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Title: P1247676902tdgwP


1
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2
About Us
  • Across Tuscany and anywhere wine is made,
    nature gives us its bounty.  At Castello Banfi
    and throughout the varied terroirs and soils that
    make up our constellation of vineyards, we
    harvest the goodness of the earth, caressing and
    nurturing it as we craft our wine to express all
    its character in every bottle.
  • Castello Banfi is a family-owned vineyard
    estate and winery in the Brunello region of
    Tuscany. Together with its sister estates in
    Piedmont, 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.
  • The Mariani family proprietors credit
    education, dedication and discipline for the
    success that has accorded honors including
  • 11 Consecutive Years Italys
    Premier Vineyard Estate at the VinItaly wine
    fair
  • The first winery 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 90012000).
  • Winery of the Year by both Wine
    Enthusiast and Wine Spirits Magazine and Top
    Ten Wines (Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
    Riserva Poggio allOro) by Wine Spectator
  • Perhaps most gratifying of all is the
    praise of neighboring vintners who acknowledge
    Banfis role in pioneering a new era in Brunello
    and bringing the wine worlds attention to
    Montalcino.  Banfi has pioneered clonal research
    on the Sangiovese vine to produce a more
    consistently excellent Brunello di Montalcino,
    and reduced sulfites and histamines through more
    organic winemaking.
  • Technological advances, including
    customized cooperage for more balanced wines,
    nitrogen bottling to eliminate the addition of
    sulfites, electro-dialysis to allow flavors to
    emerge, and development of fermenters that
    combine both stainless steel and wood, are
    balanced with a profound respect for tradition
    and deep expression of the local terroir and
    microclimate.  In the end, at Castello Banfi,
    winemaker and nature partner to allow the wines
    natural pedigree to emerge in artful expression

3
Vineyards
  • On the gentle western slopes facing the
    Mediterranean of our 2900 hectare estate (7100
    acres), one-third is cultivated in noble vines,
    and the balance in olive groves, wheat, truffles
    and plums, and forests filled with deer, wild
    boar and pheasants.
  • Forty million years ago, our terra lay beneath
    the sea. Fossilized shells nourish our vines. The
    soil is poor vines grow deep. Grapes grown in
    our maritime soils produce wines of elegant and
    subtle character, unique to southern Tuscany.
  • Our terra, rich in clay and calcium, regulates
    growth and adds complexity. Stones, rounded by
    the Orcia and Ombrone Rivers impart distinctive
    minerals to our white wines. Our decades of
    clonal and enological research, especially
    focused on our red grape varieties, have been
    registered with the European Community and shared
    with all. These endeavors gave rise to the
    renaissance of Brunello and the creation of
    Super Tuscan wines.

4
Banfi Family
5
Teodolinda Banfi
  • Teodolinda Banfi, who inspired the founding and
    naming of Banfi Vintners, earned a place in papal
    history by being the first lay person ever to
    head a pope's household staff.
  • A woman of eclectic tastes, she greatly
    influenced the firm's founder, her nephew, John
    Mariani, Sr., through her knowledge of fine
    wines, and that ultimately shaped his choice of
    business career. He established the company that
    bears her name in New York in 1919.
  • Mr. Mariani was born in Torrington, Connecticut
    in 1895, but when he was nine years old, his
    father, a carriagemaker, died and financial
    circumstances forced his mother to return to
    Italy with him and five siblings. They resided
    with her sister, Teodolinda, who took an active
    interest in the children's early education. At
    the time she directed the household staff of the
    Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, Achille Ratti, a
    man destined to become pope.
  • In 1922, following the death of Benedict XV and
    14 votes of the conclave, Cardinal Ratti was
    elected to the papacy, taking for his pontifical
    name Pius XI. Among his first appointments was
    one that stirred up a bit of controversy in
    austere Vatican circles. He requested that Miss
    Banfi be summoned to manage his household as she
    did for many years in Milan. It seems that Miss
    Banfi was like a younger sister to the pope, his
    mother having adopted her as a child. (She was
    born in Caronno Milanese on March 5, 1862, but
    orphaned at an early age.) Nevertheless, Pius
    XI's request was viewed with amazement--and
    ignored for months--because never before had a
    woman, other than a nun, lived in the Sistine
    Palace. Only after he repeated his instructions
    over and over again did she arrive on the scene
    and take up residence in a two-room apartment
    overlooking the Belvedere.
  • Miss Banfi quickly took charge. Records recently
    discovered in the Vatican Archives refer to her
    as the "real guardian" of the papal apartments.
    She is described as diminutive, yet possessed of
    a formidable personality, "very authoritative,
    particularly in the kitchen," just as she had
    been in former days at the Archbishop's palace
    where she also selected the wines served with the
    new pope's meals. Her choices--and the reasons
    for them--had been occasional topics of
    conversation back in Milan, and they did not
    escape her nephew's attention. In later years, he
    would quip with a wink that the experience
    unveiled for him the secrets of the Vatican
    cellars.
  • Addressed simply as "Miss Linda," it was often
    difficult to distinguish Miss Banfi from a nun.
    She always wore black, even her hair was tightly
    bound by a black scarf, and her strong sense of
    duty and personal loyalty to the pope dictated
    she work prodigiously. Little is noted about how
    she spent her free time except for works of
    charity. She enjoyed listening to the radio,
    mostly classical music, and reading also
    accounted for many of her leisure hours,
    everything from the classics to devotional
    literature and, of course, the daily press. (She
    favored Milan's newspapers over local media,
    however, with one exception Osservatore Romano).
  • Miss Banfi remained in the post for several years
    and then retired. In 1929, she was granted
    Vatican citizenship and resided in San Carlo
    Palace until, after a long bout with bronchial
    pneumonia, she died peacefully in her sleep on
    February 12, 1938. Her remains are interred in a
    crypt under the parish church of Santa Anna in
    Vatican City

