Castello Banfi Wine Resort
The Hotel, the two Restaurants, the Enoteca, the Balsameria and the Glass Museum.
Castello Banfi il Borgo is a multi-experience in a unique place immersed in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
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Castello Banfi - Il Borgo
Poggio alle Mura
- Val d’Orcia
- Florence
- Montalcino
- Montepulciano
- Monteriggioni
- Pienza
- Pisa
- Rome
- San Gimignano
- Abbey of Sant’Antimo
- Siena
Castello Banfi is a luxury hotel in Montalcino, nearby Siena in Tuscany. A wonderful venue for your wedding and your holidays.
Il Borgo
Each of the ample rooms and suites is distinctly designed and original, embellished and decorated by hand, with premium fabrics and exclusive accessories which underline the inherent elegance of Il Borgo.
La Sala dei Grappoli
Restaurant
Located in the shadow of the historical Castello Banfi, La Sala dei Grappoli welcomes you in an elegant and refined atmosphere.
La Taverna
Restaurant
A classical Tuscan restaurant in the shade of our medieval castle of Poggio alle Mura.
L'Enoteca
The Enoteca/Wine Bar recreates the atmosphere of a true Tuscan wine shop where, alongside our estate still and sparkling wines, grappa, extra virgin olive oil and Condimento Balsamico Etrusco, are available numerous local artisan food and crafts.
03 January 2023
6 Villages in Tuscany Where to Live | Castello Banfi Wine Resort
Are you dreaming of a slower life, surrounded by nature, with locally-farmed products? Then follow this guide to small dream-like Tuscan hamlets.
6 small Tuscan hamlets you could live in
Tuscany, a land filled with history and culture in every form, apart from being a coveted destination for tourists all over the world, it is also a region where you could think about moving for good to change your lifestyle.
The main appeal is that of small Tuscan hamlets, where you can enjoy life closer to nature, which can offer several career opportunities in the tourist, farming, and wine & food sectors.
If you are wondering where to move to Tuscany to change your lifestyle, here are five small Tuscan hamlets to live in.
Brento Sanico
Brento Sanico is a tiny Tuscan hamlet, in the heart of the Upper Mugello mountains, in a partially-hidden valley; it is a unique chance to move to Tuscany, leaving the chaotic city life behind, to pursue farming or animal husbandry, for instance.
This hamlet, abandoned in the 1960s, is the focus of an important redevelopment and repopulation project. The houses will be renovated using the beautiful local sandstone and loaned for free use.
Sovana
Sovana, part of the Municipality of Sorano in the Grosseto province, is one of the most enchanting small Tuscan hamlets to live in if you love art and culture. It was already inhabited in Etruscan times, and it soon became an important Medieval hamlet.
Evidence of its ancient past is visible everywhere inside the town, among the numerous religious and military buildings, such as the Rocca Aldobrandesca or the archaeological area nearby.
The town has a few hundred residents and is well-connected to the other towns in Maremma.
Bagno Vignoni
Bagno Vignoni too has very ancient origins. The Romans favored it, over the other towns in Val d’Orcia, for the presence of thermal baths of volcanic origins, and even Lorenzo De’ Medici visited it.
San Gimignano
Surely bigger and more famous than the others in this list, San Gimignano is known as the “city of towers” and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Moving to Tuscany and deciding to live in San Gimignano offers the chance to enjoy all the perks of a small hamlet without giving up other services and infrastructures. Moreover, this Tuscan hamlet offers several career opportunities in the tourist and wine-making sector.
Montepulciano
Equally famous for its wine, for its thermal waters, and for its typically Medieval aspect, Montepulciano is one of the most enchanting places to live in Tuscany. The town, which houses almost 15,000 residents, is right on the border with the Umbria region and is surrounded by green areas, perfect for families who love trekking and hiking.
Poggio alle Mura
Among the most characteristic Medieval places in Tuscany, there is also Poggio alle Mura, in the Municipality of Montalcino, a short distance away from the Grosseto province.
Castello Banfi di Poggio alle Mura, one of the best wine resorts near Montalcino, is located here. Although it is not possible to live in Poggio alle Mura, moving near here, such as to Montalcino, for instance, will give you a chance to start a life in contact with nature, with many career opportunities in the wine sector.
Wine lovers will also have the chance to visit Enoteca Banfi, an enchanting Tuscan emporium of yesteryear, where they can find some of the most popular labels by Banfi and local producers. Moreover, Castello Banfi houses the Ristorante La Sala dei Grappoli and La Taverna, perfect places for those who love the taste of tradition.
01 January 2023
How to open a wine shop? | Castello Banfi Wine Resort
From wine to the location atmosphere, here is how Castello Banfi Wine Resort opened its wine bar and a few tips to open your own one.
