Castello Banfi was founded in Tuscany in 1978 by Italian-American brothers John and Harry Mariani. It had its origins in their father's business, Banfi Vintners, which was founded in 1919 and was America's leading Italian wine importer at the time. Today, Castello Banfi has vineyards throughout the northwest coast of Italy, from Piedmont, to Chianti Classico, Bolgheri and Montalcino. The estate encompasses 2870 hectares (7100 acres) of land, with about a third under vine. Banfi produces wines from international grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, as well as indigenous Italian grapes such as Sangiovese, Vermentino and Dolcetto. The majority of these wines see some time aging in oak – anywhere from a few months to 30 months for the estate's Brunello de Montalcino. The portfolio of Castello Banfi is broad, covering slighty effervescent Cortese de Gavi from Piedmont, to muscular and bold Super Tuscans made from Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blends in Montalcino.
