Why This Italian Winemaking Family Started Teaching Winemaking to Convicts
Caitlin White
·5 min read
As a chartered ferry pulls up to Gorgona, an island off the Ligurian coast of Italy, the landscape showcases exactly what travelers might expect from the region: blue-black rocky outcrops on the shore, crystal-clear water below, and beautiful, rolling green hills with a glimpse of thriving vineyards visible from the right angle. And though the scenery evokes similar touristy destinations like the Amalfi coast and other coveted European beaches, it isn’t quite a tourist attraction in the typical sense. Despite the bucolic surroundings, this place is a prison.
Formally known as the Gorgona Agricultural Penal Colony, this northernmost island of the Tuscan archipelago has quite a long history. It was established in 1869 as one of a handful of Italian prison farms, and in recent years, the space has been designated for prisoners on good behavior who were finishing out the final term of their sentence. Frequently billed as the last remaining penal colony in all of Europe, over the past decade the island has received even more attention because of the quality of the wine produced from the vines that grow here, and more importantly, because of who tends the grapes used to make it—the inmates themselves.
Though the island is technically open to the public, and parts of it have been designated as a national park, visitors aren’t usually allowed up inside the area allocated for the prison and its winery, except on special occasions like the release of a new vintage. That was the instance that warranted my visit to the island last summer, along with several other American reporters, and a swarm of journalists from all over Europe, eager to get a firsthand look at what is one of the most unusual working vineyards in the world. From their initial plantings, the vineyards now cover about two hectares, including both the original plot and a second planting done in 2015.
All of this contributes to a harmonious atmosphere at the prison that allowed a bright, celebratory vibe to permeate the release party for the 2022 vintage during my visit last June. The international group tasted two wines crafted on the island: the Gorgona Costa Toscana white IGT, made from Vermentino and Ansonica grapes, and the highly-limited Gorgona Costa Toscana Rosso IGT, produced with Vermentino Nero and Sangiovese. Both were met with acclaim and enthusiastic responses by wine journalists gathered there from all over the world, which is in line with the wine’s consistently positive reception on the global market, too.
“After 12 years, we can confidently say that the wine is widely appreciated for more than just its story,” Frescobaldi says. “Wine possesses intrinsic qualities that make it exceptional, regardless of its background. This is further evidenced by the outstanding ratings it consistently receives from International Guides. And becoming passionate about one's work, especially with the vineyard and wine, is perhaps easier than with other products. A bottle travels the globe, bearing the story of all those involved in its creation. It's something we should take pride in.”
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