6
John F. Mariani, Sr.
  • The founder of Banfi Vintners was John Mariani,
    Sr., an American of Italian heritage whose
    company today is one of the world's leading wine
    merchants. It also exports wines of its own
    vinification to over 50 countries around the
    world.
  • Competitors who knew him were quick to compliment
    his integrity and business acumen his associates
    saw him as a quiet, conservative executive yet
    one who enjoyed "working the streets" and his
    family still marvels over his universally classic
    taste. Anything truly beautiful sparked his
    creative flair art, sculpture, antiques, music,
    especially the operas of Verdi and Puccini, and,
    of course, the noble wines of Europe.
  • For a time, he may well have questioned his
    wisdom in establishing a wine house in New York
    in 1919, a year before the unthinkable happened
    America voted "dry," and Prohibition became the
    law of the land. He persevered, however. Like any
    sound businessman, he simply adapted to
    conditions by concentrating on imported spices
    and other Italian specialties as well as the
    manufacture of medicinal bitters, an alcohol
    product permitted under the new law. These items
    kept the firm alive for the next 13 years.
  • With Repeal, Mr. Mariani wasted no time. He
    booked passage to Europe and sought agencies from
    renowned vintners in France, Germany and Italy
    though the Banfi line eventually became mostly
    Italian in character. He helped to introduce
    American connoisseurs to vintage Barolo,
    Gattinara, Brunello and Chianti Riserva.
  • Through a twist of fate, Mr. Mariani found
    himself exposed to Europe's fine wine offerings
    early in life. He was born in 1895 in Torrington,
    Connecticut, but when he was nine years old, his
    father, a carriagemaker, died. Financial
    circumstances then forced his mother to return to
    Italy with him and five siblings. They resided
    with her sister, Teodolinda Banfi, who, albeit
    unwittingly, planted the seeds for her nephew's
    future choice of career. At the time, she was
    serving as chief of the household staff of the
    Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, Achille Ratti, a
    position she continued to enjoy when he was
    elected Pope Pius XI in 1922. It seems that among
    her duties was the selection of the Pontiff's
    wines, decisions that invariably proved a topic
    of conversation at the Banfi table. Her
    choices--and the reasons for them--did not escape
    her nephew's attention. In subsequent years, he
    would quip with a wink that the experience
    unveiled the secrets of the Vatican cellars.
  • Mr. Mariani returned to America several years
    prior to the country's involvement in World War
    I. At the age of 23, he enlisted in the U.S. Army
    and was trained at the Fort Gordon School for
    Non-Commissioned Officers in Atlanta, Georgia,
    graduating with the rank of infantry sergeant.
    But he never saw battle. While on a troop ship
    bound for Europe, hostilities ended, and on the
    voyage home he began giving serious thought to
    the wine trade.
  • He located his office and warehouse on Spring
    Street, New York, a section of the city favored
    by importers, and he named the firm "Banfi" in
    honor of his mother and aunt. The times obviously
    were not ideal, hours assuredly long and growth
    slow, but these difficulties did not interfere
    with his courtship of a young American girl of
    Lithuanian descent, Eva Barr. They married in
    1928 and were blessed with three children Joan,
    John, Jr., and Harry. All three joined their
    father in the business on reaching adulthood.
  • Joan was the first, following her graduation from
    Cornell University in 1951, and she remained with
    the firm until her marriage five years later.
    John, Jr., also a Cornell graduate and possessed
    of much of his father's creative flair, entered
    the family firm in 1956 after a two-year tour of
    duty with the U.S. Army in Europe. Harry came on
    staff in 1959. "When I was graduated from Colgate
    University," he says, "my father offered his
    congratulations and told me to take a week off
    before reporting to the warehouse. He believed in
    brief vacations."
  • John, Sr., not only found his sons to be great
    assets to the business but worthy successors. He
    turned the firm over to them in 1963.
  • John Mariani, Sr., died on December 24, 1972. The
    preeminence of Banfi in the wine world today is a
    fitting tribute to his memory