How do you open a successful wine shop?
In the last years wine bars, and winery tours in Italy are growing fast. And many people are wondering what it takes to open a successful wine shop. This short guide on how to open a wine shop will answer all the most frequently asked questions on this topic.
Difference between a wine cellar and a wine shop
First of all, we should make a distinction between a wine cellar and a wine bar, which are often incorrectly used as synonyms:
● A wine cellar is a place to store wine, such as the cellars of restaurants;
● The wine bar (or wine shop), on the other hand, provides the sale of wine and the administration of food pairings; therefore, it better represents the concept of a wine shop.
What does it take to open a wine shop?
Just like any other business, you need a business plan. It should include several analyses, such as:
● A cost estimate required to open your shop;
● A target analysis, considering the kind of customers you wish to target with your business;
● The location interior design;
● The business’ medium and long-term objectives.
How can I get a wine license?
If you want to open a wine bar or a wine cellar, it is best to get a diploma from a hospitality training institute or have at least two years of experience in the restaurant sector before opening your store and having attended a sommelier class.
Moreover, Italian regions frequently offer SAB (Food and Beverage Service) classes, which train and qualify to open a store where food and beverages are sold. Furthermore, you need the HACCP certificate for the hygienic and safety standards required to serve food and beverages to the public.
And, of course, a license to sell alcoholic beverages. So, how can I get a wine license? You just need to submit the relevant request to the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, even via registered letter. Lastly, the following documents are required to open a wine cellar or a wine bar:
● Segnalazione Certificata di Inizio Attività (SCIA) for business activities;
● VAT number;
● Relevant ATECO code.
How much does it cost to open a wine shop?
Documents, permits, and licenses are the first items to add to the budget required to open a wine cellar; then, you should add the rental fees or purchase of the venue, furniture, wine supply, and staff costs.
On average, the initial cost to open a wine cellar is around 30,000 euros, plus the wine.
Enoteca Banfi - A success story
In order to better understand what you need to open a wine shop, we advise you to take some successful businesses on our territory as an example, such as Enoteca Banfi, located in the heart of the land of Brunello, at Castello Banfi Wine Resort, just 20 km from Montalcino.
The first thing that strikes visitors upon entering this wine cellar is its atmosphere. The furniture is made with fine materials and ancient pieces so as to recreate a Tuscan emporium from yesteryear. Walking into Enoteca Banfi is not just a purchasing experience but also a discovery of the places and traditions related to wine-making.
This wine cellar has a wide range of products for sale: spumante, grappa, extra virgin olive oil, and many other local gourmet products, as well as a careful selection of Banfi wines, renowned and appreciated throughout the world for their quality and taste.
Lastly, Enoteca Banfi holds tasting experiences for its guests with local products (cheese, cold cuts, etc.) paired with different wines and a visit to the fascinating Banfi winery. These tours include a walk through the vineyards, where you can admire multiple grape varieties cultivated in the Banfi estate and a classy, rustic, yet modern environment in the winery.
Care for the customer and the finest products for sale are the other essential thing to keep in mind, to open a successful wine shop.
01 January 2023
How to recycle wooden wine boxes: 5 ideas | Castello Banfi Wine Resort
They can become shelves, storage compartments, or pet accessories - 5 tips to recycle wooden wine boxes.
5 ideas to recycle wine boxes
Wooden wine boxes - especially those from fine bottles - make the product more valuable. Indeed, they are often hand-made with fine wood.
The nicest ones are sometimes stored along with the bottles or displayed in the wine cellar or living room as designer accessories. Alternatively, they can be recycled into entirely new objects. To this end, there are many different ideas on how to recycle wooden wine boxes.
Since they are rectangular objects with a very versatile shape, and long-lasting, durable material, wine boxes can be reused in many different places in your home. Here are five ideas on how to recycle wooden wine boxes.
Spice or tea holders
If you are wondering how to recycle wooden wine boxes, the easiest solution is to give them a new life, without making any substantial changes, just by changing their content and using them to store spices or tea bags. You can choose to leave them as is or to embellish them with the decoupage technique for a fascinating vintage effect.
Single wine bottle boxes are perfect for teabags. The size of a single wooden wine bottle box makes it ideal to be reused to hold most of the teabags available on the market.
Or, if you want to use it as a spice holder, you can use the box as is or hang it on the wall securely fastened, and then arrange all the spice jars inside, so you can easily reach them when you are cooking. Adding a few aromatic plants between the spice jars, along with the rustic-chic effect of wooden boxes, make this wine box reuse idea truly classy and very simple to achieve.
