Belnero 2007
The 2007 Castello Banfi BelnerO deserves a long life. The supple, sangiovese-based red delivers a taste of Tuscany.
Peter M. Gianotti - Newsday - June, 2010
Belnero 2005
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Deep Violet color; aromas and flavors of black raspberries and Mocha; intense fruit, bright acids, soft tannins, medium body, long finish.
Fred Tasker - The Miami Herald - February, 2009
Yesterday,
I had the privilege of tasting BelnerO 2005, the new wine from famed
Tuscan producer Castello Banfi, at a lunch at the Sub-Zero showroom in
Manhattan that was hosted by Christina Mariani-May, Co-CEO of Banfi. It
was a wonderful way to showcase the wine, as those of us in attendance
were able to both sample it on its own and enjoy it alongside food that had been specifically prepared to pair well with it...
The
wine itself is the result of extensive research into both Sangiovese
(which is the dominant grape variety in the wine, spruced up with a
touch of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and the terroir
of the Castello Banfi estate. The result of all that labor--beautifully
documented in Banfi's new book, "The Pursuit of Excellence"--is a wine
that has both the potential to age as well as the ability to enhance a
meal right now.
On the nose, I found aromas of leather and
cherry, along with a solid note of cracked black pepper. The wine's
presence on the palate, though, is what really won me over, its silky
tannins and perfectly calibrated acid framing the darker cherries,
cedar, and flowers beautifully. I've always been a big fan of Castello
Banfi's wines, particularly their various Super Tuscans and Brunello di
Montalcinos, and the BelnerO is a stellar addition to their already
exceptional line-up of offerings.
Brian Freedman - Uncork Life! Blog - March, 2009
Late last week had me exploring the wine region of the world that I am least comfortable with. Italian wines. Italy has over 2,000 indigenous varietals and just about any time I attend an Italian wine tasting I am exposed to a new varietal.
So this past Thursday, between an appointment on the upper West Side and several appointments in Brooklyn I stopped by the Sub-Zero Showroom in midtown Manhattan for an intimate unveiling of the Banfi 2005 Belnero. I was quite pleased to be invited and felt badly that I was not able to stay for the entire event.
A blend primarily consisting of Sangiovese, blended with a little Cabernet and Merlot, the clear ruby wine was quite nice. On the nose, an initial hit of Eucalyptus, followed by toasty oak and then both raspberry and black cherry, the wine had nice fruit on the palate, well integrated tannins and a long finish.
But more than the wine, I was intrigued by two other things I learned at this event. The first was the statement that the Belnero was “nitrogen bottled to minimize sulfites”. I have heard of Nitrogen being inserted into the headspace of wine bottle immediately preceding the wine being bottled (to remove oxygen which could lead to premature oxidation), but I had not heard that it can help to minimize the use of sulfites. Interesting…
The other interesting tidbit shared with regards to the winemaking was that of the vessel used to age the wine. The winery has apparently been working for several years on a hybrid (patented) wood/stainless steel vessel. The way I understood it this vessel is actually a stainless steel tank with slots that fit oak staves. While the use of oak staves in stainless steel tanks is not anything new, apparently the Banfi people feel they have something special here. And judging by the wine, it seems that they do…
Wine Tasting Guy - March, 2009
... given charismatic Christina Mariani-May, the family proprietor and face of Banfi, the perspicacity to take on new challenges. The biggest of them all is the release of a new terrior-driven wine, BelnerO.
BelnerO Proprietor's Reserve 2005 is the debut vintage and retails at approximately $39 a bottle. It is made primarily of Sangiovese with small amounts of Cabernet and Merlot mixed in and has an alcohol content of 13.5%. Dark red in color, the wine is smooth, soft, and forward drinking. On the nose and palate, there's ample vanilla oak, black cherry, and mocha. It is an 88+ point effort that is ready to drink now but still has cellar aging potential. The wine is nitrogen bottled to minimize sulfites and unfiltered. It also underwent a unique patented fermentation process. The fruit is gravity fed into fermenters with French oak staves inside, but the cap and base are made of stainless steel. This allows for the best of both worlds. The must is able to to absorb oxygen and flavor from the oak, while the stainless steel allows for temperature control, health, and cleanliness.
The thirty year history of Banfi has also yielded a new book, The Pursuit of Excellence, which is a journey through the research, technology, and resources that led to the development of the "dark beauty" BelnerO.
Christina, who is as approachable as the wines she makes, has set forth to embrace the New World generation of wine by honoring Old World elegance, family tradition and values. Banfi was also awarded by the International Standardization Organization, the distinguished honor of being the first winery in the world certified for exceptional environmental, social, ethical and customer satisfaction.
What all of this means for the consumer is that Banfi's time honored dedication to excellence will allow for great Italian wines to continue to be brought to the marketplace.
Wine Centric - March, 2009
The nose of faded roses, underbrush and deep sour cherry indicates a long-lived wine, and the structure is ideal for it. Exceptional.
Dan Berger - Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences - April, 2009
Deep purple color, dried fruit/black plum aroma with undertones of earth, baking spices and a touch of vanilla; juicy, tart cherry glavors with hints of smoky ash; lish and refined. with good aging potential.
The Wine Buzz - May, 2009
Attractive deep garnet hue. Fresh plum and blueberry aromas with notes of coffee bean and leather. Tart black cherry fruit with dusty, flinty tannins and a defined minerality. Lengthy finish shows great staying power. 92 Points.
Wine News - March, 2009
Lots of cedar and plum on the nose with flavors of chocolate, violet, cassis, and chalk; medium bodied, round and complex with a chalky mineral element lingering on the long finish. Sante Selection.
Sante Magazine - June, 2009
Critics Challenge International Wine Competition 2009
Critics Platinum
Critics Challenge International Wine Competition - June, 2009
Full bodied, intensely flavored, complex in flavor (blackcurrant, caramel, cedar, plum & toast); Long mildly tannic finish. Excellent!
Restaurant Wine - September, 2009
This is a beautiful, full page article complementing BelnerO. In a wine tasting world, where having a jaded palate is easy, we have found BelnerO exciting & lively with a modern twist on a traditional grape.
QRW Staff - Quarterly Review of Wines
The following list is intended to point in the direction of some of the best wines tasted in 2009. Castello Banfi Belnero 2005 has a dusty, ripe fruit nose, black cherry, tobacco, light pepper accent, earthy spicy finish.
Dick Rosano - Franoi
Nick Passmore - Business Week
Lots of cedar and plum on the nose with flavors of chocolate, violet, cassis, and chalk on the palate; medium bodied, round, and complex with a chalky mineral element lingering on the long finish.
Sante Magazine - June, 2010