Ecco di seguito alcuni interessanti cenni storici della famiglia Guicciardini Strozzi e le loro vigne secolari.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 situate damongst the green Tuscan hills, close to theme dieval 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, notonly of Tuscany, butalso of Italy and Europe. Francesco Guicciardini, for whom Niccolò Macchiavelli started his political careeras secretary, became a prominent political figure, acting as Govenor of the Papal States as wellas being a philosopher and historian. The Strozzi were powerful bankers, head of Stateand mercenary commanders. As direct rivals of the Medici, they were banned from Florence following the rise to power of Cosimo de' Medici. Nevertheless, they increased their enormous wealth else where, which enabled Filippo Strozzi to build the magnificent Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. During the XVII century the discendants of the Guicciardini Strozzi family were united in marriage in London to the Malborough's family of Sir Winston Churchill. Amongsts the illustrious an cestors a special mention shouldbe given to Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, otherwise known as 'La Gioconda', painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The current members of the family are the15th generation ofdiscendants ofMonna Lisa.In the 70’s Prince Girolamo Strozzi (founder and First President of Consorzio della Vernaccia) startedselling the wine around the world, a business he still runs with his wife Irina and his two daughters Natalia and Irina Jr. In 1999 the wine production extended to other areas such as Maremma (Bolgheri, Scansano, Montemassi) and Pantelleria. The Guicciardini Strozzi winery produces 22 varieties of wines.Amongsts the best known labels in the Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which was produced for the first time by the winery in 1200 andexalted by Dante Alighieri, Michelangelo e Boccaccio. Sparkling white wine (spumante) and grappa are also produced using the Vernaccia grapes. The historical red wine labels include sodole, a 100% San Giovese and Millanni, produced to mark the 1000 year anniversary of the winery, made with a mix of San Giovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.