Castello Banfi
The wealthy brothers moved from churning out
massive volumes of cheap Lambrusco to this more quality orientated scheme in
the late 1970s.
Though savoring these achievements as they would a glass of their finest vintage, family proprietors Cristina Mariani-May and James Mariani are hardly resting on their laurels. In the continual pursuit of superior quality ingrained in them by their fathers, Castello Banfi co-founders and brothers John and Harry Mariani, they work constantly to improve upon every detail, from winemaking and packaging to the estate’s renowned hospitality.
For decades the winery was overseen by Ezio Rivella, but currently at the winemaking helm is Pablo Harri, one-time employee.
With over 900 hectares of land planted to vines, it's no surprise that production volumes are huge, and the range of wines is expansive. For Brunello they are market leaders in terms of volume, producing over 600000 bottles annually. Both Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino just about hang on to their reputations as worthy wines, although in terms of quality the IGT wines Summus (Sangiovese, Cabernet and Syrah) and Excelsus (Cabernet and Merlot) are superior. Lower down the scale there is a massive range of wines, including Chianti and a range of French varietals. (18/11/02)
Contact details:
Address: Castello Banfi, 53024 Montalcino
Telephone: +39 0577 840111
Fax: +39 0577 840205
Internet:
www.castellobanfi.com
