Meet the master of Italian luxury wine

Meet the master of luxury Italian wine

Giovanni Geddes, talks about the culture of luxury wine in Italy and how they avoid counterfeiting.

My death row wine is Masseto.

Under the Tenuta dell'Ornellaia umbrella, Masseto, at about $650 a bottle, is a single vineyard wine made entirely from Merlot (yes Merlot!) grapes grown in the God-kissed Bolgheri region of Tuscany.

The first release was in 1986 and it quickly became one of the world's most sought after and highly allocated wines. So on my deathbed, I’d like to have a glass.

Though a glass of Ornellaia would be just as fabulous.

Ornellaia is also one of Italy's most famous wines, and also produced in an Bolgheri (You sense a connection yet?). Ornellaia was one the first wineries in Italy to start producing Bordeaux-styled blends and helped create the Super Tuscan category. A bottle of Ornellaia may cost you $250 but believe it or not, it’s one of fastest growing and best returning investments that consistently beats the S&P 500 – by a lot! Oh and did I mention it tastes like heaven in a glass?

I had the honor of spending time with the luckiest man in the world – the man in charge of both of these divine wines.

Giovanni Geddes has been in the wine world since the ‘70s and his resume will blow your mind: CEO of the Italian branch of the French group Remy Cointreau, CEO of Antinori Brokered the Robert Mondavi corporation for the Luce della Vite joint venture, CEO of Frescobaldi, CEO of Frescobaldi, CEO of Ornellaia & Masseto. And that’s only an excerpt. Under his reign, Ornellaia is has continued to pioneer the wine world.

In 1997, Ornellaia decided to make a second wine -- Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia at $90, which was much more approachable. And then the company added a third wine for masses – Le Volte dell’Ornellaia that sells for under $30.

Now we’re talking. Try them all if you can at some point in this lifetime. They are all wonderful. And listen to Giovanni tell the story of one of Italy’s most iconic brands.

Cent’ Anni.