Forbes crowns Castello Banfi as best wine destination

April 2009, USA - Forbesthe world-famous US business and finance magazine, known to most for its annual ranking of the world's richest men, has compiled the ranking of the ten best international wine destinations, a ranking in which Castello Banfi ranks first.

Forbes crowns Banfi Castle as best wine destination

The ranking was compiled by George Taber, journalist and writer, wine and food expert and great connoisseur of the food and wine world. His ranking includes wineries from all over the world, from Chile to South Africa, Argentina, Spain, New Zealand, Portugal, France, Germany and Australia. Each with its own peculiarity that makes it a special destination, not to be missed.

Hospitality is in fact a sector in which Banfi has always believed, to the point of turning the Castello di Poggio alle Mura into an extraordinary centre offering complete and articulated hospitality. A hospitality that is increasingly focused on the typicality and tradition of the Montalcino territory and that has been enriched, starting in March, with some new services.

At the Enoteca, in fact, one can taste the entire, wide range of Banfi labels, accompanied also by typical local cold cuts and cheeses. In addition, the "Taverna Banfi" is open for lunch and dinner, from Monday to Saturday (also open for dinner on Sundays), and in the summer months it is possible to savour the delicious dishes of local cuisine on the charming terrace in the shadow of Castello Banfi. The pearl and pride of hospitality is definitely 'Il Borgo', with its 14 luxurious rooms, including five suites.

Gold Medal at the Poggio all'Oro 1999

Verona, April 2009 - The "Poggio all'Oro"1999, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, was awarded the Gold Medal at the Vinitaly 2009 Wine Competition in the category of Quiet Red Wines of Denomination of Origin over 6 years after harvest.

Poggio all'oro gold medal 1999

The jewel in the Banfi family's crown, this is a Brunello Riserva made from selected grapes from the vineyard Poggio all'Orowhere Sangiovese finds its ideal growing conditions. Aged for five years, just under three of which in French oak barriques, it is distinguished by its extraordinary elegance and very long ageing potential.

Produced exclusively in great vintages, the Poggio all'Oro Brunello di Montalcino Riserva will be released next year with the new 2004 vintage, one of the greatest vintages in recent times.

Inniskillin wins the special grand vinitaly prize - Banfi

Verona, April 2009 - On the occasion of the 43rd edition of Vinitaly, the Special Gran Vinitaly Award was awarded to Inniskillinthe prestigious Canadian manufacturer of Icewine which is exclusively distributed in Italy by Banfi.

Inniskillin wins special grand vinitaly award

The prize is awarded to the winery that has achieved the highest score in at least two different categories at the Vinitaly International Wine Competition. Awarded to Inniskillin is a gold medal for the Sparkling Vidal Icewine - Limited Edition 2006 (category other sweet sparkling wines) and for the Vidal Icewine 2007 (category still wines designated with a geographical indication - Natural sweet wines).

The award-winning winery was founded in 1975 by Donald Ziraldo, son of Italian emigrants, and Karl J. Kaiser, of Austrian origin. Today, it distinguishes itself in one of the most extreme, extraordinary and incredible types of wine in the wine world, icewine. A sweet wine, but not necessarily a dessert wine, whose production, in order to achieve maximum sugar concentration and extreme sweetness calibrated by excellent acidity, requires a specific meteorological characteristic, namely the presence of temperatures that remain eight to ten degrees below zero for a long time.

The purity, the freshness of the aromas, the varietal characteristics of the grapes used, the fragrances conferred by this very special concentration represented by the 'icing' of the grapes, are enhanced by vinification and ageing carried out exclusively in steel.

Banfi distributes three icewines from the extensive Inniskillin range exclusively for Italy: Cabernet Franc, the award-winning Vidal and Riesling.

Joseph Perrier inaugurates his Oenotheque

April 2009, Chalon en Champagne - Joseph Perrier, distributed in Italy exclusively by Banfi, inaugurated its 'Oenotheque - A private wine cellar of the 20th century', a space entirely dedicated to the historical vintages of the prestigious French maison.

Joseph Perrier inaugurates his oenotheque

Next to the main entrance to the Joseph Perrier cellars, in a side room that serves as a gallery, you can admire some of the company's historical bottles. In a niche carefully carved out of the natural rock, bottles and magnums of the best vintages, from 1949 to 1999, rest.

Stored 'sur point', still on their lees, these historic bottles are waiting to be disgorged for very special occasions; all under the watchful eye of Paul Pithois, grandfather of current owner and General Manager Jean-Claude Fourmon.

The Champagne line of the maison now includes 6 labels, all distributed in Italy by Banfi: Cuveé Royale Brut, Cuveé Royale Brut Rosé, Cuveé Royale Demi-sec, Cuveé Royale Millésimée, Cuveé Royale Blanc de Blancs, and the exclusive Cuveé Josephine. Prestigious wines that, we remind you, will be available for tasting at Vinexpo, the highly prestigious French international fair that will take place in Bordeaux from 21 to 25 June.

The International Award at Vinitaly at Castello Banfi

The Tuscan company, which is one of the main ambassadors of Made in Italy wine in the world, won the prestigious Veronafiere award destined for those producers who have particularly distinguished themselves internationally.

Castello Banfi, the symbolic winery of the Montalcino area that has made Brunello known throughout the world, wins the InternationalVinitaly Award 2009.

"The utmost expression of entrepreneurship linked to agriculture, and always devoted to excellence, grown, in the thirty years since its foundation, under the aegis of high quality, Castello Banfi today represents one of the main ambassadors of 'made in Italy' in the world.

A driving force behind the 'Montalcino model', inextricably linked to the territory that emerges with intensity in every sip of its wines, Castello Banfi has succeeded in cultivating technological innovation, with a view to production and environmental protection, without ever forgetting the importance of tradition." These are the reasons for which Castello Banfi received the 2009 Vinitaly International Prize, which will be collected on 1 April in Verona by Cristina Mariani-Mayowner of Castello Banfi and daughter of John Mariani, founder, together with his brother Harry, of the extraordinary Tuscan company.

The international award at vinitaly at castello banfi

The prestigious award has been given since 1996 to Italian and international personalities who have particularly distinguished themselves in the international context for their work and their role as ambassadors of wine culture.

Castello Banfi, the largest, most innovative and revolutionary investment in quality Italian oenology, was founded in 1978 thanks to the intuition of Italian-American entrepreneur John Mariani. Castello Banfi, which also owns the Vigne Regali estate in Piedmont, produces around 12 million bottles each year (10 million in Montalcino and 1,900,000 in Piedmont).

Exports reach 62%, with a prevalence in the United States, joined by Germany, Great Britain, Norway, Japan, New Zealand and Canada. In Montalcino there are 850 hectares under vine, and 26 different references are produced; the Vigne Regali estates count 46 hectares, with 15 references. Castello Banfi is present as a distributor in over 80 countries.

Castello Banfi has also played an important role in wine tourism, the key to educating people about the culture of wine: in the 14th-century castle, the heart of the winery (visited by more than 60,000 wine tourists every year), it houses the Glass and Bottle Museum and has boosted its reception and hospitality activities (high-level catering, wine bar, events, tastings).