Born in Bleggio Superiore, Trento, in the north of Italy, Rudy graduated in 1981 from the Istituto Agrario di San Michele all'Adige, one of the world's leading schools of oenology. In 1983, he 'went down south', as he liked to say with Italian pride, for an internship experience at the fledgling Banfi estate in Montalcino. Having fallen in love with the territory and the company, he decided to stay, and in 1999, he was appointed Director Oenologist, a position previously held by his mentor Ezio Rivella. At the time of his death, Buratti supervised nine managers, as well as fifty workers assigned to various tasks in the cellar, happily maintaining direct relations with the Mariani family, owners of Castello Banfi.

We would like to share with all of you the farewell to Rudy made yesterday by Cristina Mariani-May during the funeral. "The untimely death of our dear friend and colleague Rudy is a huge loss for the entire wine world. That world of wine that Rudy loved until his final hours and to which he dedicated 35 years of his life with passion, humility and courage. The first to enter the cellar, the last to leave, only after checking that every single detail was in place, that each wine was evolving in the best possible way and that each member of his team was working with the same passion, accuracy and punctuality. He worked like this every day, uninterruptedly until his last day, a week ago when, already sorely tried by his illness, he left his beloved cellar and his people, his second family, for the last time. Rudy leaves a huge void in all of us, an unbridgeable void for his wife Ursula and for Alexandra and Carlotta, his young and beloved daughters. But he also leaves so much hope in those who remain and so many beautiful and indelible memories. Hello Rudy, it has been an honour to have you by our side for all these years. We will remember you in every wine we drink, in every goblet we raise to the sky and in all the battles we win together. Thank you."

The young oenological team that Buratti has had the opportunity to grow, will follow his teachings, continuing to work with the same passion for research and for this territory, where Rudy arrived when he was only 22 years old. Rudy had the opportunity to experience the energy of the beginning of Banfi's history, from the early 1980s, when the most important research projects began, which made Banfi grow into what it is today. In all these years, since 1999, when he became oenologist director, he has transferred all his knowledge to his team, day after day, working side by side and passing on to them the sense of humility, courage, love of experimentation and foresight that have always distinguished him.

The young oenological team will continue to work and follow his path, with the same spirit that Rudy has shown him over many years.