The fifth edition of the Banfi Sustainability Reportfor the financial year 2020 is finally available as of today.

The leitmotif of this edition is respect. "An important, authentic and emblematic value of our journey, which belongs to us from the very beginning and which tells us of a balanced and productive relationship with the territory that hosts us and of a genuine interaction with the people with with which we collaborate and with the institutions with which we dialogue on a daily basis,' reads the letter from the territory, where the three presidents (Enrico Viglierchio - Banfi S.r.l., Remo Grassi - Banfi Società Agricola S.r.l., Rodolfo Maralli - Fondazione Banfi) introduce the reading of the document.

Banfi and the Sustainability Report 2020

"We decided to publish the 2020 Sustainability Report on the occasion of World Earth Day," says Cristina Mariani-May, CEO of Banfi, "to reinforce the important message we wish to share with the territory, as well as with the entire wine sector. The year 2020, strongly marked by the still ongoing pandemic crisis, has literally disrupted our production processes, our strategies, our business results, our lives. This particularly significant edition sees us proudly reinforce our commitment to sustainable growth. Sustainability is not a trend, nor is it an option'.

The Sustainability Report 2020, for the first time, underwent dilimited assurance in accordance with the ISAE 3000 Revised standard. The audit, entrusted to PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory S.p.A., a leading company operating in the auditing and business consulting sector, certifies the adherence of the document's contents to the guidelines adopted for its drafting and takes the form of document collection activities, interviews with the management responsible for drafting the report, in-depth thematic investigations, checks on the calculations made and sample checks.

On Sustainability Report 2020 is available on Banfi's website, at the following link:

https://www.www.banfi.it/it/sostenibilita/

Traversa dei Monti is the new Banfi signature wine, a Chianti DOCG with a Montalcino soul.

Made entirely from the traditional Chianti varieties, with a strong predominance of Sangiovese, from the estate's Montalcino vineyards, the heart of the traditional Chianti territory, it boasts the sub-zone COLLI SENESI.

Traversa dei Monti, the new Chianti Colli Senesi by Banfi

The name of the wine, Traversa dei Montiimmediately leads us back to the road that connects Montalcino to the Maremma coast, also skirting the Banfi vineyards.

Even the label is evocative of the place where the wine is born. The Traversa dei Monti, in gold foil, traverses the vineyards that give the perception of earth to the touch, enhancing the luminosity and richness of our territory.

Elegant and assertive, the wine has a deep, intense mauve red colour. The nose is complex and intense, with aromas of ripe fruit and morello cherry accompanied by hints of dried flowers and spicy notes. Enveloping, soft and powerful, with a remarkable structure, it closes with a long and persistent finish.

Now in its fourth edition, La Pettegola's project with an author's label.

On Vermentino di Banfiproduced since 2012, for the past four years has, in fact, had a Limited Edition version (only fifteen thousand bottles) with the label reinterpreted by an artist. An association with design that, year after year, is strengthened thanks to collaborations with internationally renowned artists and designers.

Designer label for the Limited Edition of La Pettegola

Designing the Limited Edition 2021 of La Pettegola is, for the first time, a woman: Elena Salmistraro. Designer and artist, she lives and works in Milan. She graduated from Milan Polytechnic and founded her own studio in 2009. She collaborates as a designer and illustrator with many companies in the creative industry. Attention to detail, harmony of form and poetic style characterise her creations, a mixture of art and design: the search for the expressive language of the object, which can fascinate people by evoking emotions, is a priority in her work. His designs have been selected for several international exhibitions. In 2017, he won the 'Salone del Mobile Milano Award' as 'Best Newcomer Designer'. Since 2107, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has appointed her as Ambassador of Italian design in the world. In 2018, she was appointed Ambassador of Brera Design District.

The gossip often brings to mind female gossip, but the gossip is also a little bird that lives along the Maremma coast. And it is precisely on this ambivalence of the meaning of the name of Banfi Vermentino that Elena Salmistraro plays to reinterpret the label: 'La Pettegola for Banfi is the witty and amusing name of a little bird, typical of the Tuscan coast, which I imagined to be cunning and singing.

