Thieves make off with €5m haul from prestigious Italian winery
Gang broke into cellar of Marchesi Antinori in Cortona and loaded two trucks with 30,000 bottles before getaway Thousands of bottles of wine worth €5m (£4.2m) have been stolen from a prestigious winery in Tuscany in what is thought to be the biggest heist of its kind in Italy. A gang of at least seven masked individuals broke into the cellar of Marchesi Antinori, a family-owned winery dating back…
In a significant heist, a group of masked individuals managed to steal €5 million worth of wine from the esteemed Marchesi Antinori winery in Cortona, Tuscany. The gang broke into the cellar, shutting off alarms and surveillance cameras before loading two trucks with 30,000 bottles of wine. Among the stolen bottles were highly sought-after vintages such as Solaia, Guado al Tasso, and Tignanello, which are renowned for being among the first red wines in Tuscany produced without white grapes.
The theft took place on Saturday, as the winery was preparing for a major shipment to international buyers. However, the crime remained undetected until Monday morning when staff arrived for their shifts. Marchesi Antinori's CEO, Renzo Cotarella, revealed that the thieves were highly prepared for the operation, stating that a theft of this magnitude and value has never been recorded in Italy.
Cotarella expressed confidence that investigators would eventually trace the stolen wine, which included some magnum-sized bottles of Barolo Ginestra. He also noted that such a large amount of merchandise cannot simply vanish without leaving a trace, given the extensive camera network along Tuscan roads. Cotarella believes that the same gang might be responsible for other thefts at wineries in recent months, including one in Alba during September.
Unfortunately, Marchesi Antinori's insurance policy does not cover losses of such substantial value due to the theft of wine. The company had not anticipated that two trucks would successfully infiltrate the cellar and make off with such a significant haul. Typically, these large-scale wine robberies are meticulously planned and carried out by individuals with extensive knowledge of wines, who may target collectors, bars, or restaurants.
However, the sudden surge in supply of these wines could potentially raise suspicions. As the investigation progresses, Marchesi Antinori has cautioned its customers to exercise caution when purchasing wine from unauthorized sources.
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