Banfi

Castello Banfi was founded in 1978 by the two American brothers John and Harry Mariani. A few years earlier, they travelled together to Montalcino initially in search of new wines for Banfi Vintners, the family's wine business in New York. Once they arrived in beautiful Tuscany, the brothers are captivated by the beauty of the land and the vineyards. They get the chance to take over the Poggio alle Mura estate and start producing their own wines. The gentlemen do not let this be told twice and seize the opportunity with both hands. This turns out to have been a great choice, as the winery soon became one of the icons of the region.

The winery's vineyards stretch from south of Montalcino to the Val d'Orcia border. In total, Banfi owns 2,870 hectares of land. Of this, a third is planted with vines. Recently, the property has expanded to include vineyards in Bolgheri, Chianti Classico and Piedmont. Everywhere is worked as naturally as possible and for several years Banfi has been officially certified for organic viticulture. Plantings consist mainly of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, syrah and chardonnay.

With such an extensive vineyard area, it is not surprising that the portfolio is very broad and diverse. Yet the winery is best known for its outstanding Brunello wines, including the two flagship wines Poggio All'Oro Riserva and Poggio alle Mura. To achieve the highest achievable quality, old traditions are combined with modern techniques. In the cellar, you will find more than 7,000 custom-made barrels made of French oak. The wood for the barrels is not chosen at random, but goes through a rigorous selection process. When the beams arrive at the estate, they are first exposed to all weather conditions for three years. Then the assembly process takes place and the barrels are toasted. This process creates a very unique and complex character. The best vintages are: 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016.