Banfi’s latest acquisition and the new Montalcino record

Comparing the great Italian wine territories and cycling, one could say that for fascination and prestige, Montalcino and Brunello are the Mortirolo or Zoncolan climbs. And Castello Banfi, already out in front, increases its lead in the hectares under vines classification. According to Wine News rumours, the areas’s leading winery has just purchased 14 hectares, 2 of which are registered to Brunello di Montalcino, and a half to IGT Toscana, as well as the lovely villa overlooking the Maremma, Monte Amiata and the 14th century Castello di Poggio alle Mura, already the property of Castello Banfi. This acquisition takes the Brunello di Montalcino hectares owned to 173.2 (of the over 900 under vines in the area), and outdistances the runner-up, “Castelgiocondo”, the Marchesi Frescobaldi’s estate, among the oldest in the area, which counts 166 hectares registered to Brunello. However, in the “team classification”, to continue the cycling analogy, the Frescobaldis, are first for Brunello hectares (179 in total) by virtue of the 13 hectares of Tenuta Luce, where Luce della Vite wines originate.

The business deal signed by Castello Banfi once again confirms the liveliness of Montalcino from an investment point of view. In 2016, a hectare of Brunello vineyard fluctuated around 350,000 euro, in 2017 it went up to 500,000 euro and now, according to the latest estimates, it has risen to 650-700,000 euro, with prices touching 850-900,000 euro. Since 1966, the year DOC designation was assigned (when a hectare of land under vines was worth 1.8 million lire, equal to 15,537.15 euro), to today, there has been an 4.450% increase in value. A significant record that takes Montalcino vineyards to sit on the Olympus of the most prestigious in the world.    These values underscore a remarkable growth rate, confirming the role of primary greatness which Brunello has achieved in a relatively short space of time, not only on the Italian but also the international wine scene.