Guicciardini Strozzi

Family & Winery

GUICCIARDINI STROZZI

… since 994….

The motives which inspire people to engage in new projects and face new risks can be varied: the passion for a very recently discovered or rediscovered territory like Maremma, with its secret and intriguing charm, or like Pantelleria, with its savage nature, incontaminated, windswept, and enjoying its abundant sunshine.

Girolamo Strozzi

firma famiglia guicciardini strozzi
 
Guicciardini Strozzi

HISTORY OF THE GUICCIARDINI STROZZI FAMILY AND WINERY

The business boasts over 1000 years of activity, with the earliest testimony to Cusona’s existence dating back to 994 AD. The Cusona estate spreads over 530 hectares and is situated amongst the green Tuscan hills, close to the medieval town of San Gimignano (known as the medieval Manhattan).


 
from 994

GUICCIARDINI AND STROZZI FAMILIES

Vernaccia throughout centuries…

Wrote Lorenzo the Magnificent to the Florentine Ambassador in Rome, referring to the Pope: Extract from the accounts records of Cusona: “… 20 flasks of Vernaccia to be despatched by carriage as a gift to Lorenzo de Medici,the Magnificent” Wrote Lorenzo the Magnificent to the Florentine Ambassador in Rome, referring to the Pope: “If this sample of Vernaccia which I am sending is to the taste of Our Lordship I will send theremainder by mail or by coach”
– Lorenzo il Magnifico

Written by Michelangelo Buonarroti Jr. in L’Aione (1643) following a pleasant experience: “And we visited the noble, highly situated and towered town of beautiful San Gimignano. The town has long and wide streets, surmounting a hill embracing other hills, with very high towers and a bell tower which is a possible hundred ells in height”… “But the citizens always wage war with their treacherous Vernaccia which they offer to anyone who arrives there that kisses, licks, bites and stings”.
– Michelangelo Buonarroti Jr.

Dante, The Divine Comedy. Purgatory, XXIV, 19-24: “This man, and he pointed him out with his finger, is Bonagiusta, Bonagiusta from Lucca;
and the pitted face near him held the Holy Church in his arms;
he was from Tours and now, by fasting, cleans himself of eels
– Dante

  • 1494Italy and Europe’ history

    Throughout the centuries, the political and economic weight of the Strozzi and Guicciardinifamilies, with their illustrious figures, has influenced the history, not only of Tuscany, but also of Italy and Europe. Francesco Guicciardini, for whom Niccolò Macchiavelli started his political career as secretary,became a prominent political figure, acting as Governor of the Papal States as well as being a philosopher and historian.

  • 1489Florentine Renaissance

    TheStrozzi, were powerful bankers, heads of State and mercenary commanders. As direct rivals of the Medici, they were banned from Florence following the rise to power of Cosimo dei Medici. Nevertheless they increased their enormous wealth elsewhere, which enabled Filippo Strozzi, once back from exile, to build the magnificent Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. Piero Strozziwas Marshal of France and commanding officer of the French troops. His bust is displayed in Gallery of Battles in Versailles.

  • 1600The Gioconda

    During the XVII century the descendants of the Guicciardini Strozzi family were united in marriage in London to the Marlborough’s, the family of Sir Winston Churchill. Amongst the illustrious ancestors a special mention should be given to Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, otherwise known as La Giocondapainted by Leornado da Vinci. The current members of the family are the 15th generation of descendants of Monna Lisa.

  • 1900Cusona business model

    In 1850 the building of a cellar with underground galleries was starter under the leadership of Francesco Guicciardini, Mayor of Florence and Minister of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs and married to Luisa Strozzi.At that time Cusona became a prominent national example of avant-garde business.

  • 1970Consortium of Vernaccia

    In the 70’s Prince Girolamo Strozzi (founder and first president of Consorzio della Vernaccia) started selling the wine around the world, a business he still runs with his wife Irina and his two daughters Natalia and Irina Jr. In 1998 the wine production extended to other areas such as Maremma (Bolgheri, Scansano, Montemassi) and Pantelleria. The Guicciardini Strozzi winery produces 22 varieties of wines. Amongst the best known labels is the Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which was produced for the first time by the winery in 1200 and exalted by Dante, Michelangelo and Boccaccio. The Medici Court enjoyed the Vernaccia and also use to send it to the Pope (and the first botteling of Vernaccia in a ‘’bordolese’’ bottle was made by prince’s father in 1933). Sparkling white wine (spumante) and grappa are also produced using the Vernaccia grapes. The historical red wine labels include Sodole, a 100% San Giovese and Millanni, produced to mark the 1000 year anniversary of the Estate, made with a mix of San Giovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.