Guicciardini Strozzi

About Winery and Wines

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 among the green Tuscan hills, close to the medieval town of San Gimignano (known as the medieval Manhattan). Throughout the centuries, the political and economic weight of the Strozzi and Guicciardini families, with their illustrious figures, has influenced the history, not only of Tuscany, but also of Italy and Europe. Francesco Guicciardini, for whom Niccolo' Machiavelli 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. The Strozzi 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 Fillippo Strozzi, once back from exile, to build the magnificent Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. Amongst the illustrious ancestors a special mention should be given to Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, otherwise known as "La Gioconda", painted by Leornado da Vinci. The current members of the family are the 15th generation of descendants of Monna Lisa. Under the leadership of Francesco Guicciardini, Mayor of Florence and Minister of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs and married to Luisa Strozzi, Cusona Estate became a prominent national example of avant-garde business. In the 70's Prince Girolamo Strozzi, founder and first president of Consorzio della Vernaccia, was among the first ones to export around the world the wines of the region, specially the historical Vernaccia di San Gimignano. In 1998 the wine production extended to Maremma (south part of Tuscany). Prince Girolamo still runs the company together his two daughters, Natalia and Irina. This last one is the actual President of Consorzi

The winery produces different 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. At the Medici Court in Florence Vernaccia was enjoyed very much and Lorenzo the magnificent used to send “barrels of Vernaccia” to the Pope in Rome. The historical Supertuscan red wine labels include “Sodole”, a 100% Sangiovese and “Millanni” (Millennium), a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernt Sauvignon and Merlot produced for the first time in 1994 in order to celebrate the 1000 year anniversary of the Estate. From the Maremma area, the most representative wine is surely "MOMI", a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Petit Verdot. This name is the nickname of Prince Girolamo that want to be an ackowledgement of the commitment and passion instilled every day by him into the creation of innovative wines in his beloved Maremma.