Banfi - Ratings & Reviews - News
Banfi for a better wine world
Scroll down
2007 2 April

TOP ITALIAN CHEF TO HOST COOKING CLASSES AT CASTELLO BANFI

(Montalcino, April 2007) Heinz Beck, Rome’s only Michelin three-star chef and one of only five in Italy, will host customized cooking classes this fall and in 2008 at the Castello Banfi vineyard estate in Montalcino, Tuscany.

Beck at Banfi, as the luxury cultural travel package is being called, will include three nights at the recently opened Castello Banfi – Il Borgo, 14 luxury rooms and suites in the 17th century hamlet nestled alongside the medieval fortress, and dinner at the Michelin-star rated Castello Banfi – Il Ristorante. The Beck culinary expedition will be augmented by wine tastings designed by Sharron McCarthy, Certified Specialist of Wine, Director of the Society of Wine Educators, and a nationally respected food and wine consultant. Ms. McCarthy has worked with Castello Banfi’s winemakers to craft an in-depth wine appreciation program for a broad range of interest and expertise levels. Attendance at each of the sessions is limited to no more than fourteen people.

Author of “L’Arte e Scienza del Servizio” on the art of food service, as well as individual cook books focusing on finger food, pasta and vegetarian, Chef Beck is a passionate dynamo of energy and creativity. He will host two cooking demonstrations focusing on traditional Tuscan cuisine and its contemporary interpretations, continuing the discussions over lunch at Castello Banfi – La Taverna which specializes in traditional local dishes. Also a certified sommelier, Chef Beck will explore ideal pairings with Castello Banfi estate wines and cooking not only with wine, but for it – combining taste sensations where the result is greater than the sum of its parts. The group will visit local artisan producers of honey, cheese, olive oil , and other regional bounties.

Castello Banfi winemakers and sommeliers will guide the wine appreciation program, starting in the vineyards to explore the unique soil types of the estate’s microclimate and the vines that ideally pair to those soils for maximum expression of character and depth. In the winery, they will demonstrate how that promise is carried through by blending innovation and tradition to nurture wines in hygienic conditions that reduce sulfites and histamines. Tasters will join winemakers to follow the development of wine through the long, patient aging process, and then taste and compare the results in our tasting room under uniform, methodical processes established by experts and practiced by professionals.

The estate visit culminates with dinner prepared by Castello Banfi’s chef Guido Haverkock, an early protégé of Beck who earned Castello Banfi’s own Michelin star within a year of its opening. The group will then travel to Rome for an overnight at the stellar Cavalieri Hilton Hotel, perched on Monte Mario with breathtaking views of the eternal city, and dinner by Chef Beck at his own La Pergola.

Castello Banfi is internationally acclaimed for its clonal research to improve upon the region’s historical Brunello di Montalcino, and making premier quality wines that are low in sulfites and histamines. It was the first wine estate in the world to be internationally recognized for exceptional environmental, ethical and social responsibility (ISO 14001 and SA8000) as well as customer satisfaction (ISO 9001:2000). A regional beacon for hospitality, in addition to its two restaurants - the informal “Castello Banfi – La Taverna,” and the Michelin-starred fine dining “Castello Banfi – Il Ristorante” - Castello Banfi boasts a glass museum, enoteca, balsamic cellars and daily winery tours for visitors to the region. Castello Banfi – Il Borgo, the newest jewel in this hospitality crown, opened on March 15. Private amenities include a swimming pool, pergola-covered cloister garden, breakfast nook, and reading room within the castle keep; each room and suite was designed uniquely by Italy’s preeminent interior designer, Federico Forquet. Signature wines of Castello Banfi include the single-vineyard reserve Poggio all’Oro and unfiltered cru Poggio alle Mura Brunellos, proprietary cuvées ExcelsuS, SummuS and Cum Laude, and single-vineyard varietal wines including Tavernelle Cabernet Sauvignon, Colvecchio Syrah and San Angelo Pinot Grigio.

For more information on Beck and Banfi, please visit www.heinzbeck.com. The 2007 classes are scheduled for October and November; for final dates and to make reservations, please contact borgo@castellobanfi.it, telephone +39 0577 877700, or visit www.castellobanfiwineresort.it.

PRIVACY POLICY

Banfi S.r.l. places fundamental importance on your personal privacy. Banfi S.r.l. takes all steps to protect the personal information of the users. Optimal service is possible when we can assure that the user is aware of and understands the norms and criteria adopted for our privacy policy. The criteria used by Banfi S.r.l. regarding personal information are as follows:
 
Why personal information is collected?
Banfi S.r.l. gathers and uses personal information of the users to guarantee optimal service and to facilitate access to a broad range of products and services. Furthermore, the personal information is used to keep every user updated on new offerings and other information that Banfi S.r.l. believe may be useful to the user. Furthermore, personal information could be used to contact the user to invite the user to participate in eventual market research that allows us to both evaluate the level of user satisfaction and to develop superior products.
 
How personal information is collected
Information about our users is collected in different ways. For example, information that can be used to contact the user can be requested when that person writes to Banfi S.r.l., telephones to ask about a service, or participates in an online poll. Furthermore, when a person subscribes to the internet service of Banfi S.r.l. or to the mailing list, they provide information that is then collected and filed within a secure database.
 
When personal information is revealed
It can become necessary to reveal personal data of the client by law or in the course of legal proceedings or other situations in the public interest.
 
How personal information is protected
Banfi S.r.l. protects the security of information sent by people using physical, electronic and managerial methods. Banfi S.r.l. invites its users to take the necessary steps to protect their personal data on the Internet. Banfi S.r.l. suggests that users often change their password, using a combination of letters and numbers, and relying solely on secure browsers.

Access to personal information
The user can, at any time, access information regarding themselves. To review and update personal information that Banfi S.r.l. has gathered, please contact banfi@banfi.it.
 
Collection of personal information
It is possible to navigate the websites of Banfi S.r.l. anonymously. In any case, the browser automatically comunicates the type of computer and operating system used.

Like many other websites, Banfi S.r.l. uses "cookie" technology. The first time a user connects to the site, their cookies identify the browser with a random and unique number. The cookies used do not reveal any information of a personal nature to the user, including first names that could be used to welcome the user on their next visit. The cookies help us understand what part of the website the users visit more frequently, which are the paths used by the clients, and how long they remain connected. The cookies are used to study the traffic patterns of the Banfi S.r.l. websites in order to improve their functionality.