Less than 3 hours from Rome, stands the Poggio alle Mura Castle, a historic fort with about 3,000 hectares of vineyards.
Banfi, known the world over for their Brunello, was founded in 1978 through the efforts of Italian-American brothers John and Harry Mariani. With the foundation of Castello Banfi, in the south of Montalcino, an ambitious project is being built that integrates quality wine production, ties to the earth and a cellar that is always projected towards the future.
Today, about a third of the estate is cultivated with vineyards specialised in Sangiovese grapes and produces inimitable reds, while the rest is occupied by forests, olive trees, plums and other crops. But besides the love of good wine, the name Banfi has always been linked to the word hospitality. Consequently in 2007, after a long and meticulous restoration, the beautiful and majestic fortress of Poggio alle Mura has become an exclusive place to stay for lovers of wine and gastronomic excellence, of nature and relaxation.
The large wine cellar, which can be visited thanks to guided tours organised for the guests, accommodates over 7,000 barrels that, set in ordered rows, rest in deep silence. The wines that mature here are the same as those accompanying dishes of local cuisine, dishes offered in the two restaurants of the Castle: La Taverna, located under the vaults of the old cellars, open for lunch and offering a more traditional menu, whilst La Sala dei Grappoli welcomes the visitor to a refined setting, suitable for dinner.
Try the Enoteca Banfi, where you seem to be in a real Tuscan shop and where you can also taste sparkling wines, grappa, extra virgin olive oil and the priceless Salsa Etrusca produced in the appealing Balsameria.
In this unique setting is housed the Museum of Wine and Glass, which hosts one of the largest private collections of antique glass, including finds dating back to the Etruscan and Roman-imperial period, found in the Castle area.