Piero Antinori is the “Master of the Art of Italian Cuisine” for “the Art of Winemaking” in 2026

“Thank you, President Meloni; thank you, Minister Lollobrigida. I am deeply honored by this important recognition, which for me represents perhaps the greatest encouragement and motivation to continue contributing, through our products, to our country’s prestige and reputation around the world, it is what we are most proud of. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. For my 88th birthday, this is the best gift I could ask for. Thank you”. These are the words of Piero Antinori, the “Leonardo da Vinci” of Italian wine, as he has been described by his fellow winemakers, for whom he is a leading figure. And as of today, his 88th birthday, which he is celebrating in style, he is also the “Master of the Art of Italian Cuisine” for “the Art of Winemaking”, an honor bestowed today by the government and presented by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida. “Mr. Antinori, please accept a special round of applause because today is also your birthday, so congratulations”, said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as she presented the award to Piero Antinori. “And then they say wine is bad for you”, added Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida. Piero Antinori, as explained in the award citation, “is one of the most influential figures in contemporary Italian winemaking, at the helm of a dynasty with ties to the land dating back to 1385. Starting in the 1960s, he launched a profound revolution in winemaking, creating iconic labels that have redefined the image of Italian wine around the world and establishing himself as one of the standard-bearers of the Super Tuscans”. “His work combines respect for centuries-old roots with constant experimentation in the vineyard and winery, transforming tradition into a driver of international competitiveness and becoming a source of inspiration for young people who want to enter the world of winemaking”. The story of Piero Antinori and Marchesi Antinori, now carried forward by his daughters Albiera, Allegra, and Alessia, and by Marchesi Antinori CEO Renzo Cotarella, is an exemplary one. It has established the company as one of the most important players in the global wine industry in terms of brand recognition, the acclaimed quality of its wines, the beauty of the Antinori winery in Chianti Classico, and so on. A company that, throughout its history and under the leadership of Piero Antinori, has created legendary wines, from Solaia to Tignanello, from Cervaro della Sala to Matarocchio di Guado al Tasso, to name just a few. This estate spans over 3,300 hectares of land in Italy and around the world: from Tenuta Tignanello, Villa Antinori, Badia a Passignano, and Pèppoli in Chianti Classico, where, for several years now, the futuristic Bargino winery in San Casciano Val di Pesa has been located, entirely “carved” into the hillside and surrounded by vineyards (voted the world’s best winery in 2022 by World’s Best Vineyards), through Pian delle Vigne, one of the most important names in the land of Brunello di Montalcino, and Tenuta Guado al Tasso, among the most prominent brands in Bolgheri, passing through Le Mortelle, in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma with a view of the sea in Castiglione della Pescaia, and Fattoria Aldobrandesca, in the Etruscan Maremma in Sovana. And then there’s La Braccesca, in Montepulciano, in the land of Vino Nobile, and Tenuta Monteloro in the Apennines near Fiesole, just outside Florence, as well as Tenuta La Farneta, in Sinalunga, in the Chianti Colli Senesi region, not far from Siena. And then there are the other wine-producing areas of exceptional quality in Piedmont, in the Barolo region (with Prunotto), in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (with the famous Jermann winery in Gorizia, in the Collio region), in Umbria (Castello della Sala), in Franciacorta (Montenisa), and in Puglia (Tormaresca). In addition to vineyards in Napa Valley (where Antinori recently acquired full ownership of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar) and in Chile (Haras de Pirque). All in honor of the 2026 “Master of Italian Cuisine” for wine, Piero Antinori.