Among wine and freedom, Thomas Jefferson and Filippo Mazzei, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Today, talking about wine and the United States immediately brings to mind tariffs, restrictions, bureaucracy, and constraints. And, yet, wine, particularly Italian wine, has, in some way, “touched” that Declaration of Independence whose anniversary No. 250 will be celebrated on July 4th, 2026. This is a story within a story, featuring key protagonists: Thomas Jefferson, one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States (1801-1809); Filippo Mazzei, an ancestor of what is now one of the most important and long-standing wine families in Tuscany (the Marchesi Mazzei), already a friend of Benjamin Franklin and later of Jefferson himself, a great traveler and a figure in the American Revolution; and the man who, in 1773, first brought European, particularly Tuscan grapevines to the United States, to Virginia, to Monticello, on Jefferson own estate (as we have explained more times). It was Mazzei who introduced Jefferson to the third protagonist of this story: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. This tale, centered on the lofty concept of “freedom” is told in the book “Il gusto della libertà. Thomas Jefferson, il Vino Nobile di Montepulciano e la nascita degli Stati Uniti” - “The taste of freedom. Thomas Jefferson, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the birth of the United States” written by Francesco Clementi, full professor of Comparative Public Law at Sapienza University of Rome, and Antonio Gaudioso, an expert in public policy and lecturer at Luiss “Guido Carli” University in Rome. The book will be presented on June 19th in Montepulciano, as part of the celebrations marking the anniversary No. 400 of the birth of Francesco Redi (February 18th, 1626), a physician and man of letters, the highest-ranking figure at the Medici court, and author of “Bacco in Toscana” - “Bacchus in Tuscany”, a poetic dithyramb and a true documentary source on Tuscan wines, which includes the famous line “Montepulciano, king of all wines” (as explained in a WineNews video).
A “king”, however, which embodies freedom, as Clementi and Gaudioso explain in their book. The work offers an original reinterpretation of Thomas Jefferson, placing him at the crossroads of politics, material culture, and the transatlantic circulation of knowledge.
The aim is not to add another chapter to the history of the Declaration of Independence, but to understand how that vision of freedom was nourished by concrete experiences among which wine, especially Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, played an unexpected yet decisive role”. For Jefferson, explain the authors, wine, and in particular the Nobile di Montepulciano which captivated him, became a “privileged object of observation,” as it reveals the interplay between nature, labor, institutions, and trade, shedding light on the deeper functioning of a society. The book also offers important reflections on quality and on a lifestyle guided by moderation, where wine is not seen as a luxury but as a tool for knowledge and civic development. In contrast to Portuguese or English spirits, perceived as drivers of social disorder, wine represents a practice of moderation, fostering conversation, social interaction, and self-control”. Jefferson himself was among the first to use the table, convivial gatherings, and dinners as tools of diplomacy and political mediation, with wine seen as a form of “soft power,” capable of transforming shared meals into moments of genuine human connection.
At the book presentation, alongside the authors, there will be Susanna Crociani, vicepresident of Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano; Simone Crolla, Managing Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy; Roberto Sgalla, Director of the Centro Studi Americani; and Ambassador Davide La Cecilia, Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The discussion will be moderated by “L’Espresso” editor Emilio Carelli. “The presentation of this volume represents a moment of great cultural value for our territory, as it connects the history of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano with a central figure in Western political tradition like Thomas Jefferson - declares Andrea Rossi, president of Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - the bond with the celebrations marking the anniversary No. 400 of Francesco Redi birth further strengthens the significance of this initiative, which launches an institutional and cultural path aimed at telling the story of Montepulciano through its most authentic identity, made of history, wine, and an international outlook”.
In celebrating the anniversary No. 250 of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the text thus offers a highly relevant reflection on the concept of freedom through the dialogue between American and Italian culture. It highlights the role of Thomas Jefferson and the symbolic significance of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as a bridge between Europe and America, showing how material culture, daily practices, and the circulation of knowledge contributed to shaping a republican society founded on moderation, dialogue, and civil coexistence. Jefferson himself was in fact an admirer of Montepulciano wine, which he regularly ordered.
The event on June 19th will be an important cultural moment: in the beautiful Piazza Grande of the “Pearl of the Renaissance”, it will mark the official launch (only upon invitation) of the celebrations for the anniversary No. 400 of Francesco Redi birth, promoted by Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano with the patronage of the Municipality of Montepulciano. On the same day, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano will be paired with the three-Michelin-star cuisine of chef Enrico “Chicco” Cerea of the Da Vittorio restaurant in Brusaporto. This will be followed by the conference “When Bacchus Arrived in Tuscany,” exploring science, art, and wine (October 9, at the Fortress), leading up to the 2027 exhibition “Cultura e scienza del vino dopo Galileo” - “Culture and science of wine after Galileo” (March 20th - June 27th where ancient and original WineNews books will also be displayed).