Friday,
December 12, 2008
A Daughter to Reign at Storied 623 yr old
Florence Antinori Winery
The
ANNOTICO Report
For
623 years - starting more than two centuries before fellow Italian Galileo
discovered Jupiter’s moons in 1610 - Antinoris
have been harvesting grapes, turning them into wine and selling their product.
But
for the first time in 26 generations the vineyard soon could be led by a woman,
since the current CEO, the Marchese Piero Antinori, has three
daughters - Albiera (43), Allegra (37), and
Alessia (32), and no sons.
Their
father’s accomplishments will be a challenge to match. He was one of the
first of the Super Tuscan winemakers, who successfully challenged the French
for a place among the worlds most collectible - and expensive - wines,
such as tignanello, solaia
and guado al tasso. He
bought and improved key properties in and around
A Woman may Reign at Storied Italian Winery
For the Journal-Constitution
By Gil Kulers
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Empires have
risen and fallen, plagues have gripped countrysides
and religious reformations have swept through
Through it all,
the Famiglia Antinori of
Florence, Italy, has been making wine.
For 623 years -
starting more than two centuries before fellow Italian Galileo discovered
Jupiters moons in 1610 - Antinoris have been
harvesting grapes, turning them into wine and selling their product.
The Antinori family is remarkable, says Carolyn Wente, vice chairman of Wente
Vineyards in
What makes the
current transfer of power from the 25th to the 26th generation different is
that for the first time, the vineyard soon could be led by a woman.
The current CEO,
the Marchese Piero Antinori, has three daughters - Albiera,
Allegra and Alessia. This posed succession problems. In fact, the senior Antinori was so unsure that his daughters would want to
take the reins that he sold a 49 percent stake in the company to the English
beer-making company Whitbread in 1988. The marriage lasted merely three years
as it became clear that generazioni 26 would join
their father, who turns 70 next year. At great cost, Piero
bought back Whitbreads shares.
There is a
new game we are all practicing, said Alessia of the current generation of
women. Our father brought us up to participate in the business if we
wanted to. This would have not been an option to previous generations [of
women], who took care of the children and the household.
Alessia hosted a
dinner at Antica Posta restaurant during an
Independent-minded
women in the wine industry are still novel in
Alessia is aware
that every generation contributes something to the business. Her fathers
accomplishments will be a challenge to match, however. He was one of the first
of the Super Tuscan winemakers, who successfully challenged the French for a
place among the worlds most collectible - and expensive - wines, such as tignanello, solaia and guado al tasso. He bought and
improved key properties in and around
Not that there arent areas where
Alessias experience could prove beneficial to the regions her father has
moved into, such as partnering with Chateau Ste. Michelle in
They are
good at marketing on certain wines, especially those in the midrange, she
said. I believe we can help them with the high-range wines. With the
high-end wines, like tignanello and solia, it is more about positioning, not about more volume.
We want to be in the better places, and not only Italian restaurants. That, I
can do. I know where I want to be seen or not be seen.
When asked if she
thought an American winemaking dynasty could stand the test of centuries, she
shook her head no. In
Gil Kulers is a certified wine educator with the Society of
Wine Educators and teaches in-home wine classes. You can reach him at
gil.kulers@winekulers.com.
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