That is why I enjoyed portraying a young, colourful but thoughtful-looking girl, completely immersed in listening to the cheerful and festive song of the Gossip. The bright colours and rigid shapes, all typical elements of my artistic language, enhance the jovial and convivial atmosphere that characterises the joyful moment of the toast, made even more carefree thanks to the chirping of the lively bird. The song of the Pettegola thus becomes the perfect soundtrack for a cheerful evening in company while enjoying a glass of the wine that bears her name'.

Previous editions:

• 2018: Alessandro Baronciani
• 2019: Ale Giorgini
• 2020: Riccardo Guasco

From today Castello Banfi is officially among the 9 new associates from around the world who have joined the prestigious Relais & Châteauthe association of luxury hotels and restaurants.

Relais & Châteaux

Founded in 1954, Relais & Châteaux is an association of 580 unique hotels and restaurants around the world, owned and managed by independent entrepreneurs - in most cases, families - united by a passion for their craft and a desire to establish an authentic bond with their guests.

The Association's Italian Residences, which boast their own wine production that captures and conveys the history, passion and culture of the region that hosts them, with the addition of Castello Banfi have become eight in total.

"With its restaurants, Enoteca and Balsameria, the Borgo offers guests the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the oenological and culinary traditions of Tuscany. In Relais & Châteaux, we have found a network of families and entrepreneurs moved by our same love for the land, and the desire to tell and share it with our guests"- comments Cristina Mariani-May, CEO & Owner.

Alberto Lazzarino, the historic and charismatic oenologist director of Banfi Piemonte in Strevi (AL), sadly passed away prematurely, at the end of a brief but unrelenting illness.

Alberto, born in 1963, was born in Turin and after graduating as an oenologist at the Scuola Enologica di Alba and some work experience at the Fratelli Martini company and the Cantina Sociale di Maranzana, he joined the Banfi family in 2002, linking his name and talent to some of the group's most beautiful and significant projects.

Always active at an institutional level in the consortia of the territory, he was also President of the Piedmont Section of Assoenologi.

The memory of Alberto Lazzarino

His passion, his rigour and his ability to combine curiosity with competence, together with an innate optimism and a smile that never abandoned him, even in the hardest hours of his illness, will forever be in the memories of those who knew and esteemed him, as well as a lesson and guide for those who will continue, in Strevi as well as in Montalcino, to carry on his work and his projects.

With its Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura Riserva 2013 receiving the Quattro Viti award in Vitae 2020, the guide of the Italian Sommelier Association, Banfi receives the prestigious TASTEVINthe award that honours a select group of only twenty-two companies, one from each Italian region.

The award ceremony took place on Friday 25 October, during the preview presentation of the guide reserved for the press, in the setting of the Nuvola, the Roman structure designed by internationally renowned architect Massimiliano Fuksas.

Cristiano Cini, President of AIS Toscana, said during the award ceremony: 'This is recognition of the great work carried out by Banfi, since its inception, in and for the territory of Montalcino, as well as for its symbolic wine, Brunello. A work carried out with constancy and great attention to the values of sustainability, in all its aspects, from the environmental to the social and economic one'.

Sustainability

That of the sustainability is a theme that is very dear to Banfi, which, during the round table on Friday 18 October, organised for the presentation of the fourth issue of the Sustainability Report for the 2018 financial year, took the opportunity to discuss sustainable development, with a view to sharing it with the entire territory, for a common growth and to understand whether the Sustainability Report can be a fundamental tool for the enhancement of the territory.

This is an important recognition for the Montalcino winery and the Mariani family who, only a few months ago, had received the 'Wine Family of the Year' award at the Meininger 'Excellence in Wine & Spirit' Awards in Düsseldorf.

On stage, together with the President of AIS Italia, Antonello Maietta, the President of AIS Toscana and the Head of the Guide for Tuscany, Leonardo Taddei, presenting the award in the hands of Cristina Mariani-May, representative of the third generation family owner of Banfi, was the Director of Winenews, Alessandro Regoli.

