Thieves have stolen about 30,000 bottles of premium wine worth €5 million from a prestigious Italian winery in what is being described as one of the largest wine heists ever recorded in Italy.
The theft targeted Marchesi Antinori, Italy’s largest family owned winemaker, founded in 1385.
The company said the heist took place last Saturday at its temperature controlled storage facility in Cortona, Tuscany, as staff were preparing a consignment for shipment to customers abroad.
According to Antinori, surveillance footage showed seven masked men entered the warehouse, disabled the alarm systems and surveillance cameras, and used the company’s own forklifts to load two large trucks with thousands of cases.
The stolen stock included its most sought-after Super Tuscan reds – Tignanello, Solaia and Guado al Tasso. Between 8,000 to 10,000 bottles of Solaia alone were taken. The wines typically retail for €150 to €500 per bottle, with rare vintages worth thousands.
The theft was only discovered on Monday morning when staff arrived at the site.
Chief Executive Renzo Cotarella told Corriere della Sera: “A theft of this scale and value has certainly never occurred in Italy.”
He said the timing and selection suggest a highly organised group with inside knowledge.
“These were people who knew what they were doing. They weren’t simply thieves who had no idea what they were stealing,” he said.
“Two trucks full of merchandise can’t just disappear into thin air. The Tuscan roads are full of cameras, perhaps with a bit of luck we’ll be able to recover at least some of the bottles,” he added.
Antinori said it has alerted customers worldwide to be wary of offers outside official channels. No arrests have been made and Italian police are investigating.
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