Thieves steal €5m worth of premium wine from Italian winery

Thieves disabled security systems and used company forklifts to load two trucks with 30,000 bottles of premium wine worth €5m (£4.2m) from a historic Tuscan winery, prompting a warning to buyers about potential black-market sales.

The break-in happened at the Marchesi Antinori cellar in Cortona on Saturday. A group of at least seven masked individuals cut power to alarms and surveillance cameras before loading the vehicles. Staff discovered the missing stock Monday morning.

The operation targeted the firm’s most sought-after 2023 vintages. Bottles of Solaia, Guado al Tasso, and Tignanello were among the missing inventory, alongside 3,000 bottles of Barolo Ginestra. Each stolen bottle was valued between €120 and €400.

Renzo Cotarella, chief executive of Marchesi Antinori, told reporters that the perpetrators showed clear signs of professional planning. “The gang was very prepared,” Cotarella said. He added that investigators would likely track the stolen goods by following the vehicles through Tuscany’s network of road cameras.

Insurance coverage will not offset the massive loss. Cotarella suspects the same group may have targeted a winery in Alba in mid-September, marking the second major wine theft in Italy this year. Experts note that such operations usually involve buyers like private collectors, bars, or restaurants.

Marchesi Antinori, which has operated since 1385, has advised customers to avoid purchasing its wine through unofficial sellers. Authorities continue to search for the missing trucks and their cargo.