Winemaker Salvatore Ferragamo Visits Fleming’s

It’s not every day that the handsome heir to an Italian fashion empire shows up in Chicago for a wine tasting. But then, it’s also not everyday that Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar—the Newport Beach, California-based restaurant empire that prides itself on offering an award-winning collection of 100 wines by the glass—teams up with Ferragamo to create an instant vino classic.

Earlier this month, Fleming’s introduced Forty-Six Diamonds Toscana 2009, its proprietary premium-label wine release. And last week, Salvatore Ferragamo paid a visit to Fleming’s 25 East Ohio Street location in downtown Chicago, meeting and greeting the restaurant’s wine lovers and chatting with local reporters. Each year, Fleming’s teams with a renowned vintner to craft a limited-edition wine under the Forty-Six Diamonds label—and in Toscana 2009’s case, it’s one that combines 100 percent estate-grown sangiovese, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and syrah grapes for a smooth, drinkable blend equally delicious with juicy grilled steaks, salmon, or alone.

Forty-Six Diamonds—and Ferragamo’s six other well-crafted varietals—originate in gorgeous Tuscany and Il Borro, the fashion family’s sprawling estate 45 minutes south of Florence that looks straight off a Hollywood movie set. But it’s a working estate, one the family purchased from Italian royalty in 1993 that now produces grapes and olives for Il Borro’s wines and oils, and produce used in its first-rate osteria.

“I’m born and raised in Tuscany, and wine is part of our culture. My philosophy is to produce a wine that speaks to the terroir,” says Mr. Ferragamo, grandson of the namesake Italian footwear designer and president of the Il Borro agriculture, wine and leisure complex. And it only makes sense that Ferragamo’s family has combined all three, with wine being such an essential element of the Tuscan lifestyle. “You’re producing something in conjunction with nature. Every year, you get something different, and that collaboration is mystical.”

And guests who visit Il Borro for the day or “on holiday” get to experience it all. “The property really focuses on an experience,” said Mr. Ferragamo, a New York University Stern School of Business grad whose Il Borro wines have been featured at Fleming’s since 2004. “You come to Il Borro and come to a medieval village that dates back 1,000 years. It’s very authentic. At the same time, it’s a truly modern estate. We make fantastic olive oil. We raise our own cattle; we grow our own vegetables, raise our own chickens. It’s a culinary experience and a cultural experience.”

Not only is Mr. Ferragamo a great ambassador for his wines, but for Il Borro iself—and that’s why he enjoys hitting the road and chatting with consumers. “For me, it’s an opportunity to communicate my brand, to get my name out there for people. I hope to bring a touch of Tuscany to them in that moment… and hopefully, to inspire them to travel to Tuscany.”

Il Borro is an incredible place—and I had the good fortune of visiting this Tuscan treasure four years ago with two girlfriends. Thanks to a gracious introduction and hook-up from a wine expert friend here in Chicago, we got a personal tour of the winery from Mr. Ferragamo’s younger sister, Vittoria. We sampled not just Il Borro’s wines, but its wonderfully balanced extra-virgin olive oil, purchasing extra bottles of this peppery Tuscan blend to take home for ourselves and as gifts. And we were treated to a sumptuous and leisurely lunch at Osteria del Borro, a gorgeous restaurant featuring succulent bistecca (steak) and traditional Tuscan dishes made using ingredients with “zero food miles.” For sure, it was one of the most delicious meals of our Italian adventure—and its setting definitely made it among the most memorable.

A great destination for wine and Tuscan countryside lovers, Il Borro not only gives you a great place to sample vino, but also offers lodging in elegantly rustic farmhouses, in three exclusive and luxurious villas, and in charmingly restored self-contained apartments and suites in the surrounding Medieval Village (also owned by the Ferragamo family). I’m passionate about embracing life as the locals do when I travel, so next time I visit Il Borro, sign me up for one of the flats with names like Lombardi, Malagnino and Verdelli. But how do you check out of paradise?

For those of us who can’t get to Il Borro—or Tuscany—any time soon, savoring a glass of Forty-Six Diamonds Toscana 2009 is a fair consolation prize (sadly, the glass doesn’t come with a charming Italian accent, as Salvatore does!). But with just 350 cases of Ferragamo’s Forty-Six Diamonds Toscana 2009 in existence, the supply won’t last long—so get over to Fleming’s sooner rather than later.

Tagged as: Salvatore Ferragamo, Il Borro, Forty-Six Diamonds Toscana 2009, Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar , wine, winery and Italy

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Maureen Jenkins s a food/travel writer and communications professional who's visited more than 30 countries and territories, lived in Florence, Italy -- and is spending the year in Samois-sur-Seine, a charming village near Paris, France. The self-proclaimed “urban travel girl” talks travel, food and wine – abroad and in Chicago – in “TCW Travel Connection.” Read more of her thoughts on living globally at UrbanTravelGirl.com.