RUFFINO CLOSER TO THE U.S.A.: THE FOLONARI FAMILY AT 50.1% AGREES TO TRANSFER 100% OF THE BRAND TO THE U.S. GIANT CONSTELLATION BRANDS (ALREADY AT 49.9%). “MADE IN ITALY” MANAGEMENT. FOCUS: U.S. OWNERS OF TUSCAN VINEYARDS

The transfer of 100% ownership of the Ruffino Chianti trademark from the Folonari family who currently hold 50.1%, to the U.S. giant Constellation Brands, the company that already had 49.9% in 2010, has made 53 million euros in revenues, of which 87% abroad. The agreement on the value of the quotations at stake that Constellation had challenged in the past, is oriented to maintaining Italian production management to focus on distribution, and should be definitive in the next few months.

The Folonari family, current owners of the majority of the group, in 2010 exercised the “put option” under the 2004 agreement, selling its minority shares to the corporation and providing the possibility to sell the whole stock package (the trademark and property in Pontassieve, but not all the properties, ed) to Constellation. The agreement is at an impasse at the moment because in February 2011, the U.S. giant asked for arbitration especially to re-evaluate the price of the shares established in 2004.
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Focus - U.S. Ownerships in Tuscan and Italian vineyards
- Since 1978 the American family of Italian origin, Mariani, owns Castello Banfi in Montalcino
- The “Il Giardinello” villa and estate in Montalcino has recently been acquired by Louis Camilleri of Altria Group Inc., the holding company controlling the Philip Morris group
- Richard Parsons, former CEO of Time Warner, bought the estate “Il Palazzone” estate in Montalcino in 2000
- Since 1994, the American Vineyard Kendall Jackson owns Villa Arceno Castelnuovo Berardenga.
- The Mulino di Grace, a company in Radda in Chianti and Panzano, has been owned by the U.S. business man Frank Grace since 1995
- The company Capannelle in Gaiole in Chianti is owned by James B. Sherwood, founder and shareholder of the Orient-Express Hotels, owners of Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Hotel Splendido in Portofino, Villa San Michele in Florence, Hotel Caruso in Ravello.
- La Mozza in Maremma and Bastianich Vineyards in Friuli Venezia Giulia are owned by Italian-American mother and son, Lidia and Joseph Bastianich
- Dan and Ellen Lugosch, American entrepreneurs, have owned
Porta di Vertine, a company in Gaiole in Chianti since 2006.
Change of ownership from U.S.A. to Italy
- Gallo Winery sold the brand Venetian Bolla to the Italian Wines Group (GIV) in 2008
- In 1981, Lodovico Antinori founded the Ornellaia estate (between Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci), and launched two wines: Ornellaia and Masseto that are true musts in the Italian wine world. In 1999 he joined the Robert Mondavi shareholders, of the famous California wine, who bought the rest of the package from Lodovico Antinori in March 2002 and was the sole owner for a few months until the next sale to Frescobaldi. Frescobaldi acquired Ornellaia in 2005, when they exercised their option to purchase the Robert Mondavi Corporation share of Ornellaia following the Robert Mondavi Corporation acquisition from Constellation Brands. In 2006 Marchesi Frescobaldi formed a new holding company with Mondavi and the Russian group Stolichnaya Vodka called “Tuscany Estates” for the control of Ornellaia Estate (Bolgheri), Castelgiocondo (Montalcino) and Luce della Vite (Montalcino).