Perched atop the hill and protected by the surrounding village, it stands in all its beauty. In its strategic position on the hill of Poggio alle Mura, it overlooks the valleys of the Orcia and Ombrone rivers, as well as the communication routes between Siena, Monte Amiata, and the Maremma. From up there, it dominates the entire valley. We are about twenty kilometers from Montalcino, the land of the great Brunello.
The road leading up to the hill is flanked by vineyards, woods, and olive trees, and as we get closer, we feel the footsteps of time. Written records first mention Castello Poggio alle Mura in 1377, but from some artifacts found during the last restoration, we can assume its existence dates back to the Etruscan era. The Placidi Counts, noble Sienese warriors in the service of Siena against Florence, were fortunate enough to inhabit this fortress for a long time; they were rewarded for their services in the 15th century. There were periods when they were expelled, but they returned in 1529 and remained until 1949, when the building was purchased by Giovanni Mastropaolo, an Italian entrepreneur who had made his fortune in Venezuela. During the imperial Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty (first half of the 18th century), the castle had already been definitively transformed into a farm.
Once you arrive, you will see that the castle, roughly square in shape, is organized around a courtyard: three sides are occupied by various buildings, while the fourth is enclosed by a wall. The courtyard of honor is a splendid example of Renaissance architecture with low arches on octagonal pillars, a large fireplace, sail vaults, decorated lunettes, and a Medici coat of arms dating back to the 16th century, after the fall of Montalcino.
The current fame of the castle, which changed from Poggio alle Mura to Banfi, is due to its purchase by the American brothers John and Harry Mariani in 1983. It was then restored to its former glory through patient and skilled restoration and conservation work. You may wonder why Banfi, given that the owners’ surname is Mariani (today, specifically, it belongs to Cristina Mariani-May). Here’s the story: the father of the two brothers, Giovanni, had an aunt who was a wine expert named Teodolinda Banfi. In her honor, he founded Banfi Vintners, a leading company in the importation of Italian and French wines in the USA. And naturally, given the success of that name, it was chosen for the new venture in Italy, where they wanted to realize their dream of “the largest project ever undertaken in the production of quality wines in Italy.”
From the castle, you can gaze out over 2,830 hectares, of which 850 are vineyards. A marvel. But let’s enter the interior, in the western wing, to visit the glass museum from antiquity to the present day. The entire exhibit, accompanied by educational panels, focuses particularly on the creation of wine bottles. Who could forget some examples of modern artistic bottles, created by great artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Jean Cocteau?
Under the arches of the castle’s old cellars, where large wooden barrels once rested for the aging of Brunello di Montalcino, lies the Taverna Banfi, a typical Tuscan inn. The other restaurant, Sala dei Grappoli, with a Michelin star, is situated in the shadow of the historic castle. Visit the enoteca, which recreates the atmosphere of a Tuscan shop, with terracotta floors, wooden furniture, and beams, where you can purchase estate wines and other local gastronomic and artisanal products. The ancient stone village, built in the 1700s in the shadow of the walls and towers of Castello di Poggio alle Mura to house the farmers who worked for the noble owners, now hosts a high-level hospitality structure, part of the Relais & Châteaux circuit.
Castello Banfi is worth the trip!
