A luxury wine heist in Italy has left Marchesi Antinori without about 30,000 bottles worth an estimated 5 million euros ($5.8 million). The theft at the producer’s warehouse near Cortona, in Tuscany, involved some of its best-known wines and is believed by the company to be the largest such theft recorded in the country.
The thieves struck over the weekend of Oct. 3-4, according to reports that differ on the precise night. At least seven masked people reportedly disabled alarms and security cameras before using Antinori forklifts to fill two large trucks. Some surveillance footage was nevertheless available to investigators.
Workers discovered the missing stock on Monday, Oct. 5. The company disclosed the theft Friday after withholding the news to avoid disrupting the investigation. The bottles, prepared for overseas distribution, were all from the 2023 vintage. The stolen labels included Solaia, Tignanello and Guado al Tasso, with roughly 8,000 to 10,000 bottles of Solaia among the losses.
Luxury wine heist in Italy triggers worldwide warning
Antinori, a family-run winemaker, has alerted importers and customers to watch for unusually sourced bottles. Solaia alone represents a significant loss: the winery produces approximately 60,000 to 70,000 bottles in a typical year. The stolen wines can sell for hundreds of euros per bottle.
🚨 Thieves Steal 30,000 Bottles Of Wine Worth €5 Million In Italy
Thieves have reportedly stolen 30,000 bottles of premium wine valued at approximately €5 million from Marchesi Antinori, a prestigious Italian winery in Tuscany.
The stolen collection includes renowned labels… pic.twitter.com/qS6UaIjVwk
— La Voix (@LaVoix_news) October 9, 2026
Italian police and Carabinieri are examining available footage and other evidence. Chief Executive Renzo Cotarella said the scale and method suggested a prepared group and raised the possibility of a connection to other thefts. “A theft of this size and value has never occurred in Italy,” he said. No arrests or recoveries had been publicly confirmed as of Friday.
Cotarella also said the company’s theft insurance did not cover a loss of this size. Antinori hopes the amount of wine involved and the movement of two trucks will help investigators trace the shipment.
Earlier winery thefts raise questions about possible links
In late June, thieves took more than 3,000 bottles of premium sparkling wine from Banfi’s facility in Strevi, in northern Italy. Another group stole around 3,000 bottles of Barolo from Conterno Fantino in September, using winery equipment and vehicles, according to local reports.
Despite similarities, authorities have not publicly established that the robberies were committed by the same group. The destination of Antinori’s stolen stock also remains unknown. The company is urging buyers to use authorized sellers and report suspicious offers as police try to determine where the bottles went.
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