Lifestyle

From shaping the reputation of Tuscan wine to his latest venture — Lodovico Wine — Italian winemaking pioneer Marchese Lodovico Antinori has never been bound by tradition alone.

By Sanjeeva Suresh

For over six centuries, the Antinori family has shaped the course of Italian winemaking, establishing a legacy built on tradition, pioneering vision and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. But Marchese Lodovico Antinori has never been one to rest on heritage alone. From founding Ornellaia and Masseto — two of Italy’s most celebrated wines — to his latest venture, Lodovico Wine, he has consistently pushed boundaries, redefining what Tuscan winemaking can be.

In this exclusive interview, Mr Lodovico Antinori reflects on his journey — from transforming the global perception of Italian wine to embracing sustainability and the evolving tastes of a new generation. With an unshakable commitment to quality and rarity, he continues to shape the future of fine wine, proving that the luxury wine industry is not just about name or history alone — it is about vision.

The Antinori family name is synonymous with centuries of winemaking excellence. How does Lodovico Wine both honour this heritage and carve its own identity?

I started working with the family business in America when Italian wine had a very remote presence there. This was in the late ’60s, a time when the perception of Italian wine was quite low. Many wines still came in straw-wrapped bottles, and the industry was dominated by French wines for reds and German Rieslings for whites. Italian wines were seen as second-tier.

That experience shaped my vision. I realised that Italian winemaking had the potential to evolve beyond tradition and stand on equal footing with the world’s best wines. Fifteen years later, I stepped away from my family business to create something small but of exceptional quality — something that truly reflected my philosophy.

I launched my first independent project in the 1980s, aiming to elevate the standards of Italian wine. At the time, many Italian producers were complacent, sticking to the status quo. My goal was to wake them up, to show that we had the land, the climate, and the potential to do better. I wasn’t just another Antinori — people knew my family name, but they also saw that I had built something on my own. That inspired many small producers to raise their standards. Today, the quality of Italian wine has improved significantly, and I take pride in having contributed to that shift.

Lodovico Antinori and his daughter Sophia – 2022

What was the inspiration behind founding Lodovico Wine, and how does it differ from your previous ventures in the wine industry?

The idea for the wine came from a vineyard that was uniquely exposed to the north. Traditionally, vineyards are planted facing southwest to maximise sun exposure. But with the rising temperatures and climate change, I thought — why not do the opposite? So I planted the vineyard facing north, where it would receive less direct sunlight.

At first, I wanted to name it “Vigna Nord,” which means ‘North Vineyard.’ But my German agent—one of my strongest supporters — insisted against it. “That would be a disaster,” he told me outright. He left my office abruptly, and later, I called him to ask why. His response: “You’re getting old—you left the answer right in front of you”. I was taken by surprise because I had never planned to put my own name on the wine. I was hesitant and shy about it at first. But then he gave me an ultimatum — he even wrote me a blank cheque and said, “If you name it Lodovico, you can fill in the amount and cash it. But if you insist on calling it Vigna Nord, I won’t give you a single cent”.

When you’re starting a project, funding is critical, so in the end, I gave in. That’s how the wine came to bear my name. Of course, with a personal name comes a great sense of responsibility — especially in the American market, where putting your name on something means a commitment to quality. It implies a deep level of care and involvement. People assume I inspect every barrel myself, which, to be honest, I don’t. But I do take the responsibility seriously.

What sets Lodovico apart from your previous projects?

The biggest difference is that Lodovico is centred around Cabernet Franc. Before this, with Biserno —which you may be familiar with — we worked with a Bordeaux blend, incorporating all the classic varieties, including Petit Verdot. But this project focuses primarily on Cabernet Franc.

That said, the wine we’re drinking today also contains a bit of Merlot. That’s because our winemaker, Michel Rolland, has a strong preference for Merlot — he just can’t resist adding some to the blend. He’s not as keen on Cabernet Franc as I am, so we’ve had a few debates about the percentages. Over time, though, he’s started listening to me more, and from the 2020 vintage onward, we’re reducing the amount of Merlot.

Before that, from our first vintage in 2007 through to 2019, we used a higher percentage of Merlot — sometimes 10 to 12 percent, sometimes five percent, depending on the year. But moving forward, we’re focusing even more on Cabernet Franc to give the wine a distinctive personality.

Sustainability is a key topic in luxury winemaking today. How does Lodovico Wine integrate sustainable practices without compromising on quality?

We’re not fully biodynamic or organic, but we are following a set of protocols that will allow some of our vineyards to transition to organic practices in the next five years. That said, it’s not my primary focus at the moment. Sustainability is important, but my main priority is always quality. It sets an example in the region. But of course, sustainability comes at a higher cost. A sustainability-focused approach is more expensive than traditional methods. For example, in conventional winemaking, you can simply spray chemicals to remove weeds, but that’s not good for the soil or the roots.