7
John F. Mariani, Jr.
  • John F. Mariani, Jr. is family proprietor of
    Banfi Vintners of Old Brookville, NY, and its
    Italian subsidiary, Castello Banfi of Montalcino,
    Italy.
  • Banfi, wholly American-owned and founded in New
    York in 1919, today ranks among the worlds most
    prestigious wine houses. Long recognized as
    America's leading wine importer, its reputation
    has been enhanced in recent years by Banfis
    dominance of the rapidly expanding Chilean wine
    market. Additionally, through wine estates the
    company now operates in Italy, Banfi has gained a
    reputation for producing award-winning premium
    wines that rival the finest offerings of Europe
    and the new world.
  • In the early 1960s, John Mariani strengthened
    his knowledge of fine wines with studies in the
    Napa and Sonoma Valley regions of California.
    During that period, Banfi had undertaken
    distribution of the wines of Buena Vista Winery,
    founded by Count Agoston Haraszthy, who is
    recognized as the father of California
    viniculture. He also began building Banfis
    portfolio of Bordeaux clarets through semi-annual
    buying trips to the grand chateaux and negociants
    in Bordeaux.
  • He and his brother scored a major coup in 1967 by
    introducing Lambrusco to the U.S. market. Drawing
    from his knowledge of Cru de Beaujolais, John
    felt that this varietal could easily serve as
    Italys counterpart and would especially appeal
    to an American palate that had been nurtured on
    fruit juices and soft drinks. Under the Riunite
    label, the wines first shipment arrived in the
    fall of that year, exactly 100 cases. The product
    took off quickly, however, and within a few years
    became the nations leading wine import, a
    position it held for over 27 years, selling in
    the millions of cases. Riunite today remains
    Americas most popular Italian wine.
  • Meanwhile, John Mariani found himself on the
    lecture circuit. He was invited to address
    classes on Italian wines at Cornells School of
    Hotel Administration, the New York Wine Food
    Society, the National Press Club and wine and
    spirits courses conducted by the late eminent
    author and critic, Harold Grossman. John also was
    named a wine advisor to the Culinary Institute of
    America, Hyde Park, New York.
  • Whatever the companys achievements as an
    importer, John Mariani sees a considerable part
    of Banfis future success resting upon what he
    once considered an impossible dream the
    Castello Banfi vineyard estate, founded in 1978
    in what has become Italys most celebrated wine
    region, Montalcino, Tuscany.

