On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we are launching a new series dedicated to exploring the lives of remarkable women in the Ricasoli family. This first installment focuses on Anna Bonaccorsi Dolcini, wife of Bettino Ricasoli, the “Iron Baron,” who played a key role in shaping the family’s legacy. Bettino is renowned for his pioneering vision in viticulture, which transformed the Castello di Brolio into a world-renowned wine production center. However, his success would not have been possible without the crucial support of his wife, Anna Bonaccorsi (1811-1852), daughter of Filippo, a wealthy landowner from Tredozio in Tuscan Romagna, whose family was also part of Florence’s civic patriciate.

Bettino and Anna’s marriage, celebrated in 1830, was not only a deep emotional bond but also a strategic alliance—common at the time—that played a crucial role in restoring and expanding the Ricasoli family fortune. Anna brought with her an exceptional dowry of 334,000 liras, three times the average for the period. This substantial sum was instrumental in settling the family’s debts and restructuring its affairs, particularly in the management of the Brolio estate. The financial stability Anna provided, combined with her education and entrepreneurial acumen, laid the groundwork for a period of growth and prosperity.

Beyond her keen intelligence and expertise in wealth management, Anna Bonaccorsi was a kind, principled, and deeply religious woman. She forged a strong emotional bond with her husband and stood by his side through the many sacrifices required to restore the family’s vast estate. One defining moment in their life together was their decision to withdraw from Florence’s social scene and settle at the Castello di Brolio—a move that drew criticism but allowed them to focus entirely on rehabilitating and developing their lands while cutting the high costs of maintaining their Florentine palace. In the face of economic challenges and societal expectations, Bettino and Anna managed to rebuild the family’s wealth, proving that the union of love and business was the key to success.

After Anna’s untimely passing at just 41, Bettino’s profound and heartfelt love for her is evident in a letter dated July 7, 1852: “The sacrifice is complete!… Nina is gone. I remain, but submerged in the deepest sorrow. She revealed a soul so noble, kind, and pure, even in the midst of great suffering, that one could only see her as an angel. The last fifteen days of her life alone are enough to make her an extraordinary and blessed woman. I do not know when the intensity of my grief will subside, and now the rest of my life is cloaked in a veil of sorrowful melancholy […] The house feels empty and desolate to me.”

Bettino and Anna had four children, but only one survived —his beloved daughter, Elisabetta Penelope, affectionately known as Bettina.