Tuscany’s world-renowned winemaking community has been rocked by a staggering, high-stakes burglary. In a meticulously planned overnight raid, a crew of at least seven thieves targeted the prestigious Marchesi Antinori estate in Cortona (Arezzo), making off with roughly 30,000 bottles of elite 2023 vintage wine.
The haul - featuring prized bottles of Solaia, Tignanello, and Guado al Tasso, which retail between $130 and $330 a bottle - is valued at an eye-watering $5.5 million, marking the largest wine theft in Italian history. The perpetrators disabled the facility's alarm system and security cameras before using company forklifts to load the cargo into two heavy-duty trucks. Antinori CEO Renzo Cotarella noted the extraordinary level of preparation involved, warning collectors and restaurant owners worldwide to steer clear of suspicious offers outside official distribution channels.