8
  • The Marianis gathered several of Italys and
    Europes foremost winemakers and eminent wine
    authorities to work on the project. Wishing to
    avoid inheriting the mistakes of others, they
    purchased contiguous tracts of land mostly virgin
    to the grape. Today, a constellation of single
    vineyards spreads out to cover only 1/3 of the
    property, starting with the undeniable concept
    that quality is determined first and foremost in
    the vineyard.
  • Castello Banfi pioneered the planting of noble
    French grape varieties in the area, and research
    continues to pair the various microclimates on
    the estate to the varieties that will flourish
    under those conditions. But Banfis most
    intensive undertaking was on behalf of the zones
    native Sangiovese for Brunello. Castello Banfi
    initially identified 160 presumed clones and,
    through catalogue vineyards and
    microvinification, narrowed the selection down to
    a final 15 complementary clones that are planted
    in pre-determined proportion to yield the most
    consistently outstanding Brunello. These results
    were shared with neighboring producers to help
    raise the bar for quality in Montalcino.
  • If the vineyards are the soul of the estate, then
    the winery is its very heart. It combines
    state-of-the-art equipment with traditional
    cellars for casks of Slavonian oak and barriques
    of French oak. Here too, little was left to
    chance or custom. Banfi winemakers personally
    select the raw wood from the forests of France
    and bring it to the estate for seasoning under
    their watchful eye. Coopers then apply a modified
    toasting that uses an indirect and cooler fire
    than usual and for a longer period of time in
    order to achieve more uniform and balanced
    flavors. The custom barrels are also slightly
    larger than the traditional barrique, optimizing
    the ratio of wood surface area to volume of wine.
  • Castello Banfi has garnered numerous medals and
    awards, including an unprecedented four-time
    presentation of VinItalys Gran Premio Cup,
    Italys highest honor. In the latest competition,
    some 100 international wine experts at the annual
    wine fair in Verona awarded more medals and
    honors to Castello Banfi wines than to those of
    any other Italian vintner, winning for the firm
    the competitions coveted Premio Speciale
    prize. Signature wines of the Castello Banfi
    estate, available in 50 countries around the
    world, include the single-vineyard reserve Poggio
    allOro and unfiltered cru Poggio alle Mura
    Brunellos, as well as three proprietary cuvées,
    ExcelsuS, SummuS and Cum Laude. Other
    single-vineyard bottlings include Tavernelle
    Cabernet Sauvignon, Colvecchio Syrah and San
    Angelo Pinot Grigio.
  • Overlooking the vineyards is the estates
    showpiece, a medieval fortress now known as
    Castello Banfi. Meticulously restored as a
    hospitality center, it boasts a glass museum,
    enoteca, and two restaurants the informal
    Taverna Banfi serving traditional dishes of the
    region, and Ristorante Castello Banfi, serving
    Mediterranean-inspired Tuscan cuisine in a fine
    dining ambiance. Within a year of opening, the
    restaurant was recognized for its excellence with
    a prestigious Michelin Star.
  • An early test of John Marianis creative flair
    came in 1979 when Banfi acquired a 60-room
    Elizabethan manor house in Old Brookville, which
    was originally built for an English knight and
    later served as the residence of the widow of
    Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt. He converted it into
    the companys world headquarters in such tasteful
    Old World fashion, with period furnishings, both
    English and Italian, and objets dart, that it is
    constantly sought by charitable organizations as
    a venue for fund-raising activities. Lending
    further bucolic atmosphere to the 127-acre estate
    is a Chardonnay vineyard, yielding Banfi Old
    Brookville Gold Coast Chardonnay.
  • In 1988, John Mariani and his brother were
    inspired to make another move that was later seen
    in trade circles as particularly astute they
    purchased a rival firm, Excelsior Wine Spirits,
    and thus acquired the agency for Chiles leading
    wine export, Concha y Toro, at a point in time
    when American consumers were first discovering
    the value of Chilean wine exceptional quality at
    attractive prices. Owners of Vina Concha y Toro,
    the Guilisasti family, and the Marianis hit it
    off immediately. They hold similar progressive
    business philosophies. John Mariani shared his
    experiences at Montalcino and helped the Chileans
    develop marketing strategies that have moved
    Concha y Toro sales from 90,000 cases in 1988 to
    more than 2,000,000 cases in 1997, at the same
    time entering the ranks of the worlds most
    prestigious winemakers with such renowned
    offerings as Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon,
    Amelia Chardonnay, and the Terrunyo line of
    terroir-driven varietals. By 2000, Concha y Toro
    became the top selling imported wine in the U.S.,
    the position previously held by Riunite for over
    24 years. Currently ranked as the 2 and 3
    imported wines in the US, both are the best
    selling wines from their respective countries of
    origin.
  • Encouraged by their success in business, the
    Mariani brothers established the Banfi Foundation
    and from its earnings John created and endowed
    the Chair of Food Beverage Management at
    Cornell Universitys School of Hotel
    Administration, while Harry directed that funding
    be appropriated for a Chair of Economics
    dedicated to the free enterprise system at
    Colgate University. Banfi grants and scholarships
    to promote hospitality-oriented education also
    have been awarded to the Culinary Institute of
    America, Johnson Wales University, the
    University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Penn State and
    the Hotel School in Shannon, Ireland

