Castello Banfi cleared in wine fraud investigation

Published: 21 October, 2008

Magistrates in Sienna have cleared and released from impoundment almost the entire production of Castello Banfi's Brunello di Montalcino 2003, following an investigation into commercial fraud regarding grape blending.

Castello Banfi announced in a statement that its bottles from the 2003 harvest are now back on sale, following the clearance.

The wine producer had 600,000 bottles of the 2003 vintage seized in April, after magistrates alleged that there were too many of them for the wine to be authentic. The wine was cleared after laboratory tests that measure the wine's anthocyanin level demonstrated the wine was exclusively Sangiovese.

The 2004 vintage will now be released in February 2009, as regularly scheduled.

"This clearance closes the case for Castello Banfi Brunello," said Castello Banfi family proprietor Cristina Mariani-May. "Our Brunello is liberated and we are pleased to continue the pursuit of excellence that we have always strived for."

It is believed that several other high-profile producers, including Antinori and Frescobaldi whose wines were also confiscated, remain under investigation.

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