Bookcase
Another very easy idea to recycle your wooden wine boxes is to use them as shelves to hang on walls or to create actual bookcases using the wine boxes as shelving. Thanks to boxes versatility, you can create endless combinations, alternating empty and full spaces with captivating layouts, or by placing the boxes one on top of the other for a more classic design. This kind of bookcase is perfect for a rustic or shabby-chic environment.
Lamp
This idea to reuse wine boxes requires some handiwork for a one-of-a-kind, sophisticated, and classy result, which can be placed in any room of your home to recreate a relaxing atmosphere. Here is how to turn a wine box into a decorative lamp.
One of the easiest way is to use the box without the lid and turn it into a light box by gluing a small LED strip light inside it, a few inches from the edge. Then, you can add a shiny or matte Plexiglas sheet in place of the lid, which can be further decorated with writings or stylized images.
Another method is to cut out a shape (perhaps a wine bottle or glass) using the right tools, then add a lamp inside the box and cut a hole on the back for the cable to pass through.
Glass holder
A classy idea for true connoisseurs is to turn wine boxes into wine cellar decorations, such as glass storage shelves.
Wine glasses should be stored upside down to prevent dust from collecting inside them. Also, to prevent the rims from chipping, they should be raised from the shelf. To achieve this purpose, you can fit a glass holder inside the box on one of the longer sides. The majority of these glass racks can be fitted on wooden elements, such as shelves or recycled wine boxes.
A solution with hanging glasses reusing wooden wine boxes is elegant, sophisticated, practical, and functional for their perfect conservation.
Pet kennel
A unique idea to recycle wooden wine boxes is to turn them into comfortable pet kennels for cats or small dogs. Larger wine boxes that house two or three bottles are perfect for this purpose.
You can upholster the bottom with a padded cushion to make it even more comfortable for your furry friends. You can even make a multi-level kennel by fitting wooden blocks to raise and support another box/kennel on the four upper boxes of the first box.
06 December 2022
Condimento Balsamico Etrusco | Castello Banfi Wine Resort
Condimento Balsamico Etrusco: history, production, characteristics and trivia about Banfi-made balsamic vinegar.
Condimento Balsamico Etrusco: characteristics and production
Staying at Castello Banfi Wine Resort, in the romantic hamlet of Poggio alle Mura, will be an unforgettable experience to the discovery of the beauty and history of the Tuscan territory, filled with priceless art treasures, evocative views, and unforgettable flavors. Among these, the Condimento Balsamico Etrusco - a fine nectar similar to balsamic vinegar - stands out for its uniqueness, perfect for enhancing the finest Italian dishes.
In our Balsameria, located in the Poggio alle Mura Castle, we passionately and carefully produce the Condimento Balsamico Etrusco, using fine grapes cultivated on our territory and following ancient Etruscan methods.
How the Condimento Balsamico Etrusco is produced
The production technique for the Etruscan balsamic condiment is long and complex, with a maturation that reaches 12 years. The result is a balsamic vinegar with a complex, spicy scent and unique flavor, with the perfect sweet and sour balance.
Traditional Montalcino white grapes (Moscadello and Trebbiano) are harvested late and then pressed to obtain the must. The must is filtered and then cooked. In this way, a thick, dark must is obtained, with a higher percentage of sugar. Once it cools down, the cooked must is then placed in wooden barrels for variable periods, between 4 and 8 months. During this time, the aging process begins.
The traditional balsamic vinegar production process, partially followed also to make the Banfi’s Condimento Balsamico Etrusco, entails the preparation of a “batteria”, that is, a set of small barrels made of different woods of decreasing size (from 60 to 25 liters).
The barrel material varies and is the main item responsible for the varied aromatic bouquet of the Etruscan balsamic condiment: oak, chestnut, cherry, ash, and mulberry release their aromas and help make the olfactory complexity of this peculiar condiment richer.
Only three liters of condiment are gradually decanted from bigger to smaller barrels, with different dwell times. The entire aging process lasts approximately 12 years for a simply unique balsamic condiment.
Characteristics of the Condimento Balsamico Etrusco
The Condimento Balsamico Etrusco has a vivid and shiny dark brown color with an intense viscosity. Its scent is spicy and inebriating, with pleasantly balanced acidity. Its unique and complex scent is the result of its aging process in fine wood barrels and also of the quality of late-maturing grapes typical of the Montalcino territory.
Its flavor is also unmistakable, with an expert mix of sweet-and-sour and a full, rich taste.
The Balsameria: where the Condimento Balsamico Etrusco is made
The sophisticated Condimento Balsamico Etrusco signed by Banfi production is done in Castello Banfi’s Balsameria, a place of times gone, which you can visit if you choose to stay at Castello Banfi Wine Resort.
Castello Banfi’s ancient warehouses, located underneath the building’s north wing, have been transformed into this condiment’s production place, due to their climatic features. They look like miniature cellar, where barrels of different sizes and the materials used to age the must are displayed.
