Castello Banfi

Lorella Caressi hosted Mary and I during our recent visit to Castello Banfi. The wines were extraordinary, the atmosphere superb and lunch was more than a treat. Il Borgo, their luxury rooms and suites are now open as well as the excellent on-site restaurants... but, more about that at a later date.

Castello Banfi is a family-owned vineyard estate and winery in the Brunello region of Tuscany. Together with its sister estates in Piemonte, Vigne Regali and Principessa Gavi, it has become recognized the world over for its dedication to excellence and sparking a renaissance in the art of Italian winemaking.

Castello Banfi is owned by the Mariani family from America. They credit education, dedication and discipline for the success that has accorded honors including:

• 11 Consecutive Years ~ Italy’s Premier Vineyard Estate at the VinItaly wine fair

• The first winery in the world to be internationally recognized for exceptional environmental, ethical and social responsibility (ISO 14001 and SA 8000) as well as an international leader in customer satisfaction (ISO 9001:2000).

• Winery of the Year by both Wine Enthusiast and Wine & Spirits Magazine and Top Ten Wines (Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio all’Oro) by Wine Spectator.

Castello Banfi is a rarity among Italian wine estates, not just because of its size (some 7,100 acres, of which around 2,400 are planted with vines), its composition of single vineyards, or its state-of-the-art winery, but because it was started from scratch less than 20 years ago. Most of the land was covered with forest and brush when the Mariani family found it; nevertheless, they recognized that the site was exactly what they had been searching for. John and Harry Mariani, successful American importers, joined forces with Italy's leading enologist, Ezio Rivella; their objective was to produce top-quality wine on a scale never before attempted in Italy. Their goal has been achieved while maintaining consistency and quality.

Perhaps most gratifying of all is the praise of neighboring vintners who acknowledge Banfi’s role in pioneering a new era in Brunello and bringing the wine world’s attention to Montalcino. Banfi has pioneered clonal research on the Sangiovese vine to produce a more consistently excellent Brunello di Montalcino.