Marchesi Antinori winery hit by €5 million wine heist

Thieves have carried out what is described as one of the largest wine thefts in Italian history, stealing approximately 30,000 bottles from the Marchesi Antinori winery in Tuscany. The stolen goods, valued at roughly €5 million ($7.9 million CAD), included highly sought-after 2023 vintage labels such as Solaia, Tignanello, and Guado al Tasso.

According to CEO Renzo Cotarella, at least seven masked intruders disabled the alarm and security camera systems at a logistics warehouse near Cortona. The perpetrators used the company’s own forklifts to load the wine onto two trucks. The theft occurred on a Saturday when no employees were present, and the loss was discovered when staff returned on Monday.

The highly organized group targeted inventory that was packaged and awaiting shipment to international markets, including the United States and France. While the theft will impact global market availability, officials noted it will not affect upcoming wine releases in certain regions, such as Ontario, Canada.