Owner Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano has announced the sale of her controlling interest in the

estate. No changes to the existing management have  been made. With production of around 120,000 bottles of Brunello di Montalcino, Tenuta di Argiano is among the ten largest producers of Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino, exporting mainly to the UK, the US, Denmark, Japan and Brazil.

The villa, one of Tuscany’s most celebrated, was built in the Renaissance style and dates from the 1570s.

Countess Cinzano, the elder sister of Col d’Orcia owner Francesco Marone Cinzano, purchased the then 20ha Argiano in 1992, soon after the family’s eponymous vermouth firm had become part of British drinks conglomerate IDV.

Argiano now comprises over 50ha of mainly Sangiovese (‘Brunello’) vineyards, including a 5ha plot of massal selection Brunello dating from the 1950s some of the oldest vines in Montalcino.

Hans Vinding-Diers, Argiano’s winemaking consultant since the late 1990s, winemaker Adriano Bambagioni and vineyard manager Francesco Monari will remain with Argiano.

Not part of the deal is Bodega Noemía de Patagonia, a 13ha mainly Malbec vineyard with two small wineries in Argentina’s Río Negro valley, founded in 2002 by Countess Cinzano and Vinding-Diers.

Countess Cinzano, who has two children in their mid-20s, said selling Argiano was ‘a difficult decision emotionally but is the right one for my family and for me personally’.

‘It means I can retire to focus on Bodega Noemía. Argiano’s new owners have a long-standing passion for wine and are excited about developing my legacy. I hope and expect Argiano to go organic and then biodynamic very quickly.’ www.decanter.com