Michelin stars and Castello Banfi

Michelin stars and Castello Banfi

There are several Michelin-starred restaurants in Tuscany. Among them is La Sala dei Grappoli restaurant at Castello Banfi Wine Resort.

 

Michelin stars and Tuscany: Castello Banfi's restaurant awarded

 

Tuscany's fame and its supremacy among the most sought-after year-round tourist destinations is also due to the hospitality of its inhabitants, the excellence of its hotels and the wealth of food and wine delicacies. Here, local products boast prestigious recognitions such as DOP and DOC, testimony to their authenticity and superlative quality, while the region's wines, renowned and loved throughout the world, are considered masterpieces that enhance the very essence of the territory. But the art of Tuscan cuisine does not stop at the quality of its ingredients: it is also reflected in the impeccable service and preparation of traditional dishes. And it is precisely to this constant commitment to excellence that we owe the presence of numerous Michelin-starred restaurants in Tuscany in 2023.

The Michelin Stars, in fact, represent the pinnacle of gastronomic perfection and are awarded only to a few excellences in the field of catering. The presence of numerous starred restaurants in Tuscany is a tangible sign of the passion and dedication of the region's cooks and chefs, who with creativity and skill rework traditional dishes into authentic culinary works of art.

One way to choose where to eat in Tuscany is to follow the Michelin guide and rely on the experience of leading experts in the food, wine, and hospitality industry.

 

Michelin stars: the history

 

The history of Michelin stars and the world-famous guide of the same name has its roots in the distant past, in 19th-century France, when there were only a few thousand cars on the road.
The connection between cars and the most renowned restaurant guide may seem puzzling at first glance, but the mystery is quickly revealed when we discover that the creators of the guide were none other than brothers André and Édouard Michelin, founders of the tire company of the same name. Their goal was to publish a free guide for French travelers, with the aim of promoting tourism and thus stimulating demand for cars and e, , consequently,tires.
Over the years, the Michelin Guide became increasingly popular thanks to its accuracy, objectivity, and detail, and began to become a point of reference for all travelers who wanted to treat themselves to a high-quality food and wine experience. It was only in 1926 that food critics began awarding the famous “Michelin Stars” to rate the restaurants reviewed.

 

The evolution

 

Initially, there were only two categories::
“one star” for excellent restaurants;
“two stars” for exceptional ones.
As the culinary world evolved, the history of the Michelin Stars saw the introduction of the third star in 1931, reserved for extraordinary restaurants that offered unique and unforgettable gastronomic experiences, as Michelin-starred restaurants in Tuscany still do today. These stars quickly became synonymous with culinary excellence and attracted the attention of chefs and restaurant owners around the world.
In the following years, the Michelin Guide expanded internationally, arriving also in Italy and Tuscany and becoming the highest accolade in the field of catering. Today, Michelin stars represent the supreme goal for any ambitious chef and the restaurant that can boast one or more of them is counted among the gastronomic excellences of the world.
Stars are still awarded today by a select team of anonymous inspectors who travel incognito, carefully assessing every aspect of the dining experience, from food quality to technical mastery, from service to atmosphere.

 

La Sala dei Grappoli

 

There are 35 Michelin-starred restaurants in Tuscany in 2023: rich in history, art, and culture, this region is also a gastronomic paradise and, as mentioned above, the presence of so many Michelin-starred restaurants in Tuscany is the most authentic testimony to its extraordinary culinary variety and excellence. The cradle of centuries-old gastronomic traditions and prized, authentic local products, Tuscany is also the place where talented Michelin-starred chefs combine tradition with innovation, transforming local ingredients into culinary creations of extraordinary beauty.
This is what happens at La Sala dei Grappoli Restaurant at Castello Banfi Wine Resort, awarded a Michelin star.

 

The chef

 

Here, Domenico Francone, a renowned chef of Apulian origin, has created an interesting fusion between the flavors of his native land and refined Tuscan cuisine, particularly that of the Maremma region. His creativity is expressed through his search for the finest ingredients and his exploration of new interpretations of traditional and non-traditional flavors. But what makes La Sala dei Grappoli stand out among Michelin-starred restaurants in Tuscany is also its enchanting and unique location, the historic Castello Banfi, a medieval fortress that stands solemnly among the sunny hills of the Tuscan countryside. The interior room, from which the restaurant takes its name, is superbly frescoed with voluptuous golden grape clusters, and the terrace, in the shadow of the medieval castle walls, offers an unparalleled view of the Banfi estate's vineyards.

Wine tourism in Tuscany: standards and data

Enoturismo in Toscana

Tuscany and wine tourism: discover all the secrets of the quintessential combination of Italian tourism on the Castello Banfi Wine Resort blog.

