Set amid acres of vines and olives, with vistas over the rolling hills of Italy’s Chianti area, Castello Sonnino has a dreamlike high quality. It appears timeless and much faraway from the turbulent currents of historical past. However as its chatelaine Baroness Caterina de Renzis Sonnino tells us, the property has fairly a previous.
Throughout the Renaissance, it belonged to the Machiavelli household and later it was house to First World Warfare statesman Sidney Sonnino, an architect of each the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations. Nevertheless, throughout a lot of the final century the fort stood empty, till, in 1987, Caterina and her late husband Baron Alessandro decided to convey it again to life.
The couple not solely carried out a flawless restoration, in addition they revived Sonnino’s wine-making abilities, in order that right this moment a few of the most interesting Chiantis hail from right here. Above all, they turned the traditional fortress into an idyllic household house. Now, with youngsters Virginia and Leone becoming a member of her to welcome us, Caterina reveals proudly: “We’re the primary Sonnino era to reside as a household on this home –youngsters, buddies, canine and all!”
Caterina, what was your first impression of the fort?
“I felt a bit scared to be sincere as a result of I knew nothing about it and because it was all closed up it was very darkish. Then I threw open some shutters, daylight burst in and located myself standing in essentially the most lovely enchanted backyard stuffed with birds and flowers.
“That was my first view of the Flora and Fauna Room and I made a decision proper then to remain.”
This property has been in your loved ones for 2 centuries. What are you able to inform us about it?
“Its standout characteristic is the peerlessly preserved medieval bell tower, which dates again to the twelfth century, however the place is even older, originating as a Roman castrum or military camp.
“The principle villa was constructed within the sixteenth century by the Machiavelli household and is typical of the Renaissance interval. Again then, Sonnino used to exist as its personal little universe. It had far more land and was completely self-sufficient, with programs for every thing from water assortment to brick manufacture. A thousand folks would have been residing right here.
The Sidney Sonnino Archive attracts lots of curiosity…
“Sure. Housed within the buildings the place our ancestor lived and labored, it incorporates paperwork of nice significance, together with the unique opy of the Treaty of Versailles.”
How did you meet your husband?
“Alessandro was from Florence, like me, and we met in 1979. I used to be finding out artwork in New York, however I used to be captivated by his qualities. Witty, extremely cultured and vigorous – in addition to good-looking – he appeared like a gentleman from one other period. On prime of that, he introduced me to my dream place. We lived fortunately collectively for 37 years.”
What’s it that you simply like most about your house?“
“As an artist, I get nice satisfaction from capturing the sunshine contained in the fort and its reflections.”
You could have a robust aesthetic streak…
“By occupation, I’m a graphic designer. I specialize in creating model identities for meals and wine firms and have been fortunate sufficient to work with a few of the best-known Italian wineries.”
“As for my passions, I really like portray, pictures –particularly marriage ceremony albums – and flower arranging. I normally choose the leaves and blooms myself and the direct contact with nature’s magnificence brings me such pleasure. It’s a type of meditation.”
Do you entertain buddies right here?
“We love having folks come to remain. When the kids had been small, we used to organise weekend lunch events, making ready a giant desk stuffed with meals for whoever turned up – generally ten folks, generally 40.”
“These had been such completely happy days and nice coaching for what we do now as a part of the Gucci Locations challenge. Sonnino is one in every of eight venues world wide the place the model hosts VIP shoppers.”
Your loved ones labored very onerous to convey the fort again to its finest…
“The choice to do it got here naturally. In Sonnino, we discovered someplace full, with its personal particular character, so, guided by respect for its heritage, we determined to revive it and to rework the dusty and decaying vineyards into a recent enterprise.”
Virginia, you left a profession in trend to return to reside and work at Sonnino. What are you able to inform us in regards to the household enterprise?
“Our mantra is: ‘Custom and innovation’. We produce one of many highest-quality natural olive oils within the area, harvesting the olives by hand and sending them to be pressed inside eight hours.
“Our wines are denominated Chianti Montespertoli and are characterised by magnificence, freshness and steadiness. They’re aged in wood barrels in our historical cellars, whereas the grapes for our conventional Tuscan vin santo are dried in a 500-year-old airing attic that I name my zen room.
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“That setting helped create a vin santo as soon as named one of the best candy wine on the planet by Decanter journal.”
PRODUCTION & INTERVIEW: CRISTINA LORA ALARCON & ANA FERNANDEZ DE CORDOBA
PHOTOS: PALOMA ROJAS MARCOS AND FERNANDA NAVARRO (COUCHE STUDIO)
HAIR & MAKE-UP: VITACURA
CLOTHES: ERMANNO SCERVINO. LEVI’S.TOD’S. TOPSHOP. VALENTINO.VIOLY FIRENZE. ZARA