The town of Montalcino has an illustrious past that goes back to the Renaissance power struggle between Florence and Siena. But while Castello Banfi may sound like a name from Tuscany’s dramatic past, in fact the wine estate as we know it was only created in the late 1970s — and by American wine merchant John Mariani and his brother Harry. (Their import company, Banfi Vintners, was named after a relative.)

The Mariani family is one of the largest landholders in Montalcino, with holdings comprising a cluster of individual vineyards. The 11th-century castle, purchased later, makes a nice centerpiece. Working with their oenologist, Ezio Rivella, they identified 100 different strains of the Brunello grape, then did extensive experiments to narrow the chosen group to six, which were used to replant the Banfi vineyards.

This is a gorgeous wine that exemplifies what Brunello is all about: bright and tangy with lush, rich texture and deep, long fruit.

BUYER’S GUIDE

PODERI COLLA 1996 DARDI LE ROSE BAROLO, BUSSIA, $47
Huge and Intense
Pair with Piedmontese beef

CERETTO BRICCO ASILI 1998 BARBARESCO, $89
Ract and Elegant
Perfect with pork dishes

CASTELLO BANFI 1996 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO, $54
Lush and Deep
A knockout with lamb