History of Italian wine and of families: Castello Banfi and Santa Margherita at the top in Meininger

The history of Italian wine is made, in large part, by the history of great families who have made great their wineries, their brands, and the territories in which they invested. Stories such as those of the Mariani family, who with Castello Banfi, the reference winery in Montalcino, have contributed decisively to making Brunello di Montalcino one of the most famous and beloved Italian wines in the world, or that of the Marzotto family, who, with the Venetian Santa Margherita, led by Ettore Nicoletto, has created one of the most important realities of Italian wine in the world, transforming the Italian Pinot Grigio into an international phenomenon, but also enhancing the value of many other leading realities in many areas of Italy, from Ca’ del Bosco in Franciacorta to Kettmeir in South Tyrol, Lamole di Lamole in Chianti Classico, to name a few, without forgetting recent investments in territories such as Lugana and Sardinia.
Two stories awarded in Dusseldorf, on the eve of ProWein, by the prestigious Excellence in Wine & Spirits Awards of the magazine Meininger (with the official Trentodoc toast), the most important German wine magazine (second Italian wine market), which in 2017 had already awarded two other stories of Made in Italy, that of the historic Frescobaldi family, and that of the Nonino family, at the head of the famous distillery in Friuli.
Two other important awards for Italian wine, that of “Wine Family of the Year” for the Italian-American family Mariani, and the “Lifetime Achievement” for Gaetano Marzotto, with Santa Margherita, which give luster to the Belpaese wine in a market , the German one, strategic for the Italian wineries, and where the tricolor wine needs a new impulse to increase again.
“Thanks to the Meininger family, this award is a great honor - commented Cristina Mariani - being a family is a beautiful thing in the world of wine, as is the Sorrentino family (at the helm of Brand Compendium and Ges Sorrentino, one of the leading importers of Italian wine in Germany,) with whom we have worked for years. I live in New York but I spend a lot of time in Montalcino, and it is an award that we share here at ProWein with all those who work for Castello Banfi and make it the beautiful reality it is”.
“It is a great satisfaction - added Gaetano Marzotto - family businesses require love and passion, working in the wine world means investing in the future, in the land, in the vineyard, and people”.
Francois Schenk was also awarded the “International Wine Entrepreneur of the Year” prize, at the head of the Schenk group, one of the largest European wine companies, which boasts wineries in Switzerland, Italy (with, among others, Lunadoro in the territory of Nobile di Montepulciano, and Bacio Della Luna in Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Docg, France and Spain and a sales network in Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom, with over 3,500 hectares of vineyards owned.