Welcome to Episode 1981 in which host McKenna Cassidy interviews Lorenzo Fornaini this week on The Next Generation.  During the interview, the young winemaker Lorenzo talks about his experience working along with Andrea Franchetti in both his wineries Tenuta di Trinoro in Val d’Orcia, where they make Bordeaux blend style wines being the soil reminiscent of that of Saint Emilion, and Passopisciaro on Etna, where the wines are the true expression of the different “contrade".

According to Lorenzo, Etna is so popular because it meets the contemporary taste, just like the Cabernet Franc from Tenuta di Trinoro: the modern consumer looks for freshness and drinkability.

More about today’s guest

I was born on 1995 in the province of Pisa; Ponsacco is the name of the town. On my path in the world of wine, I studied viticulture and oenology at the University of Pisa. I experienced a few vintages in the Pisan hills area, Palaia-Terricciola, near my home. In 2017, I faced my first harvest at Tenuta di Trinoro, in Tuscany. It was supposed to be just an experience to then decide whether to continue my studies or leave Italy, but at the end of the 2017 harvest, Andrea Franchetti asked me if I would like to start something together and stay at Trinoro. The decision was already made. Gradually, I grew with his visions and my approach. After Trinoro, I started going down to Etna and discovering that fantastic world as well, and now I really enjoy working with both wineries.

I can tell you that I am very happy to still be working here today and helping to continue what Andrea Franchetti created. I owe all my rapid growth to this man, who was a visionary and managed to make a significant impact on the wine world in just a few years.

Connect: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo_fornaini/ 

Website: https://www.vinifranchetti.com/ 

More about the host:

McKenna found her love of wine while serving in a Napa Valley tasting room. She later graduated from the University of Notre Dame and pursued wine on the East Coast with E. & J. Gallo Winery. She has worked in wine distribution for restaurants and luxury retail stores for the past three years.

Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, McKenna is a Certified Specialist of Wine (2021), Certified Sommelier (2022), and Italian Wine Ambassador (2023).

She loves country swing dancing, hosting brunch parties, and sipping Italian Wine.

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