Find wines from your favorite supplier or region:
 


The Ferrari family
Le Sorgenti is located in the Colli Fiorentini appellation and lies just a few miles south of America's favorite Italian city, Florence, and has been home to the Ferrari family since 1959. Despite its unique and interesting location, Colli Fiorentini remains somewhat unknown in the U.S. Although the original estate dates back to the 14th century, the villa was actually built in 1585 by Cosimo Bardi, a member of the Bardi family who controlled the property for the next 300 years. In 1885 the Pillori family bought the estate and renamed it "Fattoria Le Sorgenti" or "Estate of the Springs", after the three ancient springs located on the property, all of which remain active today. The Ferrari family purchased Fattoria Le Sorgenti in 1959 and Gabriele Ferrari began managing it in 1974.


Gaiaccia's vineyard with Florence in the background
The soil is rich of stone and lime while the sun exposure is very favorable and can be utilized to suit each grape individually: north-east/west for the white grapes; south-east/west for the red grapes. All the vineyards are cultivated with the Trained Spur Cordon System with a grass carpet between the rows. The grape varieties are Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chardonnay. During harvest, all the bunches are hand-picked in order to select the perfectly ripened grapes. Custom trolleys are used to transport the grapes to the cellar.

From the beginning Gabriele chose to focus on the traditional Tuscan varietals like Sangiovese and Trebbiano. He also started experimenting with international varietals that he believed were well suited to the diverse terrain of the property, such as Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. In fact, Le Sorgenti's 40 acres of vines are located in 8 different vineyards, which range from 350 to 1,500 feet in altitude. The soil also varies in its composition, containing different amounts of sand, silt, and clay. As a result, all of Le Sorgenti's wines are crus (single vineyards) and each varietal is grown according to its unique needs in combination with Guyot and cordon training. Work in the vineyards is all done by hand, integrating bio-balancing and organic fertilization in order to significantly minimize the use of pesticides. Following in his father's footsteps is Gabriele's son Filippo, who possesses a degree in winemaking and is responsible for vinification as well as marketing. Gabriele's wife, Elisabetta, is administrator of the estate and has a great passion for gardening and apiculture. Assisting the family with exportation is Christian Giorni, a Sommelier who also handles public relations for the Estate and the Agriturismo. When asked why the squirrel was chosen as the logo for the estate, the Ferraris provided the following explanation: "It is the squirrel that has chosen Le Sorgenti, populating our parks and woods. Full of energy and with its curious and careful nature, the squirrel is the keeper of the forests and a symbol of continuity: by carefully hiding its stock of food for the wintertime, it allows new generations of trees to grow. The squirrel is the animal with which we want to identify our estate and our philosophy because it is the current caretaker of a greater patrimony, the Earth."


Elisabetta and Gabriele Ferrari
[click on a thumbnail to view the gallery]