The words of Cristina Mariani-May

Cristina Mariani-May, said: 'I am very honoured and proud to be here today to receive this very prestigious award. It is a recognition of our dedication and our love for the Montalcino territory. It is our responsibility for this territory and for all that it represents, that it has represented for centuries and will continue to represent for hundreds of years to come. On behalf of myself and my father John, I express my heartfelt thanks to the entire Italian Sommelier Association that has done, and is doing, so much for Italian wine. I would also like to add my thanks to the Banfi team for the work done over these forty years at my family's side'.

On Friday 18 October, the round table organised for the presentation of the Banfi Sustainability Report 2018It was an opportunity to discuss sustainable development, with a view to sharing it with the entire territory, for common growth and to understand whether the Sustainability Report can be a fundamental tool for the enhancement of the territory.

Presentation of the 2018 Sustainability Report

The initial greetings of Banfi's Director, Dr. Enrico Viglierchio, were followed by the speech of Dr. Stefano Scardocchia, head of Banfi's Sustainability Report, who gave a brief history of the sustainable path taken by the Ilcinese company. Then it was the turn of Dr. Gaia Giussani, who brought the testimony of PwC, whose support Banfi relies on for the preparation of its Sustainability Report: 'It is important that a company like Banfi has started this path for a long time now, but it would be a fundamental step, I would say almost natural, for it to reach the reporting of the entire territory.

A brief greeting from the Deputy Mayor of Montalcino, Angelo Braconi, followed by the words of Dr. Alessandro Regoli, Director of Winenews. Regoli retraced the history of the Montalcino territory, dwelling on some basic concepts, such as terroir and the importance of the Brunello-Montalcino binomial, and launching, with his words, a very important message: "Past, present and future: the past is history, what made us become what we are today, the future is in the union of all the wineries, in a total synergy of territory, where everyone is necessary and indispensable."

Greetings from the President of the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino

The message was reinforced by the greeting of the President of the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino, Fabrizio Bindocci, who reminded everyone of the importance of working together, and anticipating the words of Prof. Simone Bastianoni: 'The province of Siena has been carbon free since 2011, and one of the main reasons why it has been able to achieve this result is precisely the enormous size of the wooded area of the municipality of Montalcino, with its 12,000 hectares.

After the speech of the Hon. Paolo De Castro, who brought his testimony from the European Parliament, Dr. Gennaro Giliberti said 'The Region of Tuscany has made sustainability in agriculture its core business. The only way to achieve the highest standards of sustainability is to innovate'.

The speech by the Hon. Filippo Gallinella, with the Government's commitment to increasingly support environmental, social and economic sustainability, concluded the morning.

Participants Round Table (moderated by Ms Virginia Masoni of Confindustria Toscana Sud):

• Dr. Enrico Viglierchio - General Manager Banfi
• Dr. Gaia Giussani - PWC, Senior Manager
• Hon. Filippo Gallinella - President XIII Commission for Agriculture
• Prof. Simone Bastianoni - Full Professor of Chemistry of the Environment and Cultural Heritage at the University of Siena
• Dr. Gennaro Giliberti - Tuscany Region, Head of Agricultural, Plant, Animal Production and Promotion

An elegant and exclusive bottle, the result of a meeting between artist Lauren Collin and Benjamin Fourmon, President of Joseph Perrier Champagne, for the latest limited edition cuvée in magnum format only of the Maison distributed in Italy by Banfi since 2004.

With TOUT DE BLANC, the Joseph Perrier Maison is enriching itself with an extraordinary new cuvée.

Tout de Blanc is presented in a very refined bottle, designed by artist Lauren Collin (laurencollin.com) and the fruit of more than three years' work and collaboration between her and the young President of the Joseph Perrier Maison, Benjamin Fourmon, who just this year succeeded his father Jean-Claude at the helm of the Maison. An important generational transition for Joseph Perrier, a family business in its fifth generation.

