American-owned and operated Castello Banfi, a pioneer of winemaking in Italy for nearly 40 years, has won the 2017 Wine Excellence Award of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Italy, which rewards the Italian wine producer who has made the greatest contribution to developing bilateral relations between Italy and the United States.
With U.S. Consul General in Milan, Ambassador Philip T. Reeker, Mayor of Verona Flavio Tosi, and other dignitaries in attendance on Saturday night in Verona’s city hall of Sala Arazzi in the Palazzo Barbieri, AmCham Managing Director Simone Crolla presented Castello Banfi with the sixth edition of the Wine Excellence Award.
“This honor demonstrates the value that our organization holds for this important productive sector,” noted Crolla, “We are delighted to honor Castello Banfi, an outstanding example of excellence in Italian winemaking, who, thanks to their products and an appropriate commercial strategy, have conquered the US market demonstrating the necessary characteristics to approach and develop business in the United States.”
In accepting the award, Castello Banfi family proprietor and co-CEO Cristina Mariani-May said, “As an American Vintner in Tuscany and America’s oldest family run importer of Italian wines, we are humbled and proud to accept this award. It affirms the hard work and dedication of a tremendous team on both sides of the Atlantic. Banfi and the Mariani family are proud to have helped spark a renaissance in Italian wine and shared our century long contagious love affair with I vini d’Italia. Viva l’Italia, Viva l’America, e forza al vino italiano di qualità.”
Known throughout the world for its Brunello di Montalcino, Banfi is solely owned by the Mariani Family, who in 1978 founded Castello Banfi in Montalcino, assembling a property of 7,100 acres (about one-third under vine) for production of quality wines and aligning the estate closely with the culture and development of its territory. At the same time they acquired the historic Piedmontese winery Bruzzone, today called Banfi Piemonte. Under the leadership of cousins Cristina Mariani-May and James Mariani, Banfi has recently furthered their interests in Tuscany with vineyards in Bolgheri, Maremma, Chianti, and Chianti Classico. The Mariani family also owns Banfi Vintners, a leading US wine importer since 1919.
Since 1915, the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy developed and promoted economic, cultural and political relations between the United States of America and Italy, today representing over 500 members in Italy encompassing the principal American multinationals and Italian companies with a significant presence in the USA.
