Antinori, Italy’s Leading Wine Family, Profiled on 60 Minutes

Woodinville, Wash.

The Antinori family, Italy’s most celebrated wine producer, which also owns wine estates in Washington and California, will be profiled by the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes on Sunday, October 12.

60 Minutes will feature interviews with Marchese Piero Antinori and his three daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, who are intimately involved in all aspects of the family business. The program also tours the family’s historic estates in Tuscany, Umbria and California.

The Antinori family is the first winemaker to be profiled by 60 Minutes in the past 26 years and only the third producer to be featured since the program’s first broadcast. Since beginning its 40th season this fall, the weekly audience has reached as many as 16.65 million viewers.

Marchesi Antinori, is a family-owned wine producer in Tuscany since at least the 12th century and, officially, since Giavanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Vintners Guild in 1385. Marchese Piero Antinori, the 25th generation president of the company, has played a vital role in the preservation of Italy’s enological traditions, while at the same time, his innovative, dynamic and visionary views have led to Italy’s recognition as a producer of world-class wine. As the 26th generation of the Antinori family, Piero Antinori’s daughters Albiera, Allegra and Alessia are now involved in all aspects of Marchesi Antinori - and will play important roles in the prestigious producer’s future.

Although winemaking is based at boutique estates throughout Tuscany and Umbria, the family also produces Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon at Antica Napa Valley, its picturesque hillside estate in California.

"This is an exceptional moment for the Antinori family in the U.S.," said Ted Baseler, president of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates which is a joint venture partner with Antinori. "Wine lovers who have enjoyed their wines for years now will see the history of quality and innovation at the family’s estates in Italy and the U.S."

Last year the Antinori family and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates partnered to acquire the historic Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, one of the world’s most highly regarded winery estates. Also in 2007, the Antinori and Ste. Michelle opened the Col Solare winery on Red Mountain in Washington state.

Ste. Michelle is the exclusive importer of Antinori wines in the U.S., and Antinori markets Ste. Michelle wines in Italy.

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For further information:
Kari Leitch
(425) 415-3673
kari.leitch@ste-michelle.com