Cristina Mariani-Mayowner of Castello Banfi, the internationally renowned Tuscan wine company, is set to ring the closing bell at the NASDAQ stock market.

Ms. Mariani-May was joined for the ceremony by Marilisa Allegrini, owner of the Veneto-based winery of the same name, by Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Verona Fiere and organiser of Vinitaly and Vinitaly World Tour, as well as by representatives of the American Cancer Society.

Castelo Banfi rings the NASDAQ closing bell

The closing ceremony is the decisive moment in a series of events marking the presentation of a donation of 45,000$ in favour of the American Cancer Society promoted by Vinitaly, an organisation dedicated to the international promotion of Italian wines and the organisation of the world's largest wine fair.

In a brief address to traders on the floor of the largest stock market trading floor in the US, Ms Mariani-May comments: 'In Italy, wine is rarely consumed away from meals and a meal is not complete without a glass of wine. This integral part of Italian culture becomes a serious business if it is exploited as a commercial key for international trade'.

Ms. Mariani-May, thanking Vinitaly for its efforts in supporting and communicating the quality of Italian wine around the world, concluded with a toast to fellow Italian producers, including Ms. Allegrini, who "cross traditional boundaries from vineyards to communication, captivating the world with talent and quality."

Ranked number one among imported wines in America last year, Italian wine grew even during the recent economic crisis, accounting for 32.5% of the total wine imported to the market in the first half of 2010, allowing Italy to distinguish itself from its international competitors.

The first Castello Banfi photo competition ended on 10 December: Banfi DiVini Moments.

Below is a list of the lucky winners of the competition with the photo of them:

1st Prize: Nicola Esposito - 'Divine Moments and Beyond

2nd prize: Heikki Del Sarto - 'Momento DiVino'.

3rd prize: Luca Grandi - 'First olfactory analysis

4th prize: Gregorio Urzino - 'Firenze 186'.

5th prize: Liliana Rosadelli - 'A wine for grown-ups_1

6th prize: Manuela Calistri - 'photo 1- belnero'.

7th prize: Alberto Vichi - '004'.

8th prize: Isabella Cecconi - "Brunello Sommelier and Sasso Natale!!!"

Banfi DiVini Moments

We would like to remind you that the first prize consists of a stay at the splendid Castello Banfi, with an overnight stay in the prestigious Relais "Il Borgo" and a visit to the Banfi winery. The second prize, the "Banfi Toscana" package, is an elegant box containing 6 bottles of the Banfi Toscana line and typical Tuscan cuisine products. The third prize, on the other hand, is a precious box of wine service gadgets.

The fourth to eighth prize winners will receive a valuable "Style ribs', consisting of 3 bottles from the Banfi Toscana line: Centine, Centine Bianco and Centine Rosé.

A sincere thank you and our best wishes for a fantastic 2011 to all those who participated, giving us some truly stunning and original photos!

New York, 7 November 2010 - Cristina Mariani-May, owner of Castello Banfi, participated again this year in the queen of marathons, the New York marathon, on 7 November.

In an incredible coincidence, then, Cristina Mariani-May She was up against Carla Errazuriz, the fastest of the group of five marathon runners in New York representing Chile's Concha y Toro.

Castello Banfi and Concha y Toro, the two leading companies at the New York Marathon

"It is a thrilling experience to run the New York Marathon," said Cristina Mariani-May, "and it was amazing to meet some friends along the way. It was a really exciting race, where I was even able to beat my personal best by three minutes!"

The entire Concha y Toro team was already victorious before arriving at the starting line on the Ponte di Verrazzano: each of them had earned their place on the team after a competition with thirty other colleagues. The prize? A fully paid trip to New York and the honour of representing the extraordinary Chilean winery at such an important event!

Rivals on the streets of New York, Castello Banfi and Concha y Toro are on the same team when it comes to wine!

Name	Place	Gender Place	Finish Time
Cristina Mariani-May	5036	648	03:30:12

It is now official: the Poggio all'Oro 2004 won one of the most prestigious awards in the wine world, the Tre Bicchieri in the 2011 edition of the Guida Vini d'Italia published by Gambero Rosso.

Castello Banfi Poggio all'Oro 2004 won the coveted Tre Bicchieri in the 2011 edition of the Gambero Rosso guide

"A welcome return to the Three Glasses for Brunello Poggio all'Oro Riserva '04, proposed for the first time after the '99 vintage. Very elegant, it has an intense nose, with balsamic notes and blackberry and cherry jam. The tannins are smooth, the progression compelling, for a finish of great persistence."

-Gambero Rosso Wines of Italy 2011

Poggio all'Oro Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, is a rarity, produced only in excellent vintages. Before the award-winning 2004 vintage, the prestigious Riserva was only produced nine times since 1985, the first year of production.

Great success for the Centine Rosso and the CollePino, two of the most suitable wines for everyday consumption, which receive important recognition in the "Berebene Low Cost 2011" guide by Gambero Rosso, one of the most authoritative and well-established publications in the sector: a guide aimed at wine enthusiasts who, ever more attentive to the quality-price balance, do not want to renounce high quality in the selection of the best products.

