One of Italy's oldest winemaking families, the Frescobaldi family, has recruited tenor Andrea Bocelli to help launch the second vintage of its Gorgona wine produced by prisoners.
Gorgona 2013, which takes its name from the island prison where it is made, is a blend of Vermentino and Ansonica.
Frescobaldi said the purpose of the project is to give prisoners the chance to gain professional experience of winemaking to help them with employment opportunities on release.
All income made from sales of the 2,500 75cl bottles and 200 magnums produced will go towards maintaining the project. The 2013 wines will be available from October in top restaurants across the US, priced at around $90-a-bottle.
Acclaimed tenor Andrea Bocelli is supporting the project this year and his name appears on bottle labels.
‘Lamberto Frescobaldi [group president] asked me to support this fantastic project and I’m very happy to be part of it,’ said Bocelli.
Lamberto Frescobaldi said, ‘I hope that the partnership will increase the awareness of the project and serves as an example of a social sustainability for the future.’
Carlo Mazzerbo, the Gorgona penitentiary director who also took part in the project, said, ‘It’s highly gratifying to see this project growing. Our main goal is to raise awareness of the social issue in prisons and give hope to people to start a new life once they are out.’
Written by Alice Lechmere
