Cantine Florio

It was established in 1833 in Marsala by entrepreneur Vincenzo Florio, who, after purchasing land on a stretch of beach located between Ingham-Whitaker and Woodhouse beams, had a Marsala wine factory built there.

The early years of the winery were very difficult, with poor earnings and few prospects. Florio was only able to hold on thanks to his considerable resources and the fame of the family, at the time among the richest in Italy. The poor earnings resulted from the excess of supply over demand in the market, which was almost entirely foreign, and English in particular.

Marketing had begun 1796, first with Woodhouse and then with other merchants such as Ingham & Whitaker, who had enshrined it internationally by the end of the 18th century. Florio was the first producer to label Marsala with the name of an Italian producer.

Later, thanks to the fleet of merchant ships owned by the Florio family and its international trade organization, Marsala became the most widely served dessert wine on the tables of the European bourgeoisie and began to be exported to the United States of America as well.

Nel 1853 la produzione del Marsala ammontò a 6.900 botti di cui il 23% prodotto dalle cantine Florio, il 19% dalla Woodhouse ed il 58% da Ingham & Whitaker.

Later the company and the Woodhouse brand were taken over, and Florio became the largest producer of Marsala wine. In 1904, Florio and C. was founded. - Società anonima vinicola italiana with the transformation into a joint stock company by Ignazio Florio Jr.

In 1920 they were acquired along with other factories by Cinzano, which unified them under the Florio brand. In 1988 Cinzano sold the company to Illva. Cantine Florio has had an exhibition space open to the public since 1992. Today it is part of the Saronno-based Illva group and also produces Moscato and Passito di Pantelleria.

The company bears, on the label of its famous marsala, the ancient patents of supplier to the Royal House of Savoy, and the Royal Houses of Belgium, Romania and Bavaria.