A linen cloth with a metal chain is placed on each barrel, arranged in orderly rows between the red brick columns. Tradition has it that this cloth prevents dust and insects from contaminating the product.
Visiting our Balsameria is not just a gourmet experience; it is also an enchanting dive into Montalcino’s traditions, which, such as the Condimento Balsamico Etrusco dates back to Etruscan times.
01 December 2022
Wine disgorging: what is it and what is it for? | Castello Banfi Wine Resort
The disgorging process allows the removal of sediment. Find out how it is performed and at what stage of wine production it takes place.
What is wine disgorgement and how it is performed
The disgorging of wine represents a fundamental step in the production of classic method sparkling wines, and in Banfi's case, our bubbles are produced according to this process in the Banfi Piemonte winery located in Strevi, in the province of Alessandria.
In addition to our open visit winery nestled among the Montalcino vineyards at the enchanting and evocative Castello Banfi Wine Resort estate, the Banfi winery also features another equally historic winery with an adjoining 50 hectares (46 of which are vineyards) in Piedmont. Here we produce quality sparkling wines, such as classic method and Charmat wines.
At what stage of the production is the disgorgement of sparkling wine performed?
Wine disgorgement is a process that involves the removal of fermentation residue from classic method sparkling wine bottles.
Classic method sparkling wines undergo a second fermentation in the bottle: the base wine cuvée, made with fine wines from the region (Piedmont in the case of Banfi Piemonte) is enriched with a liqueur de tirage, a mixture of sugars, minerals and yeasts that can trigger the re-fermentation of the wine and the so-called “presa di spuma” or fermentation in the bottle. This process results in the formation of residues and spent yeast, which compromise the crystalline clarity that characterizes Italian sparkling wines.
For this reason, the bottles are turned upside down and, through the complex process of remuage, manual or mechanical, the residues are trapped toward the neck of the bottle, inside the bidule located under the crown cap.
It is at this stage that the wine is disgorged, that is, the crown cork with residue is removed and the new characteristic cork that distinguishes classic method sparkling wines is applied.
Wine disgorgement: meaning and origin of the name
The word "disgorging" by which the entire process of removing residue refers is the actual act of uncorking the bottle. The French word "dégorgement" is equally used in Italy to refer to this procedure (given the profound influence of French wine culture in the production of classic method sparkling wines) and it can be translated literally as "discharge" and it refers to the removal of residues. The two terms are used as synonyms.
Dégorgement: differences between manual and mechanical procedure
Within the intricate and complex production process, the disgorging of sparkling wine holds an important role, as it ensures the presentation of a crystal-clear sparkling wine with bright perlage and characteristic bubbles. In the past, this operation was performed by hand, even within the Banfi Piemonte winery, by experts in manual remuage and dégorgement à la volée, through skillful and accurate procedures that were the result of years of experience in this field.
Dégorgement à la volée: the traditional procedure
Dégorgement à la volée, or classic method disgorgement by hand, involves uncorking the bottle upside down by hand, taking advantage of the pressure created inside it during refermentation and thus eliminating the residue inside the cork and bidule. It is then quickly straightened so as to reduce the spillage of the sparkling wine.
At this stage, it is possible to make up for the loss of liquid through a topping-up procedure with liquer d'expedition or liquer de dosage, a sugary mixture that embellishes classic method sparkling wines and helps enrich the sensory experience.
The difficulty of dégorgement à la volée made it essential to invent a mechanized procedure that would minimize or completely eliminate wine spillage. However, for fine formats or more special cuvées, we still use this manual technique, which we might call a true art, under the exclusive skills of expert master vintners, such as those at Banfi.
Dégorgement a la glace: the modern procedure
The mechanized procedure of disgorging wine or sparkling wine is called dégorgement a la glace. Bottles undergoing remuage are pre-washed from the pupitres (the special wooden boards on which they are placed with the neck facing down) and placed in special machines that freeze the bottle neck and crown cap thanks to a special salt compound that can bring the liquid and sediment to a temperature between -25°C and -30°C.
The machines thus proceed to turn the bottles upside down, which will end up with their necks facing upward: unlike in manual dégorgement, with the dégorgement a la glace the spent yeast and other residues trapped in the bidule will be frozen, without the risk of them falling into the bottle and clouding the wine again.
It is then possible to safely remove the frozen cork (the actual disgorgement of the classic method sparkling wine), refill the wine if necessary, and place the cork with its metal cage.
Dégorgement a la glace is, as mentioned earlier, the wine disgorgement procedure most commonly used by producers. However, watching a master vintner perform manual dégorgement is a true show, an experience not to be missed if you love wine and its production according to ancient traditions.
