THE EXPERTISE
CYNTHIA CHAPLIN
Cynthia Chaplin is a professional sommelier, a member of Le Donne del Vino, and a professor of Italian wine and culture.
Born in the USA, Cynthia moved to Europe in 1990 and she has lived in Spain, Belgium, France, England and Italy. Cynthia chose to center her career in Rome where she could immerse herself in the Italian wine sector, which is her passion. She teaches university students and works with embassies, corporations and private clients, creating and presenting tastings, events, seminars and in-depth courses. Cynthia is a wine writer and a judge at international wine competitions, and she consults with restaurants and enotecas assisting in the development of comprehensive wine lists and excellent food pairings. She is married to her British photographer husband, Will, and they have six children ranging from 19 to 27. They live on the shore of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome, where they share their beautiful garden with one massive grapevine and two border collies.
RAFFAELE D’AMICO
Raffaele and I married in 2015 and we have two wonderful children Riccardo and Nicolo. Since his move to Tuscany in 2007, Raffaele has taken root here.
His are very deep roots, strong and profound not only in the sense of the family he has found and nurtured here, but also dynamically entrenched in the land surrounding our home. This is where he goes to work every day, taking care of our land and listening to the messages that come from the vines which have always been cultivated here. Every year Raffaele’s commitment and his close partnership with our vineyard reward us with the fruits of their joint labor, a harvest which always varies and surprises us, reflecting climatic patterns and our own management capacity.
Raffaele’s international background and his previous jobs in the field of marketing took him all over the world for many years, until he ultimately found a safe haven here and unexpected personal satisfaction in the vineyard. Holding a degree in political science and speaking 4 languages easily, he never believed that being a farmer would be his destiny and perhaps the profession that suits him best in both character and mindset. He now finds his greatest challenges are not only physical ones working the land, but administrative ones as well, especially in the delicate and complicated management of the Italian bureaucracy that often buries us in senseless paperwork for long hours. Raffaele carries the weight of this aspect of our venture with intelligence and good grace. Ilaria