From Antinori to Conterno, from Ferrari to Ruffino: the “historical brands of national interest”

For a company, in any sector, having a long history to tell is a great added value. Because it means that that company, with its ideas and the people who lead it and work for it, has been able to go through, and sometimes lead, changes over time, to innovate or become a great classic. A history that it is important to communicate, first and foremost through products, with initiatives of all kinds, but also with brands. And there are many Italian wine and food brands that are part of the “Register of historical brands of national interest”, established by the Ministry of Economic Development at the Italian Patent and Trademark Office, for which the “owners or exclusive licensees of trademarks registered for at least fifty years or for which it is possible to demonstrate the continuous use for at least fifty years, used for the marketing of products or services made in a national productive enterprise of excellence historically connected to the national territory” can apply.
Wine, for example, is the protagonist with many top brands, even though they are very different from each other. From Marchesi Antinori, whose family, now in its 26th generation represented by Albiera, Allegra and Alessia who run the company with their father Piero Antinori, is among the leaders of Italian wine, which it has been doing since 1385, to Giacomo Conterno, today the most precious brand of Barolo and Italian wine (which has also registered its top brand, Barolo Monfortino), from Ferrari, the leading winery of Italian sparkling wine and Trentodoc, of the Lunelli family (which has also registered the historical brand Gran Spumante Ferrari Trento), to Ruffino, one of the greatest realities of Chianti Classico (and today also in the land of Prosecco), under the aegis of the Constellations Brand group (and which has also listed two of its most renowned brands, Riserva Ducale, the summa of Chianti Classico of the winery, and Rosatello, object of a recent relaunching project). Moreover, by scrolling down the list, it is possible to find another Barolo brand, such as Massolino, other historical names of Italian sparkling wines such as Tosti and Bosca (also with the brand Riserva del Nonno), as well as Fiorano Boncompagni Lodovisi, a historical estate in Latium, or Donna Marzia, one of the most famous wine brands of Conti Zecca, in Apulia.
But there are also many food brands: from Angelo Parodi tuna (now part of Icat Food) to Polli, from Carli olive oil to Amaro Lucano, from Cirio tomatoes to Yoga fruit juices, from Zaìni chocolate to Galatine and Saila by Speralri, from Forst beer to Rigamonti and Vismara cold cuts, from Sasso oil by Carapelli to Burro delle Alpi by Brazzale, from Galup panettone to Jolly Caffè, to Krumiri cookies, from Star nut to Mauri cheeses, to Luxardo liqueurs, just to mention a few of the many possible (together with historical brands from other sectors such as Tex, Chicco, Despar, Benetton, Pigna, Modiano).
Different stories of longevity and success, brands which are part of the present and of the history of Made in Italy, and which tell once again how this, especially when it comes to wine and food, has one of its strong points in its ability to express quality and excellence both in products linked to the great agriculture of the territory, perfectly represented by wine, and in those which express a capacity of transformation of the raw material and of a know-how which has made and still makes Italy popular and loved all over the world.