Thieves stole approximately 30,000 bottles of premium wine from the Marchesi Antinori winery in Tuscany, valued at an estimated 5 million euros ($5.8 million). The producer described the incident on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, as the largest wine theft ever recorded in Italy.
The theft took place on a Saturday night at the company's facility near Cortona, in the province of Arezzo. Although the loss was discovered the following Monday, the winery withheld public announcement until Friday to avoid compromising the investigation by police and Carabinieri officers.
Chief Executive Renzo Cotarella stated that at least seven individuals disabled the winery’s alarm system and surveillance cameras before entering with two large trucks. The group used the winery’s own forklifts to load the vehicles during the night. The stolen inventory consisted of the 2023 vintage, including approximately 10,000 bottles of Solaia, alongside Tignanello and Guado al Tasso.
The Antinori family has operated the winery for 26 generations since 1385. The scale of the loss involves 30,000 bottles with individual retail values ranging from 150 euros (approximately $168) to 500 euros ($560). Cotarella described the 2023 vintage as exceptional.
The company issued a warning to customers worldwide to be wary of any offers for these specific labels appearing outside official sales channels. The theft of approximately two truckloads of goods follows other recent winery thefts in Italy, including a July incident where 3,300 bottles were taken from Castello Banfi.
The incident eclipses a 2017 robbery in Cervia where 2,000 bottles worth 750,000 euros were stolen. Investigators are currently reviewing surveillance footage and evidence from the scene. The company is monitoring markets for the reappearance of the 2023 vintage Solaia, Tignanello, and Guado al Tasso bottles.