Artisans Of Business: A Look At The Tuscan Way Of Winemaking by Raquel Baldelomar -Forbes

No two leaders are the same. For the "Artisans of Business" series, Forbes contributor Raquel Baldelomar sits down with successful people across industries to learn how they lead, how they handle failure, and what drives their creative process. To open the series, she met Pierluigi Giachi, owner of Tenuta Torciano Winery, at his home in San Gimignano, Italy.

The winery was founded in 1720 and has been in the Giachi family for 15 generations. Since he took over the business, Giachi has grown it from 5,000 bottles a year with five employees to more than 700,000 bottles of wine per year with 50 employees. The turning point was a leap into direct-to-consumer sales: an American businessman convinced him to cut out the middleman and ship straight to customers. Thirty years ago, before the internet made that easy, it was a real risk. Giachi took it anyway and became the first winemaker in Italy to sell wine directly to consumers, growing the business while staying true to the traditions and quality of the past.

Business philosophy

Family-first philosophy

Family is at the heart of Tenuta Torciano, and it is one of the reasons the business works. Around 50 immediate family members are employed by the winery, and Giachi runs it together with his wife, Luciana, and his son, Emanuele. "Were it not for my relatives 15 generations ago taking it upon themselves to create this legacy, we would not be where we are today," Giachi says. "It's the fact that this winery is engrained in my family's blood that drives my passion and desire to share our magical property and products with the world."

A lot has changed since the winery opened 300 years ago: Giachi now has machinery and supplies that streamline fermentation. But he has not lost sight of the value of traditional winemaking. The overall method, he notes, is still the one the winery used when it opened — grapes are still picked by hand, one at a time, and given ample time to ferment in the cellar. "The ancient art is still deeply rooted in the same historic process," he says.

Those traditions let the winery blend luxury with an artisanal product found only in Tuscany. Its wines embody exclusivity, originality and excellence: the estate can create handmade wine labels for any occasion and gives guests ways to experience Tuscany firsthand, from a traditional truffle hunt to horseback riding through the countryside or a stroll through the vineyards. "Our love and passion for wine — truly experiencing wine and focusing on the moment in which it's enjoyed — is what really sets us apart," Giachi says.

Creative process captures a moment

Those moments are what spark Giachi's creativity. He is often inspired by something tied to one of the five senses — a smell, a beautiful photograph, an amazing dish — and says the "creative process always starts with an awakening of the senses." From there, he works with his colleagues to capture that moment in one of the winery's products.

"We strive to create products and moments in life that are not only enjoyed, but also forever engrained in your mind as an experience you will never forget."

Winemaking and business have a lot in common, Giachi notes: "Both are extremely systematic, require constant innovation and analysis of what works, but in the end, it's all about your final result." His advice for executives is to stop getting caught up in the minutiae of daily life and simply enjoy the process.

Slowing down

The benefits of the Tuscan way of life

Learning to enjoy the moment is a large part of the Tuscan lifestyle. "I have spent extensive time in the United States and can tell you that very few people, especially fellow business owners and executives, take time for themselves, let alone time to reflect and enjoy the actual moment they are living in," Giachi says.

The Tuscan lifestyle is about taking a minute to enjoy the sunset, breathe in the fresh morning air or have lunch and dinner with family — a priority for Giachi.

Guests can experience that lifestyle themselves. From November to April every year, Tenuta Torciano Winery brings a taste of Tuscany to the United States, coordinating private "Wine School Events" at homes, restaurants and private events. "Our wine-tasting managers, who we bring over from the winery, demonstrate proper wine drinking etiquette and how to properly taste and identify different styles of wine," Giachi says. It may be the perfect chance to slow down and savor the moment.

Giachi's advice for American workers is to stop working 36 hours a day. "You have forgotten the day only has 24 hours and you need eight hours of sleep," he says. You may become a multimillionaire, but if you are too stressed to enjoy life, what was the point?

For Giachi, making wine and running the business isn't a job. "It's life," he says.