Between Chianti Classico and Bolgheri over 9 million investments: Folonari looks to the future

In times of economic uncertainties, which also affect a sector such as the wine industry, which is going through a period of change, between climate change and consumption habits undergoing repositioning, there is no shortage of those who decide to continue to invest and raise the bar of quality even higher, with the conviction that this is the right path to follow in order to face the future as protagonists: a solid example, in this direction, comes from Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute, one of the leading names in the wine of Tuscany, which has announced an investment program for the three-year period 2023-2025, which amounts to a figure in excess of 9 billion euros. Investments that will focus on the new winery of the “parent company” in Chianti Classico, the Tenute del Cabreo in Greve in Chianti, but also for the growth of the Campo al Mare Estate in Bolgheri, as well as on technology for environmental protection.
Giovanni Folonari, at the helm of the winery, is looking even higher for a wine “pole” that puts together 250 hectares of vineyards in the most important red wine territories of wine Tuscany, and thus Campo al Mare in Bolgheri, Tenuta di Nozzole and Tenute del Cabreo in Chianti Classico, La Fuga in Montalcino, Torcalvano in Montepulciano and Vigne a Porrona in Maremma. A historic group in Italian wine, which has already been investing in the vineyard, winery and high-level hospitality for some time.
“Only those who renew themselves grow”, commented Giovanni Folonari, “which is why we have approved a total investment of more than 9 million euros, for the three-year period 2023-2025: the new winery, under construction at Tenute del Cabreo in Greve in Chianti, is the centerpiece of the investment and, at the same time, the most authentic expression of our values and the indissoluble bond with the territory in which we operate. Alongside the new winery, we are adding the expansion of the Campo al Mare Estate in Bolgheri and the complete renovation of the machinery fleet, which will enable us to achieve environmentally sustainable management of our winemaking assets”.
The new winery will rise in the historic property of Greve in Chianti, the Tenute del Cabreo: the project, signed by the Florentine architect Carlo Ludovico Poccianti, foresees the subdivision of the environment into three zones, the first entirely dedicated to the winemaking process with innovative temperature-controlled steel tanks; the historic winery proper with the precious collection of barrels, barriques and bottles; and the tasting room with adjoining kitchen, designed also for the organization of exclusive events. The common thread running through the three rooms will be the contemporary look and the dramatic effect achieved with the dark color of the walls and LED lighting, while the exteriors will be made of stone and will blend into the surrounding area. Cabreo’s new wine cellar will be opened in September 2024 and will complete the creation of the luxury food and wine hub on the estate, which already includes the two Charming Relais Borgo del Cabreo and Pietra del Cabreo, as well as the Cabreo Restaurant, entrusted to Arezzo chef Giacomo Rossi. By the end of 2024, again at the Tenute del Cabreo, a new point of sale will, moreover, be inaugurated, the company’s second after the one opened in Nozzole in 2020.
In Bolgheri, on the other hand, vineyard planting operations are underway on the 9 hectares of land purchased in 2022 to expand the Campo al Mare Estate, which is located in the heart of the appellation: “in 2023”, Giovanni Folonari continues, “our new land was planted with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Vermentino, testifying to our interest in this wine area, which is among the most highly rated internationally. To safeguard the environment for the three-year period 2023-2025, an investment plan has been launched with the aim of implementing organic vineyard management, the use of state-of-the-art machinery with low environmental impact, and the use of some ancient cultivation practices that promote sustainable agriculture, such as organic fertilization and green manure”.