STING TURNS TO FARMING AND WINEMAKING IN THE TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE: “THE CREAM OF THE CROP IS NOT READY. IT STILL DOESN’T HAVE A NAME BUT IT WILL SOON ARRIVE”

Red wine, honey, extra virgin olive oil, jam, fruit, vegetables, and cold cuts – all strictly organic and made in Tuscany – are the latest products of Gordon Matthew Sumner, 57, better known as Sting.

The farm is at Ponte agli Stolli, a town within the Municipality of Figline Valdarno, 30 kilometers south of Florence. Here, the ex-leader of the 80’s music band The Police, made two major land acquisitions: about 15 years ago he first bought the Tenuta del Palagio, 100 hectares for 3.5 million euros from Duke Simone Velluti Zai; then, at the end of 2002, the area bordering the ex-Serristori farm, on which are located ten farmhouses and 200 hectares covered with vineyards, olive orchards, pasture land, and forests. The second terrain, which was owned by the municipality of Florence, had been put on auction and Sting picked it up for 5.7 million euros, thus becoming the owner of an entire hillside of over 300 hectares between the Chianti and Valdarno regions. Overall, the estate employs 15 permanent workers (the youngest being 25 and the oldest 65) as well as other seasonal workers.

The cream of the company’s production will be its wine, but it is still not ready and no name has been decided on yet. The first harvest and production has been ageing in barrels for two years now. It will be presented in September when a Chianti DOCG and IGT Tuscany variety made of Sangiovese, and variable percentages of Cabernet, Merlot, Canaiolo, and Colorino will be presented in September with 30,000 bottles of the 2007 production overseen by enologist Paolo Caciornia to go on sale.

The company also produces acacia, chestnut, and apple honey, extra virgin olive oil from Frantoio, Moraiolo, and Leccino olives, various vegetables, and cold cuts made from the Cinta Senese breed of pigs.

The majority of products are sold directly in Great Britain but within the next few months a sales point will also open at the farm.

The rock star from Newcastle spends most of his time here at his Tuscan property, together with his wife Trudie Styler, their six children, one dog, one horse, and a mountain bike with which he often goes to the town of Figline, where he is now, obviously, well known and for which he has even lent his image to promote a blood donation campaign for a local association.

The property’s villa and surrounding farm houses were renovated and furnished by architect Alan Mertens. The dominant color is creamy white and a large pool has been surrounded by plants and trees from the Piante Mati nursery in Pistoia. An old barn now serves as a recording studio where it is claimed that on September 11, 2001, the “All This Time” album was recorded with a group of American musicians, who, for the entire afternoon were unable to call the U.S. after the attack on the World Trade Center.

Sting also explained why he has turned to farming after such a long and prosperous music career. “I farm by taking care of the land, by nourishing it, not despoiling it. In order to respect this land, we chose, together with my collaborators, to do organic farming and monoculture. I arrived here and decided to stay and farm because I wanted to nourish my family with genuine and high quality products. Everyone knows about my environmental commitment, above all in favour of the forests of South America. With this activity in Tuscany, I am trying to give my direct contribution to nature in fair relation with man”.