I republish an editorial I wrote in the Gambero Rosso almost two decades ago. I do this by remembering Cavalier Ezio Rivella, my friend Ezio, who left us a few weeks ago.
At the time I was harshly criticized for this piece: Long live Banfi and long live Ezio Rivella. Now perhaps time has made us realize many things, including the fact that if at Montalcino bottlers never got in and the price of Brunello was never subject to downward speculation, protecting farm and winery income, this was also, I would say mostly, thanks to the Banfi and the foresight of Ezio Rivella, a straightforward person devoid of hypocrisy, who told it like it was and acted accordingly.
The editorial from 20 years ago: Long live Banfi and long live Ezio Rivella
I could also have titled this editorial viva Antinori, or viva Ruffino, or viva Ferrari, or, again, viva Caprai. Long live, that is, all those companies that have contributed decisively, intelligently and professionally to the affirmations of quality Italian wine. Both in the domestic market and in the rest of the world. Banfi Castle is one of the most significant examples of this, including how things turned out.
It was the late 1970s when two prominent American businessmen, but of obvious Italian descent, John and Harry Mariani, decided to invest big money in building a large winery in Italy. They hired Ezio Rivella, an already famous winemaker and wine manager “in nuce,” and entrusted him with the difficult but prestigious task. He identified Montalcino as the most interesting area.
Montalcino in the 1970s
It was a very different Montalcino from today’s. Few producers, perhaps less than thirty, Brunello was a simple Doc, not very well known, but already with some prestige. It had had a small boom at the end of the previous decade, but beyond Biondi Santi, Barbi, Col d’Orcia, Poggione, the newly born Altesino, Caparzo, Nardi and Lisini, the small winemakers Cencioni and Baricci, Count Costanti, Camigliano and Poggio alle Mura there was really little else.
When Rivella began hoarding smallholdings and purchased the entire Poggio alle Mura estate, including the castle, people began to cry scandal. “Amerikans” buying half of Montalcino, worse than McDonald’s in the Spanish Steps.
Then began the work of land clearing of entire hillsides, which continued for years and earned Ezio Rivella the nickname “Livella“. Finally, from 82 or so, here are the first wines. Initially, and mistakenly, made up of products that winked at a somewhat overdone commercial image, with the various Bellagio, Muscat-based, and other amenities. However, quickly replace with far more serious wines, supported by highly effective international marketing.
The international launch of Brunello
The Marians had been the architects of the Lambrusco boom in the U.S., with the Riunite of Reggio Emilia; thus, for their organization to launch a large Tuscan red was less difficult than expected. And from there, with over 900 hectares in production, with many hundreds of thousands of bottles of Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino, it really began that phenomenon that later led Brunello to be one of the most well-known and appreciated Italian wines in the world.
Now the new generation of Marians, James and Cristina, more Enrico Viglierchio, niece of Giuseppina who was Banfi’s historic sales director and inherited the role from her aunt, and Rodolfo Maralli, they continue safely on their way, and no one would ever again dream of saying in Montalcino that Banfi has been a detriment to the image of Brunello.”
From our archives, learning more about Banfi:
