Whine Of The Times: Vietti's Sale To U.S. Company

Italy has been abuzz with criticism of the Currado family’s sale in July of the famous Barolo winery Vietti, founded in 1873, to U.S. convenience store magnate Kyle Krause for more than 50 million euros. It was scandalous that an Italian family had given up part of the national patrimony, critics declared. “After hundreds of years in the hands of an Italian family, the history was forever changed in one minute with the signature of the deal,” one wrote.

What’s so bad about an American family buying a top Piedmont winery, especially if the Italian family no longer wants to own it? The Currados are going to stay and manage Vietti, keeping its 34 hectares of some of the best vineyards in Barolo and Barbaresco in capable hands. The wines would still be the same stellar quality, winemaker Luca Currado assured me, and “we should be able to improve quality even more with this investment.”

Click here to read James’ full column for Asia Tatler’s September issue.