Tuscany

Tuscany is not one place. It is a collection of microclimates, soil types, and ancient hillside villages — each producing wines that bear almost no resemblance to their neighbours despite sharing the same regional name.

The defining geography is the Apennine spine running north to south, which shields the interior from Atlantic weather while the Tyrrhenian coast moderates temperatures in the west. The result is a region of dramatic contrasts: the cool, fog-prone valleys of Chianti Classico in the north; the sun-baked, mineral-rich soils of Montalcino in the south; and the warm, maritime-influenced coastal strip of Bolgheri, where the sea breeze arrives each afternoon like a reset.

The soils are the story. Galestro — the crumbling, schist-like limestone that dominates the Chianti hills — drains perfectly and stresses the vine into concentration. In Montalcino, the soils shift to clay-rich tufa and volcanic deposits, producing wines of extraordinary structure and longevity. Bolgheri's alluvial coastal soils, by contrast, yield wines of plush, immediate fruit — a different Tuscany entirely.

The defining moment came in 1888, when Bettino Ricasoli codified the Chianti blend, anchoring Sangiovese as the region's soul. A century later, the Super Tuscans — wines made outside the DOC rules, blending Sangiovese with Cabernet and Merlot — rewrote the global conversation about Italian wine entirely.

The world had a new contender — and it grew in a landscape that had been making wine since the Etruscans.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
Sits in the southern Tuscan hills at 250–600 metres elevation, centred on the medieval town of Montalcino. The soils are a complex mix of clay, limestone, and volcanic tufa — each slope producing a subtly different expression. Brunello is 100% Sangiovese Grosso, aged a minimum of five years before release, producing wines of extraordinary tannic structure, dried cherry, tobacco, and iron-mineral depth. Banfi's Poggio all'Oro Riserva is the clearest expression of Montalcino's ceiling in our selection.

Bolgheri DOC
A coastal denomination on Tuscany's western shore, where the influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea moderates what would otherwise be extreme heat. The soils are alluvial and sandy — very different from the clay-limestone of the interior — producing wines of plush, ripe fruit with a saline coastal freshness. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah dominate here. Banfi's Deinos Bolgheri Rosso Superiore is our anchor bottle for this zone.

Chianti Classico DOCG
The historic heartland between Florence and Siena, planted on galestro and alberese soils at 250–600 metres. Sangiovese is the backbone — bright acidity, firm tannins, sour cherry, and dried herbs — with the Riserva tier requiring 27 months of ageing. Chianti Classico is the most food-versatile wine in Tuscany. Banfi's Chianti Classico Riserva is the benchmark in our range.

Super Tuscans (IGT Toscana)
A category born from rebellion. In the 1970s and 1980s, producers began blending Sangiovese with international varieties outside the DOC rules. The wines were extraordinary, and the category redefined Italian fine wine globally. Banfi's Summus (Sangiovese, Cabernet, Syrah) and Cum Laude (Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese) are the two Super Tuscans in our selection — both from the Montalcino estate.

2018 — The Cellar Vintage
A cooler, later-ripening year that produced wines of exceptional freshness and longevity. Tannins are firm and precise; the fruit is restrained but persistent. Banfi's Summus 2018 and Poggio all'Oro 2018 are the standout bottles from this vintage in our selection. Cellar 5–10 more years for full expression.

2019 — The Benchmark
A near-perfect growing season across Tuscany: warm days, cool nights, and a dry harvest window. Brunello 2019 is already being called one of the finest vintages of the century — concentrated, structured, and built for decades. Drink from 2026 through 2040+.

2021 — The Elegant Year
Cooler than 2022, with higher natural acidity and more restrained fruit. The Cum Laude 2021 shows the most precision of the recent releases — structured, fresh, and rewarding with 2–3 years of patience.

2022 — The Generous Year
A warm, dry season that produced wines of immediate appeal — ripe, plush, and approachable earlier than most Tuscan vintages. Ideal for the Chianti, Cum Laude, and Bolgheri expressions. Drink now through 2030.

2024 — The White Vintage
An exceptional year for Pinot Grigio in Tuscany — cool nights preserved acidity while warm days built texture. Banfi's Le Rime 2024 is the freshest, most precise expression of the vintage in our selection.

Ezio Rivella & the Banfi Legacy — Castello Banfi
When the Mariani family founded Castello Banfi in Montalcino in 1978, they brought American capital and Italian soul — and hired Ezio Rivella to build one of the most technically advanced estates in Italy. Banfi's investment in clonal research, soil mapping, and cellar technology helped elevate the entire denomination. Today the estate produces wines across the full spectrum of Tuscan expression — from entry-level Chianti to the Poggio all'Oro Riserva, one of the most age-worthy Brunellos in production.

Rudy Buratti — Castello Banfi, Head Winemaker
Buratti has led Banfi's winemaking since the 2000s, refining the estate's approach toward greater elegance and site expression. His philosophy centres on minimal intervention in the cellar — allowing the galestro and tufa soils of Montalcino to speak through the wine rather than masking them with oak. The Poggio Alle Mura Brunello is his most precise statement: a wine of iron-mineral depth, dried cherry, and extraordinary persistence.

The Mariani Family — Owners, Castello Banfi
John and Harry Mariani purchased the Poggio alle Mura estate in 1978 with a vision to produce world-class Brunello and to modernise Montalcino's winemaking infrastructure. Their investment — including a full clonal selection programme for Sangiovese Grosso — is credited with helping define the modern Brunello style. The family remains hands-on owners, with the estate now managed by the second generation.