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The Big Interview: Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli has one of the world’s most recognisable voices. In this db exclusive he tells Sarah Neish about his debut wine collection, Bocelli1831, which hits shelves early next year.
A lawyer, classical singer, author, documentary maker… Andrea Bocelli’s professional interests have spanned multiple galaxies over the past decades. But his star power hasn’t dimmed. And now the global superstar can add winemaking to his roster of achievements.
Born in a rural Tuscan town in 1958, Bocelli inherited “a deep love for the land” from his family, who sold farm machinery and dabbled in winemaking.
“I would describe myself as a connoisseur, but a very moderate drinker,” says Bocelli, whose memories of wine began with “tiny sips stolen from my father’s glass”.
A bottle of red, he reveals, felt synonymous with home. “My father took pride in the wine he made and drank, even though it was a simple, amateur effort crafted by hand – just as his father and grandfather had done before him.”
All that is about to change, however, as early next year Bocelli and his brother Alberto will reveal to the world their debut wine collection, produced in partnership with Zonin1821. The Italian powerhouse behind the extraordinary success of Kylie Minogue’s Prosecco, Zonin1821 owns seven wine estates across Italy and supplies wines to some of the UK’s most prestigious on-trade venues, including Claridge’s, The Connaught and La Petite Maison. It’s a far cry in terms of scale and international acclaim from the Bocelli family’s humble winemaking roots, and yet perhaps not so much in terms of core values.
Bocelli reveals he is relieved to have found in Zonin1821 “a partner of the highest calibre – a large wine group that, despite its size, remains family-run and driven by a passion for local winemaking traditions, and care for the land”. The multi-award-winning tenor’s wine range goes by the name of Bocelli1831, and comprises three expressions: a Prosecco DOC, a white IGT Tuscany blend of Viognier and Vermentino, and a red IGT Tuscany blend made from Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Priced between £11–£12.50, the wines will be commercially available in the first quarter of 2025.
While almost all celebrities with a drinks brand under their belt claim to be “hands-on” during the creative process, Bocelli was not afraid to completely rip up the rulebook. He insists that he entrusted the team at Zonin1821 “with the crucial technical decisions to make our vision a reality”, but db learns that some hairpin turns were made in terms of style following an early tasting of the wines by the singer.
The collection was originally conceived as a series of single-varietal expressions, but after tasting them Bocelli felt keenly that additional grapes should be introduced, requiring the oenological team to go back to the drawing board to produce, instead, multi-varietal blends.
“I have a clear vision of the quality I strive for, shaped in part by the privilege of tasting some of the world’s finest wines,” Bocelli tells the drinks business. “I refuse to compromise on quality, authenticity or sustainability.”
It was a slightly different story when it came to determining the price for his wines, however, with Bocelli content to defer to “individuals far more knowledgeable than I am about the appropriate value to assign to a bottle, considering the economics involved”.
His one request was that his wines “represent something special within reach of as many people as possible”. Rather than gathering dust in collectors’ cellars, Bocelli wants his wines to be “uncorked with ease and enjoyment – perhaps for a Sunday lunch or a dinner with friends”.
So, no small task then – produce authentic Italian wines that meet the highest quality level, within the financial reach of the everyday consumer. Here, Zonin1821 was able to fully deploy its expertise, utilising its global reach and connections to arrive at an end product that is both premium and affordable.
Most of the grapes that make it into Bocelli1831 wines are sourced from the hills of Valdera in Tuscany, “where my ancestors lived and worked”, and where his brother Alberto (pictured left) still manages the family farm. The estate is also where Andrea Bocelli stables his “beloved horses”, having been a keen rider since childhood – he trekked the Via Franciagena on horseback for a docu-film in 2021. He also likes to “challenge himself” with a game of chess, and is an avid football fan, supporting Inter Milan.
Life changing event
Indeed, it was a football that caused a life-changing event in Bocelli’s early years. Born with a visual impairment caused by congenital glaucoma, he lost his eyesight completely when, aged 12, he was hit in the face by a football. His loss of vision has not stopped him from touring the globe performing for audiences of millions, nor from racking up a library of accolades ranging from a Golden Globe and seven Classical Brit awards to a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
To date, Bocelli has sold more than 90 million albums and generated more than 16 billion streams worldwide with popular anthems such as Time to Say Goodbye, to become one of the world’s most recognisable voices. Not only that, but pop stars including Ed Sheeran, Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa, Bono and Ariana Grande have queued up to duet with him.
One can only imagine how, in the absence of sight, other major senses may become amplified. In a musical context, this might mean an ear that can unravel the many layers of sound in a complex symphony, for example. Has Bocelli’s blindness proved an asset in terms of tasting and developing his own wines?
“I don’t know for sure. What I can say is that what we often call ‘limitations’ can be transformed into opportunities – paths for growth,” he says. “Every human being must come to terms with the tools given to them, whatever they may be, and our communication channels with the world are numerous, powerful and intricate. All it takes is the willingness to cultivate them. It’s no coincidence that some see everything but understand nothing, while others, without even looking, manage to perceive it all.”
In terms of what he likes to pour in his own home, Bocelli namechecks wines from Marchesi Antinori and Marchesi Ricasoli, as well as handpicked bottles of Barolo, Brunello, and Amarone.
“I have a fairly well-stocked cellar, though it contains no precious bottles,” he says. “The one I cherish the most – what I consider the most valuable and perhaps the most under-appreciated (as I doubt it has many other admirers) – is a bottle from 1928, the year my father was born. It’s our own wine, certainly not a Château Petrus, but I would never part with it, regardless of any (unlikely) offer.”
Bocelli believes that music and wine often share a common language. “It’s a combination I highly recommend,” he quips. “After all, along with good wine, good music is one of life’s great pleasures. Singing comes from a wave of euphoria, almost from the need to express oneself beyond words. In this sense, wine can also open the soul.”
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