Red and CollePino ribs

The CollePino received the quality-price premium while the Centine Rosso, historical house brand Banfi, receives the prestigious national quality-price awardan award given to six wines throughout Italy!

These wines, an expression of the genuine and authentic character of the Tuscan land, are produced with selected grapes from the specialised estate vineyards as well as from the most suitable areas of the region.

Products that, thanks to their character and freshness, are suitable for daily consumption without ever renouncing the style and quality standard guaranteed by Banfi.

Wine Enthusiast, one of the most influential wine magazines, awarded the Poggio all'Oro 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva with 95/100, also ranking it among the 100 best wines of the year for long ageing.

Poggio all'oro 2004 awarded by Wine Enthusiast

Castello Banfi's 2004 Riserva received particularly flattering opinions from the prestigious American magazine for its complex yet balanced structure, marked personality and extraordinary consistency.

Since 1985, the first year of production, Poggio all'Oro Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG has only been produced nine times.

Great success for the Poggio all'Oro 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCGan emblem of the best Banfi tradition, which has been awarded the 5 Grappoli in the prestigious guide published by Bibenda, Duemilavini 2011.

5 bunches for the Poggio all'Oro 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG

The exceptional Riserva from the prestigious Moltacino winery, is the fruit of one of the best harvests of recent years, which has in fact yielded a powerful and structured wine, both in terms of aromas and structure, with great ageing potential.

On 15 November at the Hotel Cavalieri Hilton in Rome, the award ceremony for the Five Bunchesevent at which the Five Kisses Chefs' Five Drops and the Restaurant of the Year award will also be presented.

Exactly one century after the production of the first vintage, the Champagne House Joseph Perrier is launching two new, highly prized vintage cuvées, a Rosé and a Blanc de Blancs.

The first vintage available will be 2002, an exceptional vintage that produced very fruity champagnes with intense and persistent aromatic notes and a very strong personality.

Joseph Perrier: two new vintage wines for the prestigious Champagne House

Great attention has been paid to the packaging, and the two new labels will be presented in a truly unique bottle, reminiscent of those used during the Victorian era. Jean-Claude Fourmon, owner of Joseph Perrier, took his cue from a bottle of the Maison dating back to the 1860s, labelled 'Ay Mousseux' - at that time, in fact, the term Champagne was not used on a regular basis.

The bottle has an absolutely exclusive style and two distinguishing features: it has a flat bottom and decorative bubbles around the base.

The Cuvée Blanc de Blancs Millésimée 2002 and the Cuvée Rosé Millésimée 2002 will be presented on 4 October in a tasting event to be held at the evocative walls of Banfi Castle.

The two new labels, available from Christmas 2010, join the pre-existing Cuvée Royale Brut Millesimée and the Josephine, which together with the Cuvées Royale Brut, Demi-Sec, Rosé and Blanc de Blancs complete the entire range of Champagne Joseph Perrier, distributed exclusively in Italy by Banfi Distribuzione.

A memorable event will be held on 15 September in the beautiful setting of Castello Banfiwhere guests will have the opportunity to taste prestigious labels signed and distributed by the well-known Montalcino winery.

The excellence of Castello Banfi... At Castello Banfi!

The tasting will be itinerant right inside the medieval walls of the Poggio alle Mura Castle with three different moments of tasting and discussion.

In fact, it will begin in the castle courtyard with a tasting of labels from the Champagne Joseph Perrier, the fine Maison distributed exclusively in Italy by Castello Banfi, paired with sushi by Hiro (Osteria di Mezzo di Buonconvento).

We will then move to the Glass and Bottle Museum, where the great wines of Palari, the famous Sicilian company that recently became part of the Banfi family, will be presented together with typical Sicilian dishes.

The evening will conclude in the magical atmosphere of the castle's inner rooms with a vertical tasting of Poggio all'Oro, the prized Brunello di Montalcino Riserva produced by Banfi from a single vineyard and only in vintages considered excellent, which will be offered in combination with typical Montalcino dishes prepared by Riccardo Cappelli, chef of the Taverna Banfi.

During the evening, in addition to the Banfi team, Jean Claude Fourmon and Salvatore Geraci, respectively owners of the prestigious Maison Joseph Perrier and the well-known Palari winery, will be present.

Castello Banfi è presente sul numero di settembre dell’edizione italiana di Traveller, la famosa rivista del gruppo Condé Nast dedicata ai viaggi.

Castello Banfi in the September issue of Traveller, Condé Nast, Italian edition

Ancora una volta, la rinomata tenuta montalcinese, famosa in tutto il mondo per i suoi vini ed in particolare per il Brunello di Montalcino, viene menzionata come una delle più esclusive cantine, dove poter assaporare in pieno la magica atmosfera della vendemmia e godere della serenità della campagna toscana, soggiornando presso l’esclusivo resort Il Borgo di Castello Banfi.