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2017 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

May 19, 2024 - $46

Estimate

RATINGS

93James Suckling

Really fresh and vivid with sliced lemon and apple heading into cherry and floral undertones. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and a vivid and bright finish.

92The Wine Advocate

...elegant and bright throughout with plenty of primary fruit, cherry and dried raspberry. It shows a clean, linear style with rosemary, blue flower and some green olive or wild fennel.

92Wine Spectator

This red is defined by the strawberry, cherry and floral aromas and flavors, graced by notes of tar, tobacco, eucalyptus and wild herbs. Firm and unforgiving on the finish for now, yet stays persistent and lively through the long aftertaste.

92Wine Enthusiast

...aromas of scorched earth, forest floor and mature berries mingle with a eucalyptus note. The full-bodied palate features cherry marinated in spirits, prune, roasted coffee bean and licorice framed in close-grained tannins.

16Jancis Robinson

Deep cherry-liqueur nose with hints of cinnamon bark. Round, sweet fruit but with acidity creeping out on the finish. Ripe and a little rich... Hints of gingerbread on the finish betrays very ripe fruit

PRODUCER

Castello Banfi

Castello Banfi is the flagship estate of Banfi Vintners, which is owned and operated by the Mariani family of New York. The privately-held Banfi Vintners was founded by John Mariani Sr. in New York in 1919 when he started importing European wines to the U.S. Today Banfi Vintners is run by his grandchildren and the enterprise includes a large portfolio of wine estates in Europe and elsewhere. Castello Banfi owns 7,000 acres, 2,000 of which are planted to grape vines. The estate also grows olives, wheat, truffles and plums. Castello Banfi makes many wines, but is known especially for its Brunello di Montalcino and Sangiovese. It also makes several Super Tuscans including its Summus and Excelsus Cabernet Sauvignon blends.

REGION

Italy, Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino is regarded as one of Italy’s best appellations. Located in south central Tuscany below Chianti, the wines of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG are made of a Sangiovese clone called “brunello,” which means “little dark one,” a reference to the brown tones in the skin of the grape. Unlike some Tuscan appellations that allow other grapes to be blended with Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is entirely Sangiovese. Montalcino itself is a picturesque, hill-top town not especially well known for wine production until the mid-19th century, when a local vineyard owner isolated the brunello clone and planted it. Other growers followed suit. Nevertheless it wasn’t until 1970s that wine enthusiasts started paying attention to Brunello di Montalcino, which by then was becoming an outstanding wine. Today there are 120 estates in the DOCG, up from about 25 estates in 1975. Brunellos in general are bigger, darker, more tannic and more powerful wines than Chiantis or most other Sangioveses. By law they must be aged for four years, and two of those years must be in wooden barrels.