Toscana

A family-owned vineyard estate and winery in the Brunello region of Tuscany, Castello Banfi’s dedication to excellence in the art of winemaking has been recognized the world over. Capturing honor after prestigious honor, the American-owned estate has been declared “International Winery of the Year” an unprecedented four times at VinItaly’s International Enological Concourse, which also named Castello Banfi “Italy’s Best Wine Estate” eleven times since 1994. Wine Enthusiast Magazine declared the estate its “Winery of the Year,” and editors of Wine Spectator have ranked Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino and the Riserva Poggio all’Oro Brunello di Montalcino in their top 10 wines of the year twice in the last three years, while their readers declared it “Wine of the Year” in an online poll. 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.

Castello Banfi pioneered the planting of noble French grape varieties in the area, and research continues to pair the various microclimates on the estate with the varieties that will flourish under those conditions. But Banfi’s most intensive undertaking was on behalf of the zone’s native Sangiovese for Brunello. Castello Banfi initially identified 160 presumed clones and, through cataloguing 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.

Signature wines of the Castello Banfi estate, available in 50 countries around the world, include the single-vineyard reserve Poggio all’Oro and unfiltered cru Poggio alle Mura Brunellos, as well as three proprietary cuvees, 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 estate’s 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. In late 2006, “Castello Banfi – Il Borgo” will open 14 luxury guest rooms alongside the castle to host discriminating guests.