Joseph Perrier presents Tout de Blanc

Presented exclusively in Magnum format, with a limited edition of only one thousand five hundred bottles, it is produced from a very select harvest of 100% Chardonnay grapes, the cuvée base being from the 2014 vintage. Elegance and pleasantness, enriched by great complexity and energy, emanate from this Extra Brut (with a dosage of 3.5 g/l,).

"Fresh, very fine and delicate, on the nose come white fruits, but also nectarines and the exotic notes of pineapple. With a little oxygenation it gains a very floral structure, with hints of iris and spicy notes, delicate but powerful and full-bodied at the same time. In the mouth it is incredibly intense, long and with fresh contrasts, peach, citrus, grapefruit. Definitely a meal wine, very elegant' - Nathalie Laplaige, Chef de Cave.

 Joseph Perrier, the oldest Champagne Maison in Chalons sur Marne - now renamed Chalon en Champagne - was founded in 1825 by the young Joseph Perrier. The heirs who succeeded Joseph Perrier over the years have succeeded each other from father to son for five generations now, thus reaffirming the true character of a family business. From 1825, we arrive at 1980, the year in which Jean-Claude Fourmon took the reins of the family business, reviving the successes of a "Marque House" that is now recognised worldwide for its traditional high quality. In 2019, the tradition of passing from father to son continues with the passing of the Maison into the hands of Benjamin Fourmon, Jean-Claude's son.

The Maison, which has been honoured several times on an international level, has boasted the most coveted of honours from the very beginning, becoming, in fact, the official supplier to the Royal House of England; hence the Cuvée Royale that still distinguishes its most representative products. To further celebrate this choice, a royal cloak appears on all the classic cuvées and symbolises the privilege given to this house by Queen Victoria and King Edward IV of England.

It is with pleasure that we share with you all the 2019 TOP TEN RESORT HOTELS IN ITALY FOR THE TRAVEL LEISURE in which Castello Banfi - Il Borgo ranks #6.

Each year for their World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to rate travel experiences around the world - to share their opinions on the best hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines and more.

The hotels were rated according to their facilities, location, service, food and overall value.

Properties were classified as cities or resorts according to their locations and amenities.

Read the article here

The Banfi Foundation, through Sanguis Jovis-Alta Scuola del Sangiovese, and the Scuola Enologica di San Michele all'Adige have decided to remember the extraordinary figure of Rudy Buratti, Banfi's Oenologist Director who died prematurely in January 2018, by dedicating a degree award in Viticulture and Oenology to him.

Rudy Buratti, who graduated from the Scuola Enologica di San Michele all'Adige in 1981, arrived in Montalcino in 1983, becoming one of the main protagonists of Banfi's extraordinary entrepreneurial history. The award, in perfect line with the mission of Sanguis Jovis, of which Buratti had been a great promoter, intends to remember his human and professional figure, taking him as an example to young people in the sector.

The call for entries was an incredible success, with over thirty entries received. The winner of this first edition was Dr. Stefano Delledonne with an innovative study on wine conservation in modern distribution: How does wine evolve when stored on a supermarket shelf? Evaluation of chemical, physical and sensory parameters.

The project involved evaluating the sensory (olfactory), physical (colour) and chemical (riboflavin) characteristics of bottles of white wine, produced from different varieties, exposed to light resulting in the defect known as 'light taste'. In addition to receiving a scholarship, Dr. Delledonne will be given the opportunity to attend the next Summer School (15-19 July 2019) free of charge.

The official presentation of the 2019 edition of the Rudy Buratti Graduation Prize in Viticulture and Oenology will take place on 15 July at 6.30 pm at the Teatro degli Astrusi in Montalcino (Siena).

Sanguis Jovis-High School of Sangiovese

Sanguis Jovis-High School of Sangiovesewhich on 15 July is preparing to kick off the third edition of the Summer School on the theme I Terroir del Sangiovese In Toscana: Conoscenza, Storytelling, Mercato (Sangiovese Terroirs In Tuscany: Knowledge, Storytelling, Market), just three years after its inception, continues on its path: to strengthen, defend and disseminate the value produced by the Sangiovese grape varieties of Montalcino and Tuscany.