Piedmont's Vini Banfi Changes Its Name

Jacob Gaffney
Posted: November 4, 2000

Italian wine lovers no longer have to worry about confusing Vini Banfi's Piedmont wines with the Tuscan bottlings of its sister winery, Castello Banfi, in Montalcino. Strevi-based Vini Banfi has been renamed Vigne Regale, "royal vines."

Both wineries are owned by the Mariani family, which founded Castello Banfi in 1978 and purchased the 19th century Bruzzone winery, renaming it Vini Banfi, in 1979.

"It is becoming increasingly important to both the consumer and the trade that the Banfi name be synonymous with our Tuscan wines," said family proprietor Cristina Mariani. "This change helps make that distinction."

According to Mariani, the brand names on the wine labels will essentially remain the same, though the producer's name will be changed to Vigne Regali. The Piedmont winery's Banfi Brut Metodo Tradizionale Classico and Banfi Brachetto d'Acqui will continue to carry the Banfi name.

Check out recent ratings of Castello Banfi and Vini Banfi wines.