We’ve taken a more ecological approach. Instead of actively removing weeds, we let them die off naturally. This means we don’t need to plough as often or disturb the land unnecessarily. We aim for sustainability, or as we say in Italian, ecosostenibilità, but without necessarily adhering to strict organic certification, which requires specific treatments that are costly and don’t necessarily improve the wine.

For pest control, we no longer use pesticides. Instead, we use a German-developed solution that prevents insects from reproducing. It doesn’t kill them — it simply disrupts their reproductive cycle. This way, the population gradually declines without introducing toxic chemicals into the vineyard.

Of course, all of these add to the cost of production. Sustainable practices are more expensive than the standard viticulture methods used across Italy, which rely on cheaper, conventional treatments. Labour is also a significant factor. While many wineries use machines or quick-fix chemical treatments, we require skilled workers to tend to the vines manually, ensuring every step is done with precision. This level of detail and care is what makes our wines expensive — but also what makes them exceptional.

Marchese Lodovico Antinori with Michel Rolland, a Bordeaux oenologist

The luxury wine market is becoming increasingly competitive. What do you believe sets Lodovico apart as a collector’s wine?

Quantity plays a crucial role. For example, Lodovico is limited to only 10,000 bottles per year. And that number will never increase — it’s written into a contract, even after I’m gone.

There’s always the temptation, when a wine is successful, to produce more. But I believe that would be a mistake. Collectors and connoisseurs aren’t foolish—they have refined palates, and they can immediately detect even the slightest change in quality. That’s why we remain committed to this strict production limit. Rarity is a key factor in luxury, and maintaining exclusivity ensures that our wine remains truly special.

Another defining element is the role of Cabernet Franc in our wine. The potential for aging is extraordinary. In the world of luxury, longevity is an important statement. A great wine should not only be drinkable when young but should also improve significantly over time.

For example, we recently opened a bottle of Lodovico from 2007 — one of the earliest vintages, when the vineyards were still young. Only 3,000 bottles were produced that year, yet it has aged beautifully. The wine has evolved, gaining depth and complexity without any signs of decline. That’s what defines a truly great wine: the ability to mature gracefully over decades while remaining a pleasure to drink at any stage.

How is Lodovico engaging with the new, younger generation of wine drinkers, and what strategies are you implementing to appeal to their evolving tastes and preferences?

They want something different. Many of them come from wealthy families, so they’ve grown up surrounded by fine wines. But they want to distinguish themselves, to drink wines that aren’t the same as what their parents prefer.

At the moment, my wines appeal more to an older audience. But I do have a project in the works for younger drinkers — a wine called Le 2 Ville del Nicchio, which will be starting from the 2023 vintage.

This is a project I’m working on with my daughter, who is 25. She will be more in tune with the preferences of the younger generation. I believe they (younger consumers) prefer wines with lower alcohol content, wines that are a little lighter, less opulent, and more restrained. The trend is shifting away from the bold, highly concentrated wines that were once designed to impress the American market.

In the past, American consumers were used to drinking whiskey, milk, or almost nothing else. When they were first introduced to wine, they found the taste too tannic, too harsh. That’s when Robert Parker — a very famous American wine journalist — had a major influence. He convinced European winemakers, including the French, to soften their wines. We adapted, making wines with rounder, smoother tannins, and harvesting later to achieve riper fruit flavours. That style dominated for a long time.

That leads me to my next question. There is a growing trend of alcohol-free wines, particularly in the U.S., driven by a new, health-conscious movement on social media. What are your thoughts on alcohol-free wine, and do you think it impacts fine wine?

No, fine wine will not be affected by that at all.

In America, they call this kind of thing a “fad”. Just like orange wine became a trend, alcohol-free wine is something that’s gaining popularity with certain groups, particularly younger, health-conscious consumers. But it won’t have any real impact on the fine wine world.

With a growing interest in wine as a form of investment, do you consider Lodovico a wine meant for collectors, investors, or purely for the pleasure of drinking?

We produce wine for pleasure — we want people to drink and enjoy it. That’s the core purpose.

But in reality, there are collectors who buy wine as an investment. Some drink it, but others store it and sell it later when the price rises. The English are especially known for this — they often buy five cases of wine early, sell two cases after a few years when the value increases, and essentially enjoy the remaining wine for free. This was very common in the Bordeaux market when prices were booming. Investors would buy wine early, hold onto it for five years, and then sell at a profit. However, the Bordeaux market has declined recently, so this kind of speculation isn’t as lucrative right now.