9
Harry Mariani
  • Harry Mariani is family proprietor of Banfi
    Vintners of Old Brookville, NY, and the Castello
    Banfi vineyard estate of Montalcino, Tuscany.
  • Following graduation from Colgate University in
    1959, Mr. Mariani, who was born and raised in
    Garden City, L.I., joined Banfi, an American
    family-owned wine business, where he learned
    every aspect of the trade from wine judging
    through marketing, sales, finance and
    administration. He was named President in 1964.
    Over the next three decades, he and his brother
    John, an equal partner in the firm, expanded
    Banfi from a small wine house into Americas
    leading importer of fine wines. They also founded
    two highly successful vineyard estates in Italy,
    Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, and Vigne
    Regali of Strevi, Piedmont. Today, they both
    brothers remain active as counsel to the third
    generation of family management Harrys son
    James, and Johns daughter Cristina.
  • Mr. Mariani also serves on the board of the Banfi
    Foundation, the companys philanthropic arm,
    which contributes annually to leading national
    charities and takes an active interest in higher
    education. The Foundation has endowed the Banfi
    chair of Wine Education and Management at Cornell
    Universitys School of Hotel Administration and
    the Chair of Economics at Colgate University
    themed to the American economy and the free
    enterprise system. Scholarships, fellowships and
    grants-in-aid are also given each year to
    Cornell, The Culinary Institute of America and a
    dozen other colleges and universities around the
    country.
  • An occasional lecturer, Mr. Mariani takes
    particular pride in having been invited to
    address a 750-member wine class at Cornell on two
    occasions and the graduation class of The
    Culinary Institute several years ago.
  • Mr. Mariani was a trustee of Colgate University
    from 1987 until 1996 and served as chairman of
    the schools Student Affairs Committee. He is now
    a trustee emeritus. Recently, he was appointed to
    the board of Huntington Hospital, Huntington, NY
    he is also an associate member of the Cornell
    Society of Hotelmen, and a trustee of the Cornell
    Societys Foundation.
  • He is married to the former Anne Marie Goetz, and
    they have four children. In addition to their son
    James, a daughter, Virginia Mariani-Kitt, and
    son-in-law, Marc Goodrich, are also actively
    engaged in the family business

10
James W. Mariani
  • James Mariani is family proprietor of Banfi
    Vintners, Americas leading wine importer, and
    the award winning Castello Banfi Vineyard Estate
    in Montalcino, Tuscany.
  • The elder son of Banfi President Harry F.
    Mariani, James and his cousin Cristina
    Mariani-May represent the third generation of
    family leadership in the company founded by their
    grandfather, John F. Mariani, Sr. in 1919. The
    1978 founding and subsequent development of
    Castello Banfi is perhaps the familys most
    ambitious endeavor.
  • James Mariani officially joined the family
    business in 1991, though he earlier interned at
    the companys vineyard estates, literally
    learning the business from the ground up. Over
    the summers of 1982 and 1983, he served as part
    of a small team that planted the firms
    Chardonnay vineyard at Old Brookville. Four years
    later, he worked with the vineyard staff at
    Castello Banfi for the 1987 harvest. He has
    traveled extensively across the U.S. and Canada,
    conducting seminars, university lectures, and
    wine maker dinners. Mr. Mariani is considered an
    unofficial ambassador for imported wines, joining
    other producers and importers on numerous
    industry panels and tastings.
  • Assuming many of his fathers responsibilities in
    sales and marketing over the past two years, Mr.
    Mariani has restructured both departments to
    facilitate the companys efforts in achieving
    sales objectives and strategic goals in brand
    building. An advocate of one-on-one salesmanship,
    he is frequently on the road to meet with the
    firms 180 distributors across North America.
  • In assessing the market of the 21st century, Mr.
    Mariani, who holds a BA from Colgate University
    and an MBA from the Cornell Universitys Johnson
    School of Business, speculates that current
    American interest in varietal wines will continue
    to grow while the market embraces offerings from
    many different wine producing nations. As
    Americans become more and more comfortable with
    wine, he said, they will better understand how
    the specific appellation of a wine imparts
    particular flavors and style to a given grape
    variety.

