Tommaso Mazzanti, the owner and creator of All’Antico Vinaio, never stops. After bringing Florentine schiacciata to many Italian cities (and even abroad), the mastermind behind the Tuscan format is expanding his business: he will produce wine in Maremma alongside the well-known American entrepreneur and former MasterChef Italia judge, Joe Bastianich, who is already involved in the wine sector in Sicily along with olive oil producer Salvatore Cutrera (as anticipated by Gambero Rosso).
The new project of Antico Vinaio and Bastianich
From the small Florentine shop, Mazzanti has taken his schiacciata around the world, with several openings in Rome, Milan, and New York, and even in Los Angeles and, more recently, Dubai. His new project brings him back to Italy, and this time, he is focusing on wine production. He shared the new adventure on Instagram: “Ten years ago, I made a promise,” he wrote, “if I ever managed to achieve something beautiful in life, one day I would buy a wine estate and create a wine dedicated to us.”
Mazzanti and Bastianich will produce their labels in collaboration with La Mozza, a winery owned by entrepreneurs of Friulian origin. “I’m super happy to start this new challenge in a world that’s new to me, alongside Joe. Together we will develop the new and first wine production for all AV stores worldwide and continue to bring a little piece of Tuscany with the Tenuta la Mozza winery,” reads a Facebook post.
Tuscan wine
The estate is located in the heart of Tuscany, just a few kilometers from Montalcino, and spans about 20 hectares of vineyards, cultivated with native varieties like Sangiovese, Morellino di Scansano, and Ciliegiolo. The production will see around 100,000 bottles, which will be distributed across the brand's various outlets, offering customers a complete food and wine experience.
A wine for his wife
The product of this collaboration will be dedicated to his wife, Clara Fioretti. “I remember when I told you about this, we were out to dinner in Fiesole, and I had a handmade label quickly printed by a guy, with ‘Solo Noi 2013’ written on it. It felt like we were fantasizing and dreaming; after all, we were two 25-year-olds dreaming big. Today, ten years later, I’ve managed to keep that famous promise. I bought my first winery, and from the vineyards of Maremma Toscana, one of the wines that will be produced will be the ‘Solo Noi.’”