Do you think your wines are suited for investment in the same way?

Not to the same extent. Our wines are not yet established enough in the market for that kind of speculation.

The first vintage I ever made was sold at auction once — just one time. That was back in 2001. Then I stopped offering it at auctions for a while. But from the 2021 vintage, I might start again.

Recently, some vineyards in France struggled to make enough profit from wine sales alone, so they introduced tourism experiences — vineyard stays, guided tours, and even Airbnb-like accommodations on their estates. Do you see this becoming a trend in Italy as well?

Yes, this concept already exists in Italy. There’s even a legal framework for it. If a vineyard becomes part of this program, they receive tax benefits and other advantages, but they must comply with strict regulations. For example, they can’t buy food from standard vendors; they must source from approved local suppliers. Ideally, they should grow their own vegetables, fruits, and eggs on-site. It’s a beautiful idea, but sometimes it’s difficult in practice. If guests arrive when certain ingredients aren’t in season, the vineyard must still find a way to provide them while staying within the regulations.

However, this model is extremely popular, especially in Tuscany, which has become an iconic luxury destination. Tuscany attracts visitors with strong financial potential, so even small vineyards can benefit. If a couple with a child wants a luxurious yet authentic experience, they can now find exactly that.

How do you see the role of living spaces, such as the one you’ve created, where the owner interacts with the guests?

They occupy one floor, pay a reasonable amount and live together with the owner, creating a kind of interactive, communal lifestyle. This has been especially successful with younger people. I think what they’re doing with that is very good. We did something similar at the beginning, but the standard was so high, it ended up costing a lot of money. Now, I hope my nephew is taking care of it. He’s very tight with finances and wants the balance sheet to be favourable. He doesn’t understand how important it is to entertain people. Even if it’s expensive, it’s the only form of advertising we do. Of course, it’s not profitable for us because we do it at a high standard, which means we need more personnel, and that’s expensive. So, it cost too much. My nephew is now focusing on making it a beautiful spot because people come and visit.

How do you see the role of limited editions and exclusivity evolving in the fine wine industry?

We always produce small batches — about 10,000 bottles, which is very small in comparison to other American wineries, which produce several thousand cases of 12 bottles each. In American terms, that’s about a thousand cases, each case containing 12 bottles. So it’s really a small operation, not like Romanée-Conti, but still very small in size. We haven’t promoted it much — word of mouth is how it spreads. Some people like it, and they talk to their friends. But we haven’t done a big promotion about the rarity. We always sell out of the cases, though. We haven’t needed to overpromote because the rarity itself attracts buyers. Our cases are expensive, but because of the limited quantity, we always find interested customers.

How do you see the role of technology — be it in viticulture, production, or distribution — shaping the future of Lodovico Wine and the wine industry?

The technological aspect we use is very modern, but we also have a philosophy of minimal intervention. The goal is to touch the grapes as little as possible to avoid shocking them. We’ve found that noise can disturb the grapes, so we try to minimize it. The French have a similar philosophy with their winemaking, where they emphasise not disturbing the wine too much. It’s a bit romantic, but it’s also about respecting the nature of the product. We believe that the less you disturb the grapes, the better the final wine will be.

What does the next decade have in store for Lodovico and the world of winemaking?

In the next 10 years, the vineyards will continue to age, and that will greatly improve the quality of the wine. Older vineyards produce better wine, and ours are only about 14 or 15 years old, so they still have time to mature. We also plan to expand into the American market, which we haven’t been able to do because we’ve never had enough wine to supply it. In terms of strategic growth, we’ll focus on making our wine available to collectors in America, which has been a long-term goal.

With regard to international expansion, right now, we are strong in Europe, especially Eastern Europe. We’ve made great strides there. Singapore is also becoming an important market, however at present, our sales are lower, but we are confident that we can boost that number to around 300 bottles. Our goal is to sell approximately 600 bottles there. We also have connections in Hong Kong and Shanghai, where we’ve had some success. However, the wealthy Chinese market is currently more interested in Burgundy wines, particularly Pinot Noir. As a result, we’re seeing a shift in the market preferences, and we’re adapting to that trend.

Lastly, in your own words, describe what makes a “good” wine.

A good bottle of wine is one that has a balance of all its elements, in equilibrium. It should have depth and personality, bringing out the character of the grapes from which it’s made. It shouldn’t be extreme — just enough to recognise the varietal. For me, elegance is one of the most important aspects of wine. By elegance, I mean that the wine must be refined. It should never be too overpowering or too weak. The key is balance. 

For more on Lodovico wine, head to their website here.

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