Uncorking Il Palagio, the vineyard owned by Sting and Trudie Styler

It’s a regular day at the Il Palagio vineyards in Italy. Native Tuscan grapes grow on the vine across its 350 hectares, bottles of wine age in cool cellars and music vibrates through the centuries-old butter-yellow villa which presides over it all. 

The person playing the music? Sting, who owns the vineyards along with his wife and business partner Trudie Styler. 

If you’re travelling to Milan, you might have noticed we’ve added one of Il Palagio’s wines to our list: the La Regista 2019. Following a blind taste test with a panel of judges including Cathay Pacific’s Wine, Spirits and Beverages Manager Ronald Khoo, Master of Wine Debra Meiburg and the late wine consultant Roy Moorfield, the consensus was unanimous: Il Palagio’s wines are a perfect addition to our cellars – both on board and in our lounges.

“Our goal is to elevate our members' dining experiences and to do that, we consciously select different and complementing styles of wines to allow for this diversity in taste profiles,” says Khoo.

The journey to partnering with Il Palagio began when Khoo met Sting, Styler and their team at a performance in Singapore. “They invited me to try the La Regista 2019 and I was impressed, so I asked them if they would like to include the vintage in our Italian red wine tender,” he says. “We went through the usual blind tasting process and it was the best wine in the line-up.”  

“We’ve earned our credibility,” says Tony Sasa, Sales Manager of Il Palagio. While having celebrity owners may help put a vineyard on the map, it’s been Styler and Sting’s mission to ensure the quality of the wines speak for themselves.

“Our first step is to demonstrate that our wines are good,” he continues. “When we talk about Il Palagio – it's organic, sustainable, in Tuscany's Chianti region and is close by Florence – if we put it all together with our celebrity owners, it makes a complete picture.” 

A new way of living

After falling in love with the Tuscan countryside and discovering Il Palagio, Styler and Sting both felt the sixteenth century estate (once owned by nobility) was the perfect place to settle down and raise their children.  

The deal was struck and in 1997, Styler and Sting became the owners of Il Palagio and were officially in the wine business. But success wasn’t guaranteed. 

Despite having been a working vineyard since the 1500s, Il Palagio’s vineyards passed into Styler and Sting’s hands needing a lot of work. Sting recounted watching guests emptying wine which was made on Il Palagio grounds into flower bushes, which wasn’t an auspicious start. After that, he and Styler were determined to turn the vineyards around despite knowing very little about winemaking.

“Everything was replanted in 2002 with notable agronomist Alan York, who specialised in biodynamic, organic growing,” Sasa explains. “They wanted the best of the best.” 

York, who apprenticed with horticultural rock star Alan Chadwick, set the tone for Il Palagio – focusing mainly on growing vines native to the region such as Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Cabernet and Merlot, alongside a small selection of international grape varieties. Styler and Sting take their stewardship of the land seriously – the grounds were reirrigated and sustainable practices were built into the heart of the production.

Beyond the vineyards, rolling hills teem with olive groves used to create cold-pressed oils, as bees buzz around a fully functioning organic farm. Their approach to their nine-bedroom home also pays tribute to its origins, with Styler insisting on keeping even the original paint.

Message in a (wine) bottle

Although neither Styler nor Sting were initially well versed in winemaking, they’ve since redeemed Il Palagio over the decades – resulting in numerous accolades. One of their proudest moments was having legendary wine expert James Suckling award one of their wines 97 points. Experts including consultant Riccardo Cotarella have been brought on over the years, ensuring the quality only gets better and better. 

The years have been a learning experience and Sasa says, “Both of them are very humble. But I can guarantee you that they really understand what they are talking about when it comes to wine.”

Styler is the heart and soul of the operation, overseeing everything from labels to blends and even launching a Neapolitan pizzeria and a new wine bar on the grounds. The film producer has done a lot to bring the local Figline Valdarno community into the business as well, tapping people from across generations to work as chefs and across other parts of Il Palagio where they produce olive oils and honey. 

Although Sting is involved, his music tours mean he’s often on the road. However when he’s around, he adds his own special little touch to Il Palagio’s wines – many of which are titled after his songs, including Message in a Bottle, Sister Moon and When We Dance .

“I sing in the cellar,” Sting once said in a previous interview. “I like to think the wine’s taken it in.”

And it might not be a comment without any grounds. Sasa explains that in his time working with wines, he’s been to vineyards where violinists perform for the vines, or where music plays in cellars during the fermentation process. Khoo also likens wine to “music”, in that everybody has a different personal preference and may like different styles – or genres. 

Speaking of Sting and Il Palagio’s wines, Sasa says, “It’s an exchange of the wine volatiles and the notes he plays up in his studio. It’s a circle.”

At the very least: “It’s a romantic part of the wine [process]. I do believe that there’s something amazing about it.” 

Savour La Regista 2019 on your next Business flight to Milan or at The Pier, First for a limited time.

Milan travel information