 

Wine tourism in Tuscany: what to know

Oenotourism, a valuable combination of culture and wine tasting, is a sensory experience of rare beauty, to be lived in places rich in charm and attraction, not only for the richness of their soils, but also for the artistic, cultural and landscape treasures they contain. Wine tourism in Italy, and in Tuscany in particular, a region that is home to renowned vines and millennial traditions, finds one of its greatest expressions. In fact, wine tourism in Tuscany offers the opportunity to immerse oneself in the wine culture, to taste fine wines and to embrace the authenticity of a millenary tradition, offering an unforgettable journey.
Tuscany and wine tourism are a combination that symbolizes Italian excellence in the tourism sector. According to the latest data, approximately 14 million visitors travel each year to the green hills and lush vineyards of this region to visit historic wineries, where the art of winemaking blends with the beauty of the landscape, and to enjoy a few days of relaxation surrounded by nature in charming villages and wine resorts, such as Castello Banfi Wine Resort near Poggio alle Mura.

 

Wine tourism in Tuscany: the data

 

But let's take a closer look at the data on wine tourism in Tuscany. According to the latest Coldiretti/Ixè report, wine tourism in Italy is a phenomenon that involves 58% of Italians: good food and good wine are in fact some of the main reasons why a city is chosen as a tourist destination for 56% of those interviewed. In the case of Tuscany, where food and wine tourism blends with art and nature tourism, the numbers are even more positive.
Wine tourism in Tuscany is now so well established that it is one of the most attractive destinations in Italy. In terms of wine tourism, this region ranks third, after Piedmont and Campania (according to Isnart data for Enit), for its presence in “food and wine” tourist packages. According to data on wine tourism in Tuscany in 2022, compiled by the Regional Statistics Office, there were over 13 million tourists and more than 42.7 million overnight stays, a significant increase compared to 2021.
The great success of wine tourism in Tuscany can also be seen on social channels: visits to wine tourism offer pages grew from March 2021 to February 2022 by 136.29%.
Moreover, wine tourism in Tuscany fuels not only the tourism sector but also the production sector, with a considerable turnover. According to the latest estimates of the Ismea-Qualivita Observatory, the PDO-PGI wine sector in Tuscany is worth 1004 million euro (86.9% of the country's total certified production). This is according to Roberta Garibaldi, vice-president of the Ocs Tourism Committee, one of the leading experts in wine tourism in Tuscany and Italy.

 

Tuscany and wine tourism: an ancient history

 

Tuscany's primacy in the wine tourism sector is long-standing. In fact, it was this region that gave birth to wine tourism in Italy, thanks to the Cantine Aperte (Open Cellars) and Calici sotto le stelle (Goblets under the Stars) initiatives in 1993, as well as the Movimento Turismo del Vino (Wine Tourism Movement).
However, wine tourism guidelines were only formalized in the 2000s, with the creation of “wine routes,”i.e., protected routes that promote places and products, and it was only in 2019 that the so-called Wine Tourism Decreewas issued, which regulates winery visits, the invoicing of wine tourism-related activities, staff skills, and guidelines on the minimum quality requirements and standards for the practice of wine tourism.

 

Law on Wine Tourism in Tuscany

 

Although the decree is valid throughout Italy, some regions are further fine-tuning their legislation on the subject to better protect and enhance this form of tourism, and Tuscany is among them. The law on wine tourism in Tuscany in fact saw a development in the spring of last year with Regional Law no. 15 of 24 May 2022 (Disciplina dell'oleoturismo e dell'ospitalità agrituristica. Amendments to Regional Law 30/2003).
It regulates wine tourism in Tuscany with regard to:
property intended for agritourism;
organisation of promotional events for traditional or quality company products;
wine and oil tourism activities and requirements for their performance;
minimum quality standards to be met.

 

Nuova definizione di Enoturismo

 

Of particular interest is the new definition of wine tourism , which we quote in full: "Wine tourism and olive oil tourism refer to all activities related to learning about wine and extra virgin olive oil, respectively, carried out at the place of production, visits to places where grapes and olives are grown, produced, or where tools used in the cultivation of vines and olive trees are displayed, the tasting and marketing of the company's wine and oil products, also in combination with food, and educational and recreational initiatives in wineries and vineyards, oil mills, and olive groves."
The enactment of a law on wine tourism in Tuscany is of fundamental importance, serving as a bulwark for the protection of local producers and support for their valuable wine-making activities. This measure guarantees a solid regulatory framework capable of preserving centuries-old traditions and stimulating excellence in the sector. At the same time, this law becomes a tool for protecting visitors, ensuring standards of safety, quality, and authenticity in the experiences offered . In this way, the promotion of the wine heritage is combined with a conscious and rewarding welcome for all those who choose wine tourism in Tuscany as a form of travel and discovery.