The late duke’s hair, who sold the Tuscan winery to Gordon Sumner (Sting) 25 years ago, said the singer made a mistake.
He adds that Sting’s unpersuasive apology for his comments on the family is slanderous and disrespectful.
The dispute between the two celebrities has filled the pages of Italy’s newspapers.
According to Sette, the weekly magazine, Sting said on August 13 that there were efforts to persuade him into buying the Palagio winery in 1997.
This happened after the owner, Simone Vincenzo Velluti Zati di San Clemente, offered him a glass of red wine that tasted “excellent.”
However, the singer said he discovered the wine was a ‘Barolo’ from Piedmont in Italy, not a local Tuscan Chianti.
The magazine stated that the singer fell victim to a scam and claimed this move was a “hoax.”
In the interview, Sting said he realized this after he had already bought the place and its grape vineyards.
The singer saw guests pouring the Palagio red wine on the ground or into the bushes instead of drinking it.
He and his wife determined to exact revenge by producing an excellent wine from the same vineyards.
The duke’s son, who died in 2012 at the age of 86, wrote a lengthy letter denying Sting’s claims and called them “Slander.”
Sting’s Reverse Marketing?
Simone Vincenzo Velluti Zati said it would’ve been unusual for his father to swap off Chianti for Barolo.
He added that Sting’s use of the interview to make an advertisement for his new pizzeria was a poor attempt.
In the letter, Velluti Zati said Sting’s claims are not only wrong but extremely damaging to my father’s memory and the family’s reputation.
According to Associated Press, Sting replied to the letter on August 24, offering his “sincere” apologies.
The singer acknowledged the story was disrespectful to the memory of the duke.
Sting said the duke was an honorable man and never misled him.
He also pointed out that 25 years ago he couldn’t differentiate between a Barolo and a bar of soap.
However, Velluti Zati considered the apology ‘hardly convincing’ and an act of necessity only.
He has not made his mind yet whether to further act or not.