11
Cristina Mariani-May
  • Cristina N. Mariani-May is familiy proprietor of
    Banfi Vintners, Americas leading wine importer,
    and the award winning Castello Banfi Vineyard
    Estate in Montalcino, Tuscany.
  • The youngest daughter of Banfi Chairman John F.
    Mariani, Cristina and her cousin James W. Mariani
    represent the third generation of family
    leadership in the company founded by their
    grandfather, John F. Mariani, Sr. in 1919. The
    1978 founding and subsequent development of
    Castello Banfi is perhaps the familys most
    ambitious endeavor.
  • Ms. Mariani-May is a graduate of Georgetown
    University and Columbia Universitys Graduate
    School of Business, where she served as president
    of the student wine society. As an undergraduate,
    she studied at Georgetowns campus in Florence,
    Italy and traveled with her father to meet the
    companys foreign suppliers. She formally joined
    Banfi in 1993, assisting in the firms sales,
    marketing and public relations in order to gain
    an overview with which to develop long-term
    strategy.
  • Today, she makes frequent visits to Castello
    Banfi to review winemaking, marketing and sales
    to over 50 countries around the world, including
    the newest markets in Russia, Poland, India and
    Cambodia. She oversees ongoing clonal research on
    Montalcinos native Sangiovese grape for the
    production of Brunello di Montalcino, conducted
    by Castello Banfi in conjunction with the
    University of Milan. Over 160 presumed clones
    were studied through experimental vineyards and
    microvinification over the course of 20 years,
    with the field eventually narrowed to an optimal
    15. Sharing the results with neighboring
    producers, Banfi registered those clones with the
    European Community, the first producer, as
    opposed to nursery or university, to do so. These
    clones as well as other varieties are planted on
    the estate in a constellation of single vineyards
    that were chosen after extensive study to match
    each grape type with its ideal soil and
    microclimate.
  • Ms. Mariani-May has taken great pride in the
    results, which include Italys highest wine
    honor, VinItalys Grand Premio Cup, recognizing
    Castello Banfi as the International Winery of
    the Year for an unprecedented fourth time and
    Italys top winery for 11 consecutive years.
    Castello Banfi has been named a Winery of the
    Year by both Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spirits
    magazines, its wines frequently included in the
    annual Top 100 selection of Wine Spectator and
    given top honors by Italys Gambero Rosso Guide
    to the Wines of Italy and the Association of
    Italian Sommeliers.
  • Ms. Mariani-May has championed projects that
    reinforce Castello Banfis role in the wine world
    and its importance to the hospitality field.
    Recently, she narrated an educational film titled
    The Etruscan Legacy, which Banfi produced in
    conjunction with Cornell Universitys School of
    Hotel Administration and National Geographic
    Magazine. The 8-minute film explains how this
    civilization pioneered winemaking in ancient
    times and compares their efforts with todays
    modern techniques.
  • Each year, Ms. Mariani-May hosts a group of
    students at Castello Banfi for a series of
    seminars on the art of Italys food and wine. The
    curriculum includes informal dinner discussions
    with world-renowned restaurateurs, hoteliers and
    wine critics. The estate also sponsors Jazz
    Wine, a summer concert series held both in Rome
    and in Montalcino, which pairs Castello Banfi
    wines with the performances of top musicians

12
Castello Banfi
  • Our estate-bottled wines are the
    consummation of decades clonal and vinification
    research. The fruits of our discoveries have been
    shared with Italian and World vintners to enhance
    wine as one of nature's most cherished foods. We
    are dedicated to the maximum natural expression
    of Tuscany's reverend Brunello as well as noble
    international varieties that we have crafted into
    innovative and single vineyard wines.
  • Noble Wines
  • ExcelsuS SantAntimo DOC, SummuS SantAntimo
    DOC, Cum Laude SantAntimo DOC, Poggio allOro
    Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva, Poggio alle
    Mura Gran Cru Brunello di Montalcino DOCG,
    Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosso di Montalcino
    DOC, Colvecchio Syrah SantAntimo DOC, Tavernelle
    Cabernet Sauvignon SantAntimo DOC, Mandrielle
    Merlot SantAntimo DOC, San Angelo Pinot Grigio
    Toscana IGT, Serena Sauvignon Blanc SantAntimo
    DOC, Fontanelle Chardonnay SantAntimo DOC,
    FloruS Moscadello di Montalcino DOC Late Harvest

