Winemaker Notes
Perfect with bean soups, grilled meat and aged cheese.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Saturated with black currant and blackberry flavors, this red also reveals bell pepper, eucalyptus, iron and tobacco notes. Dense tannins hold court on the finish, while the fruit, savory and mineral elements linger. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah. Best after 2024.
-
James Suckling
A medium-bodied red, offering blackcurrants and crushed stones with some cassis-bush and mint undertones. Creamy and firm, with a bright, racy finish. Drink or hold.
-
Decanter
Castello Banfi is the legacy arm of Banfi Vintners, a family-owned wine import business founded in 1919. At the time, it was the largest importer of Italian wine to the US. The Magna Cum Laude is brimming with dark brambly black fruit and herbaceous notes. The palate showcases complexity from primary flavors of black cherries and plum to tertiary flavors of cedar and tobacco.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.