2. Borgo Syrah
• In 1967, the d’Alessandro family of Rome purchased the old Manzano Farm, a homestead which
extended over approximately 100 hectares across the hills around Cortona. Here they founded the
TENIMENTI D’ALESSANDRO winery.
• As far back as the eighteenth century, this area featured a profusion of noble villas to which the
aristocracy of Cortona laid claim. This explains why the winery differs considerably from a typical
winemaking estate, which tends to stretch across agricultural land that retains no particular traces
of history. Here, a number of historically significant structures already were in existence, the most
outstanding of which is Villa Magi-Diligenti, with its landscaped garden, designed in 1911 by an
architect from Siena Capezzuoli in the Grotesque style, a manner which was in vogue at the time.
• Across the road lies the Fattoria di Manzano, a farmhouse accompanied by a series of outbuildings,
including a small church, all of which were constructed between the mid-18th and the early 19th
centuries. This area, measuring approximately 2500 sq.m., developed into a village of wine
enthusiasts, accommodated by a series of properties designed and built within and amongst the
historical buildings, and intended to complement the activity of the winemaking business across
the road.
• Hail Borgo Syrah. The re-design was completed in 2007, and renovations on the structures have
been well under way. The reconstruction is expected to be completed some time during the first
half of 2010, and will include a neighbouring 18-hole golf course complemented by a range of
services.
3. A village created alongside a great wine
• In 1988, on the five hectares of land planted by Attilio Scienza, Massimo d’Alessandro began the
experimentation process aimed at identifying the area’s suitability for wine production; until then,
the entire Municipality of Cortona had produced only blending wine. After four years of small-batch
winemaking, as well as soil and climate studies, it became evident that the area was ideal for
growing Syrah, an international grape variety which adapts particularly well to the exceptionally dry
area around Cortona. This variety yielded outstanding results, enhanced evermore by the peculiar
characteristics of the local terrain. As a result of these experiments, Tenimenti d’Alessandro planted
approximately 40 hectares of high-density syrah vines (an average of 8000 plants per hectare)
between 1993 and 2002.
• When the company’s wines first began to receive international recognition, in particular for the “Il
Bosco” label, which consisted of 100% syrah, leading producers, such as Antinori and Ruffino, soon
followed suit, purchasing land in the Municipality of Cortona and planting syrah. In 1999, the local
producers, headed by the d’Alessandro family, managed to obtain D.O.C. recognition for Cortona
wine.
• Il Bosco, the best-known Italian syrah wine, has become a symbol of the region, one of which the
locals are justly proud because it is well known and appreciated by wine connoisseurs the world
over.
• The idea of creating a village especially for wine enthusiasts was based on a splendid climate, a love
of Tuscany, and the opportunity to partake in an exciting oenological adventure.
18. Price List in Euros
n.1 Corpo A 1,200,000 n.2
n.3 Corpo C - C1 840,000
n.4 Corpo C - C2 549,000
n.5 Corpo C - C3 739,000
n.6 Corpo C - C4 499,000
n.7 Corpo C - C5 549,000
n.8 Corpo C - C6 649,000
n.9 Corpo DE - D1 459,000
n.10 Corpo DE - D2 370,000
n.11 Corpo DE - D3 449,000
n.12 Corpo DE - D4 489,000
n.13 Corpo DE - E1 949,000
n.14 Corpo DE - E2 529,000
n.15 Corpo DE - E3 499,000
n.16 Corpo DE - E4 398,000
n.17 Corpo DE - E5 390,000
n.18 Corpo DE - E6 425,000
n.19 Corpo F 895,000
n.20 Corpo G 895,000
n.21 Fontarca 3,900,000
19. The people behind the project….
• The concept of transforming a portion of this historical estate into a resort for wine enthusiasts arose as a result of
the synergy between two particularly well matched partners, who, in many ways, complement each other in terms
of their expertise. Massimo d’Alessandro represents the history of the family that paved the way for quality
winemaking in the Cortona area. Incidentally, he also happens to be a designer: his MDAA design studio is in
charge of the design aspect of the project. Pino Calabresi is the entrepreneurial and financial mind behind the
Borgo Syrah enterprise. He, too, plays an effective part in relaunching the company’s label in the world of wine.
• Massimo d’Alessandro is a planner and designer, who also teaches Design at the “La Sapienza” University in
Rome. In 1988, with the expert advice of Attilio Scienza (from the University of Milan), he was responsible for
setting up the experimentation process in the family business in Cortona that would lead them to identify this
area of Tuscany, one frequently subjected to drought, as particularly suited to the Syrah grape.
• Founder of a well-known avant-garde art gallery in Rome in the 1970s, Massimo d’Alessandro’s unremitting
passion for art has led him to become a renowned collector of artworks. His enthusiasm for both art and wine is
what lies behind his long-standing, twenty-year partnership with his fellow aficionado, Pino Calabresi.
• Pino Calabresi inherited his entrepreneurial skills from his family, who founded the notable CALABRESI road
transport firm. In 1990, he established the finance company KTESIOS, one of the few private-sector firms that have
played an active role in providing consumer credit in Italy. Calabresi ran the company in his capacity as Chairman
from 1990 to 2006, after which he sold his shareholdings to Merrill Lynch.
• Since the early 1980s, Calabresi has systematically added to his fine collection of contemporary art, which has led
to his increasingly fruitful partnership with Massimo d’Alessandro, both of whom share a similar interest in art.
• For the past two years, Massimo d’Alessandro and Pino Calabresi have been partners in the Tenimenti
D’ALESSANDRO, a leading producer of fine wines in Tuscany.
20. Our Philosophy
• Nature plays a major role in and around Borgo Syrah in two ways: on the one hand
there lies the beauty of the setting: a vivid landscape replete with vineyards, olive
groves, mature Acacias and Cedars, and centuries-old fruit trees; on the other,
exists our utmost respect for the property, following decades spent nurturing it
with painstaking care and attention, in addition to the investment placed on our
vineyards.
• This philosophy – of living in the country in harmony with our surroundings – lies
at the heart of our efforts with Borgo Syrah, as well. Every home includes a private
garden, yet still encompasses the beauty of the area as a whole, including the links
to the winery and its vineyards, and the spectacular view over the valley.
• Living in harmony with nature means protecting, as well as enhancing, it. This
concept has been incorporated into the design of Borgo Syrah, which upholds the
principles of environmental conservation. We strive to reduce environmental
impact and salvage natural resources when able, by consuming natural materials,
composting, collecting rainwater for irrigation, and utilizing solar energy to light
the common areas and heat the swimming pools.
21. Borgo Syrah
• The private wine cellars
• Having a home located within the estate of a leading winery signifies membership in the extraordinary formation
of a truly great wine: observing the harvesting of the grapes and the ageing process of the wines, and learning to
distinguish the quality of one vintage from another. It is rather like listening to the breath of nature and sharing in
its labours and its fulfilment. Given the circumstances, it appeared indispensable for each property to have its
own small cellar in which to store and age wines.
• The services guaranteed
• A home in Borgo Syrah offers you a wealth of comforts and services, including caretaking, climate control, systems
maintenance, gardening, and home cleaning.
• The leisure facilities offered
• The Borgo Syrah complex will be equipped with two pools, one for children and a larger one for swimming. Both
pools will overlook the vineyards. Adjacent to the pool will be a gym, which will house fitness equipment, a
Turkish bath, and whirlpool tubs. Joggers and runners will enjoy specially marked paths that indicate distance, as
well as stretching equipment. There are also a number of cycling routes that course through the vineyards.
