Diary

Folonari wine family sells business

By Rashmi Kumar

The family behind some of Italy’s classic wines such as the coveted Ruffino Riserva Ducale has sold the family business to an American wine company.

Although its all change in management at the Tuscan winemaker Ruffino, lovers of its iconic wines needn’t worry – its new owner, New York-based Constellation Brands, isn’t planning on crossing oceans anytime soon. The Tuscan vineyards of the Folonari family will continue to produce the wines, as they have done so for the last few decades.

As Rob Sands, chief executive and president of Constellation, said: “We intend to build on the history of the Folonari family and the image and reputation they brought to the brand for today’s wine consumers who enjoy Tuscan style wines.”

Founded in 1877 by cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino, the business has always been under family ownership, albeit not of the founding family.

The Ruffino cousins sold the business to the Folonari family in 1913, which marked the beginning of the transformation of the business into a modernised wine making company – so much so that the business was appointed the official wine supplier to the royal Italian court in 1916.

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