Experience Luxury and Sustainability at II Borro

Vittoria Ferragamo—granddaughter of the legendary Italian fashion designer Salvatore Ferragamo—and I are racing ponies down a private airstrip on a cloudless September day at Il Borro, the Tuscan wine estate and hotel owned by her family. With the manes flying in the breeze, we let the horses run neck to neck until, giddy with exhilaration from the wild sprint, we pull up at the edge of the field.

"I'm pretty sure Pinky has never run that fast. She's usually slow, but she was feeling competitive today," Vittoria grins.

I am spending the week at two Tuscan properties owned by the Ferragamo family: Il Borro and Viesca. Both are located within an hour of Florence. Il Borro, the wine resort, has been in the Ferragamo family’s portfolio for more than 30 years now, while Viesca opened in 2019.

Set on 2,700 acres, Il Borro is proud of its sustainable luxury focus. Everything from the food to the wine to the gin is either produced on the grounds or locally sourced. After Vittoria and I finish our ride, we head to the outdoor terrace of the Tuscan Bistro, one of two restaurants on the estate, to delve deeper into this conversation.

She tells me that her father, Ferruccio Ferragamo, the eldest son of the designer famed for his innovative shoe designs, purchased Il Borro from an Italian prince in 1993. At the time, the estate had only one vineyard on the grounds. It also came with a 13th-century medieval village that once belonged to the de Medici family and desperately needed repairs.

It has been transformed into a Relais & Châteaux Hotel with a thriving vineyard and 38 country-chic suites in the meticulously restored medieval village. There is also a palatial pink, 10-bedroom villa, circa 1854, that can be rented. Two restaurants, swimming pools, a wine cellar, a spa, and an equestrian center are also on the grounds. The resort is managed by Vittoria and her brother, Salvatore, Jr., who is also the CEO. Both believe passionately in operating with a fully sustainable model and a negative carbon footprint.

“All the produce farmed on the estate is available in our restaurants. At Il Borro, we produce wine, extra virgin olive oil, chicken, eggs, and beef. We have honey from local bees and have just started producing our flour from ancient wheat for bread, pasta, and pastries. We even have a wheat beer we make on the property,” Vittoria says.

Il Borro is most famous for its wines, which are also produced sustainably. After lunch with Vittoria, Salvatore, Jr. joins us to discuss his passion project, the vineyard. When talking about wine, Salvatore’s voice becomes animated. Il Borro produces 150,000 bottles of wine yearly on 222 acres, with the grapes meticulously arranged by territory.

“We also believe in using the old methods for how some of our wines are made. So, we have wines that are made in clay pot containers and not steel or oak barrels,” says Salvatore, Jr. “They are aged in the containers for a year and then bottled. It’s unique and goes back to the origins of wine.”

Il Borro wines are genuinely creative and flavorful. My favorite is the Bolle di Borro, a sparkling Rosé, which is a treat to drink. It is a limited release, with just 5,000 bottles produced annually and made from 100 percent Sangiovese grapes. The flavor is unlike anything I’ve tasted.

After experiencing Il Borro, I moved on to Viesca. The 170-acre property is between Florence and Arezzo and houses 17 suites in understated whitewashed buildings. There are also seven villas, including a 16th-century manor house where fashion designer Salvatore Ferragamo and his wife Wanda spent portions of the summer. Wanda bought the estate in the 1950s, and it became her passion project as she worked tirelessly to restore it. After her death, her grandson continued her legacy but turned it into a boutique hotel.

Viesca has a different feel from Il Borro and a timeless, elegant charm. It is the kind of property you visit to escape city life and be at one with the gorgeous Tuscan countryside surrounding you. This is a spot where you can take long walks or sit in the shade to read a book for hours. It also makes a good base for exploring Tuscany. There is also an on-site restaurant and full-service spa.

Il Borro is in the Tuscan countryside, about 30 minutes from Florence. Coming from the US, you will likely fly via Rome. From there, it is just under three hours by car to Il Borro and Viesca. You can arrange a private transfer or drive yourself in a rental car.

Trains also run from Rome Termini to Arezzo. The journey takes around three hours, and from Arezzo, you must take a taxi or arrange a transfer to Il Borro.

The airport in Florence is a third option, but a transfer will be needed to get to either property.