after that of Pavarotti: Andrea Bocelli. And again, the farm of Oliviero Toscani, world famous photographer, led by his son Rocco, is on the hills of Casale Marittimo, always in the province of Pisa, where Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot are cultivated.

There is also a category which deserves at least a separate paragraph, but even two, the one of footballers, or better, of former footballers. Just in Tuscany, the missed Paolo Rossi, hero of the 1982 Mundial in Spain, from the mid-nineties onwards has produced his wine, in the Aretino, while the former column of the defense of Juventus and the National team Andrea Barzagli has chosen the Messina area for his “Le Case Matte”. And then there is Luciano Spalletti, new coach of Napoli, producer in Tuscany with La Rimessa, in Montaione, Damiano Tommasi, former midfielder of Roma and National team who produces Amarone in Valpolicella, in Tenuta San Micheletto in Fumane, as well as former coach Alberto Malesani, with La Giuva winery.

And again Andrea Pirlo, one of the greatest midfielders ever, with his 10 hectares of Merlot and Trebbiano rows (strictly in organic farming) of Pratum Coller, in the Brescia area, the Brazilian Hernanes, who, in 2016, founded “Ca’ del Profeta”, in the Asti area (to be precise in Montaldo Scarampi), where he now produces Barbera d’Asti, Grignolino d’Asti and Brachetto, and will soon host a luxury farmhouse, a restaurant and the new winery of the company. To end with the biggest and historical one, as it is a family’s legacy which has become, with its 120 hectares of vineyards (Sauvignon, Verdejo, Tempranillo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon), one of the most solid realities of Spain’s enology: Bodega Iniesta, owned by former Barcelona's midfielder, now in Japan, Andrès Iniesta.