Editor’s note: This is the second installment in Jessica Holloway's series on women in Italian wine. Read the first installment here.
The road to Podere Conca winds through one of Italy's most celebrated wine landscapes. In Bolgheri, rows of vines stretch toward the Tyrrhenian Sea, while the scent of the Mediterranean drifts through the warm Tuscan air. It is a landscape that has become synonymous with some of Italy's most celebrated wines.
Yet for Dr. Silvia Cirri, visitors should not begin their journey in the tasting room.
They should begin in the vineyard.
Walking among the vines, Silvia introduces guests to the soils, the climate and the rhythms of the seasons. Here, before a cork is pulled or a glass is poured, visitors begin to understand something that can never be captured by tasting notes alone: every bottle is the product of a place, a season and the people who care for it each day.
Alongside running Podere Conca, Dr. Silvia Cirri continues to practice as a doctor, balancing two professions that, although seemingly worlds apart, are united by careful observation, precision and an unwavering respect for life. Whether caring for patients or tending vines, she believes that understanding comes before intervention.
Founded in the heart of Bolgheri, Podere Conca is a boutique estate producing wine from 5 hectares of organically managed vineyards, alongside 5 hectares of olive groves that contribute to the biodiversity of the landscape. Since completing the winery in 2019, Silvia has remained committed to producing wines that express the character of Bolgheri while respecting the environment from which they come, seen in her blend of DOC and white wine that is somewhat different from typical Bolgheri wines.
It is an approach shaped as much by listening as by knowledge.
Learning, Silvia explains, never truly stops. It develops through travelling to other wine regions, exchanging ideas with fellow producers, collaborating with universities and experimenting in the vineyard. Equally important is listening to visitors. Every conversation offers new perspectives on what people value, what they remember and how they connect with a place.
That continuous cycle of observation, reflection and adaptation has become central to the evolution of Podere Conca.
The visitor experience reflects this philosophy. Silvia has created one tasting that is intentionally educational, inviting guests to discover how aromas found in the glass can also be recognized in nature. Small bowls of fresh fruit accompany each wine, encouraging visitors to connect what they taste with what they smell.
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"When we taste the white wine," she says, "I might serve small pieces of pineapple or apricot, which are the aromas I detect in my wines. I do the same for the reds. Everything is fresh, and people really enjoy it."
Rather than leading guests directly into the cellar, Silvia invites them to slow down and experience the vineyard first. As they walk between the rows of vines, they discover how the proximity of the sea moderates temperatures, how different soils influence the vines and how each season presents new challenges and opportunities. They begin to appreciate the countless decisions that shape every bottle long before fermentation begins.
By the time they reach the tasting room, visitors are no longer simply sampling wines.
They are tasting the landscape they have just experienced.
Climate change has inevitably become part of that story. Like many producers across Italy, Silvia has witnessed warmer summers and changing weather patterns. Podere Conca focuses on understanding the vineyard's natural rhythms. The cooling sea breezes that define Bolgheri help protect the vines during the hottest months, while careful, minimal irrigation supports the health of the grapes without compromising their expression.
It is a philosophy based not on controlling nature but on working alongside it.
Innovation also has an important role to play, but always in service of authenticity. Whether discussing sustainable vineyard management, digital communication or scientific research, Silvia believes innovation should strengthen tradition rather than replace it. Technology can improve efficiency and understanding, but it should never diminish the identity of the land or the people who cultivate it.
Perhaps one of the most distinctive aspects of Podere Conca is the team behind it. Every key role within the winery is carried out by women, creating an environment built on collaboration, shared expertise and mutual respect. It is not something Silvia presents as unusual; rather, it has evolved naturally through bringing together people who share the same commitment to excellence.
While websites and social media may introduce people to Podere Conca, Silvia believes the most memorable experiences are created through genuine human connection. Visitors remember conversations shared over a glass of wine, stories exchanged while walking through the vineyard and the sense of understanding that comes from seeing, firsthand, where a wine is born.
Those moments linger long after the bottle has been opened.
As I left Podere Conca, I found myself reflecting on a simple idea that had emerged throughout our conversation. Across Italy, I have met remarkable women whose stories are shaping the future of wine, each bringing her own perspective to a changing industry. Silvia's contribution lies in reminding us that the finest wine tourism experiences are not built on spectacle or luxury alone. They begin with curiosity, with conversation and with a walk through the vineyard.
Standing among the vines of Bolgheri, it becomes clear that every bottle tells two stories. One is written by nature; the other by the people who patiently care for it.
At Podere Conca, visitors are invited to discover both before the first glass is ever poured.
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