India's First Wine, Food and Hospitality Website, INDIAN WINE ACADEMY, Specialists in Food & Wine Programmes. Food Importers in Ten Cities Across India. Publishers of delWine, India’s First Wine.
 
 
Skip Navigation Links
Home
About Us
Indian Market
Wine & Health
Wine Events
Hotels
Retail News
Blog
Contact Us
Skip Navigation Links
Wine Tourism
Book Review
Launch
Winery
TechTalk
Photo Gallery
Readers' Comments
Editorial
Media
Video Wall
Media Partners
Ask Wineguyindia
Wine & Food
Wine Guru
Perspectives
Gerry Dawes
Harvest Reports
Mumbai Reports
Advertise With Us
Classifieds
US Report on Indian Market Released
Top Ten Importers List 2015-16
On Facebook
 
On Twitter
Delhi Wine Club
 

Posted: Monday, January 12 2009. 13:02

Italian World's Oldest Family Run Winery

Barone Ricasoli in Chianti Classico region of Italy is the oldest family run winery in the world, followed by the Tuscan Marchesi Antinori, according to the American magazine Family Business list of the oldest-running businesses that have remained in the hands of the founding family.

Barone Ricasoli, based in Brolio and founded in 1141 tops the list. The Ricasoli barons were given their first land from the Republic of Florence; today their Brolio Estate covers about 3,600 acres. The family's main focus is wine production, although they use 26 acres of the estate to cultivate olives. Francesco Ricasoli, the 32nd Baron of Barone, manages the company.

In the wine making field, Ricasoli (no. 4 overall in the list) is well known for having carried out many experiments which led to the famous formula of the Chianti Classico blend at the heart of the specifications of one of the most important wines of Italy.

Marchesi Antinori, the next in the 2008 list (9th overall) of the Family Magazine was founded in 1385. The Antinori family has been in the wine business since Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Guild of Vintners more than 600 years ago. Marchese (Count) Piero Antinori and his three daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, oversee a system of vineyards in Italy, the U.S., Hungary, Malta and Chile. The company has been housed in a Florentine palazzo since 1506.

Barone Ricasoli wines are imported by Mohan Bros., Delhi while the Mumbai-based Sansula has been promoting Antinori in a big way for a decade

In the strictest sense, the honour of being the oldest wine company could be claimed by the Loire Valley-based Château de Goulaine (tied-no. 2 in the List) as it was founded in 1000 AD. It is not clearly recorded when the family started producing wine for commercial purpose. The castle, owned by the Goulaine family, houses a museum and rare butterfly collection. The family hosts functions and sells wine from the castle vineyards.

Codorniu, based in Saint Sadurní d'Anoia in Catalonia, Spain, is the oldest

Spanish wine making company which was founded in 1551 and finds the 19th spot on the list, fourth in the wine producing category. In 1976 King Juan Carlos I declared the Codorníu estate a national historic and artistic monument .

Fonjallaz (18), a Swiss winery founded in 1552 is ahead of two Chilean Estates. Alsace based Hugel et Fils (39) is the only other French winery mentioned in the list.

UK based wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd, founded in 1698 and being run by Simon Berry find a position at no. 66. The family operates out of the same shop where they began three centuries ago.

According to the experts who drew up the list, less than one third of family companies manage to be passed along to a second generation.

The list containing the 100 oldest family run companies is topped by a Japanese Inn founded in 718. As may be expected, maximum number of oldest firms is from this country.

       

Want to Comment ?
Name  
Email   
Please enter your comments in the space provided below. If there is a problem, please write directly to arora@delwine.com. Thank you.


Captcha
Generate a new image

Type letters from the image:


Please note that it may take some time to get your comment published...Editor

Wine In India, Indian Wine, International Wine, Asian Wine Academy, Beer, Champagne, World Wine Academy, World Wine, World Wines, Retail, Hotel

     
 

 
 
Copyright©indianwineacademy, 2003-2020 |All Rights Reserved
Developed & Designed by Sadilak SoftNet