13
Banfi Toscana
  • Our Tuscan soul is embodied in all of our
    noble wines, crafted from the acclaimed Brunello
    and international grape varieties that are grown
    to perfection in the ideal microclimate. The
    wines of Banfi Tuscany beautifully express the
    endearing native character of our region.
    Carefully crafted from healthy grapes grown in
    selected vineyards, these wines are generous in
    fruit, soft in tannins and ready to enjoy. They
    are our unique contribution to the legacy of
    Tuscan wines.
  • Tuscan Wines
  • Le Rime Toscana IGT, Col di Sasso Toscana
    IGT, CollePino Toscana IGT, Fumaio Toscana IGT,
    Centine Toscana IGT, Centine Rose Toscana IGT,
    Chianti Classico DOCG, Chianti Classico DOCG R

14
Poggio all'Oro Brunello di Montalcino
  • On the famed estate of Castello Banfi, where
    traditional practices are carefully blended with
    modern technology, rests the single vineyard
    named La Pieve, from which this spectacular wine
    originates. Here, with near perfect conditions of
    climate, soil and sun, the celebrated Sangiovese
    grape achieves greatness. Made from 100
    Sangiovese grapes carefully selected for superior
    quality, Poggio all'Oro is aged for a total of
    five years, including a minimum of two years in
    French oak barriques. With a ruby-red color
    complemented by a rich bouquet, this wine emerges
    with exceptional depth and character. Soft, yet
    intense, it demonstrates hints of plum, chocolate
    and cherries.A wine of distinguished quality,
    Poggio all'Oro Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is
    perfect for meditative sipping or as an ideal
    accompaniment to red meats and robust cheeses

15
Poggio alle MuraSangiovese
  • Called "Poggio alle Mura" to honor the
    historical name of the medieval fortress crowning
    the vineyard estate, the wine's vineyard runs
    down the slopes surrounding the castle - today
    called Castello Banfi. Poggio alle Mura is the
    result of over two decades of research in clonal
    selection for the Sangiovese varietal. The
    vineyard is planted a final selection of three of
    the 15 complementary clones (narrowed from an
    initial selection of 650) of Sangiovese combined
    to deliver a consistently superior wine. Poggio
    alle Mura is also Castello Banfi's first
    unfiltered wine, encompassing a full body and
    complexity unique to the genre.The wine is deep
    ruby tending toward garnet in color and has
    aromas of violets, sweet ripe red fruits and
    berries as well as cigar box, cedar and exotic
    spices like clove and cardamom. The finish is
    long and persistent. Poggio alle Mura Brunello di
    Montalcino is best exhibited with game, red
    meats, roasts, hearty stews and rich powerful
    cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano.

16
Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G.Sangiovese
  • Brunello di Montalcino was Italy's first
    wine to be accorded D.O.C.G. status, a testament
    to its aristocracy, balance and fabulous
    proclivity for aging. Under the direction of
    Banfi's master winemakers, our Sangiovese grapes
    are transformed into a remarkable world-class
    wine, perhaps the most respected red of Italy.
    Aged for a total of up to four years, including a
    minimum of two years in oak barrels, Castello
    Banfi Brunello di Montalcino is a wine of robust
    character. It possesses a rich garnet color, and
    a depth, complexity and opulence that is softened
    by an elegant, lingering aftertaste. Castello
    Banfi Brunello di Montalcino's regal qualities
    are best exhibited with game, red meats, roasts,
    hearty stews and rich powerful cheeses such as
    Parmigiano Reggiano
  • Castello Banfi Brunello 3 on Wine
    Spectator's "Top 100" List
  • "Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 1997
    ranked 3 on Wine Spectator's "Top 100 Wines of
    the Year" in the December 31, 2002 - January 15,
    2003 issue"    - Wine Spectator - December 31,
    2002/January 15, 2003
  • ""Americans John and Harry Mariani created
    this estate from scratch beginning in 1978,
    hiring enologist Ezio Rivella to oversee the
    winemaking. The work was completed in 1984, and
    today 2,400 acres of the 7,100 acre property are
    planted to grapes. Made from 100 percent
    Sangiovese grown in several estate vineyards,
    this Brunello spends two and a half years in
    large oak casks before being bottled. It's the
    highest rated Brunello normale from Banfi to
    date.""   
  • ""A Brunello for everyone. Solid and
    focused, with mineral, blackberry and licorice
    character. Full-bodied and very chunky, with lots
    of round tannins and a long, long finish. Needs
    time to open. Best after 2003. 32,500 cases
    made.""    Rated 94

