When it comes to Italian wine, it's never very long before the name Frescobaldi crops up.

Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi has been enjoying wine since his pre-teens; a sip of the family blend set in motion a passion that has endured despite the ups and downs of Tuscan viticulture.

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Q&A: Lamberto Frescobaldi, Marchesi de' Frescobaldi

He talks to Wine-Searcher about childhood, the merits of single-varietal Chianti Classico, and walking the issues facing wine.

Can you tell us more about your formative years?

I am a young child of 61. I grew up in a very old house in Tuscany on the outskirts of Florence; we had a menagerie of cows, dogs, and cats on the farm. It was a charming, but not cosseted, bucolic existence, with fresh bread from our oven, a well-stocked wine cellar, and an ancient olive-pressing machine.

Is the house still standing?

Yes, although the cows have been relocated to new pastures. However, we left the house in 1974 and moved into the center of Florence.

Be honest – did you drink wine before you were of legal age?

[Laughs] I do remember sneaking into the cellar at a young age – under 10 – and having a sip of the family wine. I felt very grown up.

So it was love at first sight?

Yes indeed. In my early years I spent a lot of time working in the vineyards: pruning, managing, and harvesting vines. It instilled something in my DNA, a love of the land, that has been with me ever since. But I also had a passion for racing in my teens, something that my family were keen to discourage after my uncle had an accident in Belgium that sadly led to his death. He loved racing cars.

Did you study agronomy?

I did an agricultural degree at the University of Florence before I moved to California to study viticulture and enology at UC Davis. But, after I graduated in July 1987, I moved back to Italy and joined the army. At the time, I thought about staying in the services forever – I became very attached to my job as a lieutenant in the military police. I loved serving my country, and living in Rome with a good salary was an added bonus. However, my family eventually persuaded me to return home.

What happened next?

I accepted a position in the family company in 1989, working as an agronomist. My primary responsibility was to help oversee the vineyard replanting program. Then in 1995 I became involved in the exciting collaboration with the Mondavis of California.

What is the most importance change you've seen in Tuscan viticulture over the past three decades?

Without a doubt, the propagation of international grape varieties that thrive on Tuscan soil. The quality of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc continues to surpass expectations. It has been an amazing revolution.

Yet it was borne out of a dissatisfaction with the state of Tuscan wine in the 1970s, led by Piero Antinori and others. How much of that was due to inherent deficiencies in the Sangiovese grape?

Sangiovese has the potential to make superlative wine. Nevertheless, it can deliver very generous yields; clonal material in the mid 20th Century was selected on that basis. This wasn't simply a case of greed or cynicism – most people were very poor in that period and so farmers had to produce large quantities of wine at a low cost. It was a wine culture built around quantity and not quality. And the results were less than inspiring.

However, rising prosperity has allowed us to turn things around. Today we grow high-quality Sangiovese clones in central Tuscany, able to yield small berries of premium-grade fruit. They have a deeper color, more intensity, and a vastly superior flavor.

How do you feel about blending in Chianti Classico – something that is outlawed in Brunello di Montalcino?

The truth is that Sangiovese cannot make exceptional wine in every terroir without some support. It is merely a question of site. In these places, a small volume of Cabernet or Merlot can enhance the wine's structure, elegance, and complexity. But there are also climats that yield outstanding monovarietal wine.

What up-and-coming grape varieties are stealing a march in Tuscany?

Tuscany's wine culture is very much driven by location first, and variety second. That said, there is some excellent Vermentino being made in southern Tuscany, and Chardonnay can deliver thought-provoking wine in the right conditions; it needs a cooler site that paradoxically offers less risk of spring frost damage. In addition, Sauvignon Blanc and Fiano have real potential here.

What about spring 2024, was it a washout?

There has been quite a lot of rain in 2024 – summer has yet to materialize. Moreover, there is humidity in the air, although the average temperature is 3C below average. From that perspective, it's a welcome relief from the recent slew of heat wave vintages. So I'm not worried at all. We still have July and August. This is the true beauty of wine: capturing the essence of the vintage. It's not an exacting science.

According to analysts, the overall consumption of red wine will continue its steady decline in key markets. Is this something that worries you?

Personally, I'm not worried that people are drinking less. It's part of today's culture – a drive towards health and well being. But people are not abandoning wine; the desire to taste, learn and explore remains strong.

So what is your coping strategy as a business?

Frescobaldi continues to invest in welcoming visitors to Tuscany. Secondly, we are producing less wine of a higher quality in anticipation of this changing paradigm. Meanwhile, the exploration of emerging markets continues apace, particularly South Korea, South America, China, and Africa.

You recently appointed Fabrizio Dosi as the new CEO of Gruppo Marchesi Frescobaldi. How is that working out?

Fabrizio is an amazing guy: he has a terrific ability to analyze sales data and numbers, and he can motivate and organize people very effectively. As a growing business, these are two vital qualities in any CEO. We also benefit from his experience of other industries, having worked in the coffee and fashion businesses.

What about your purchase of Domaine Roy & Fils last year?

We have long wanted to do something in the US and this small producer in Oregon was a perfect fit. It's the biggest wine market in the world and we need to be on the inside. The challenge now is to expand our presence and connect with our audience.

Is Oregon your favourite place in the US?

I really love the west coast in general. I did the east-to-west drive many years ago – an incredible experience.

Do you ever take inspiration from a wine region outside of Italy?

I continue to be astounded by the exceptional white wines of the Rhine. And Priorat is a very special drop.

Favorite food and wine pairing?

Pasta with meat sauce (ragu) is so damn good you cannot stop eating it. Serve it with a nice dry white or red and you're in heaven.

Any restaurant tips for wine lovers visiting Tuscany?

They should try Trattoria 4 Leoni in downtown Florence. There is a little square where you can eat outside and the food is delicious.

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