17
Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C.Sangiovese
  • Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino is a wine
    of noble origins and impressive original
    thinking. Made from 100 select Sangiovese
    clones, Rosso di Montalcino is considered
    Brunello's younger sibling. Rosso di Montalcino
    is aged less than its elder counterpart - 12
    months in wood (half in French oak barrique and
    half in Slavonian oak casks) followed by at least
    6 months in the bottle before release. It is deep
    ruby-red in color with a dry, round, velvety
    taste and generous body - characteristics similar
    to those desired in a great Brunello.Castello
    Banfi Rosso di Montalcino is an outstanding
    companion to veal, red meats and cheeses.

18
San AngeloPinot Grigio
  • Pinot Grigio was long considered a varietal
    that could only flourish in northern Italy. But
    with just one taste of San Angelo Pinot Grigio
    from the Castello Banfi estate, wine lovers have
    been persuaded that the gentle climate of Tuscany
    may be even more ideal for Pinot Grigio
    production. San Angelo Pinot Grigio is an
    elegant wine of pale-straw color, with an
    intense, fruity aroma, followed by a clean, rich,
    refreshing taste. These characteristics
    distinguish the unique and aristocratic San
    Angelo Pinot Grigio from its northern
    counterparts.San Angelo Pinot Grigio is a
    delightful complement to light fare, seafood and
    simple veal and poultry dishes. Above all, it is
    a superb aperitif.
  • ""A round, lightly floral wine with a
    fullness and spice that brings lots of appeal.
    The fruit flavors are completely ripe, edging
    into the tropical, and the ripeness makes you
    want to take another sip.""    - Wine Spirits

19
Chianti Classico RiservaSangiovese, Canaiolo
Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Chianti may well be the single best-known
    wine in the world - historically celebrated,
    universally revered and enjoyed over centuries.
    Produced from select grapes grown in the
    "Classico" region of Chianti between Siena and
    Florence, this aristocratic Tuscan wine has
    reached new heights in Banfi Chianti Classico
    Riserva. After aging two years in Slavonian oak
    casks, this elegant, well-balanced wine has
    flavors of vanilla, cocoa and spice. An honored
    red wine, Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva is a
    fine gourmet accompaniment to red roasts, pastas
    and cheese.Grape Varieties Sangiovese,
    Canaiolo Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon

20
Chianti ClassicoSangiovese, with a selection
of traditional Chianti Classico varietals
  • Chianti has long been regarded by many as
    the "most Italian" of wines, not only because it
    is the most widely produced classified wine, but
    also because it possesses a unique personality.
    Banfi Chianti Classico embodies all the
    characteristics that have made this wine an
    enduring classic an alluring bouquet of black
    fruit and violets rich flavors of cherry and
    leather supple tannins and good acidity for
    dining. Fermentation takes place with a
    traditional skin contact of 8 to 10 days. Aging
    in French oak barriques for 7 months follows.
    Bottling is carried out in the summer following
    the harvest.Banfi Chianti Classico is the
    perfect accompaniment to a wide variety of foods,
    including red-sauced pastas, grilled meats, and
    roasts.

21
An Extraordinary Tuscan Experience
  • At Castello Banfi, comfortable and charmingly
    elegant hospitality awaits guests touring the
    breathtaking wine country of southern Tuscany.
    Our guest rooms and suites are built inside the
    stone houses (Il Borgo) forming the 18th century
    hamlet aside the walls and towers of the
    Castello. Along both sides of the sloping village
    street, the exteriors of the luxurious
    accommodations reflect the architectural beauty
    and heritage of a Tuscan past, while the
    interiors have been carefully structured to offer
    the comforts of a sophisticated home. Shaded
    entries lead to private hideaways handsomely
    decorated by Federico Forquet, Italys eminent
    designer.
  • We invite you to tour our winery and vineyards,
    visit our antique glass museum, historic
    Balsameria, Enoteca, Tuscan Taverna, Michelin
    starred Ristorante and pamper yourself in the
    luxury of the artfully restored rooms and suites
    of the Castellos Il Borgo. You will enjoy an
    Extraordinary Tuscan Experience.
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