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2008 28 January

BANFI'S JOHN MARIANI HONORED WITH WIME ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dr. John F. Mariani, family proprietor of US wine importer Banfi Vintners and the Castello Banfi vineyard estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, has been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

The award, part of the publication's Annual Wine Star Awards recognizing excellence in the wine and spirits industry, will appear in the December 15 issue of Wine Enthusiast and be presented to Dr. Mariani at a gala dinner and awards ceremony at the New York Public Library on Monday, January 28, 2008.

Dr. Mariani, along with his brother Harry, represents the second generation of family management at Banfi, which was founded by their father in 1919 and is now in the hands of John's daughter Cristina and Harry's son James, who share the title of co-CEO.

Wine Enthusiast noted Dr. Mariani's influential role in the industry, from expanding Banfi's Italian import portfolio to Germany Switzerland and France starting in the mid-1950s, becoming America's leading Bordeaux and Burgundy négociant by the 1960s, introducing the immediately and immensely popular Riunite Lambrusco which has topped the imported wine category over the past four decades, working with the family leadership of Chile's Concha y Toro since 1988 to catapult that brand to its own leadership and prestige position, and founding the Castello Banfi vineyard estate in Tuscany, Italy's most honored estate and the inspiration for a renaissance in Tuscan winemaking.

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 winery in the world to be awarded international recognition for exceptional environmental, ethical and social responsibility (ISO 14001 and SA8000) as well as an international leader in customer satisfaction (ISO 9001:2000).

Castello Banfi has become a beacon for regional hospitality, with a full service enoteca, glass museum, balsamic cellars, winery tours, informal Taverna serving traditional local cuisine, Michelin star-rated Castello Banfi – Il Ristorante for fine dining, and the recently opened Castello Banfi – Il Borgo luxury rooms and suites.

Banfi's success has enabled the company to play a broad philanthropic role through the Banfi Vintners Foundation. The Foundation provided seed money to help Catholic Relief Services build a technical school and an orphanage as well as an 800-unit housing project in Potenza, Italy, where thousands were left homeless after a devastating earthquake in the early 1980s. It also generously endows select charities and universities around the world, and sponsors annual scholastic tours to study the food and wine culture of Italy.

Banfi remains a private concern focused on the production and import of fine wine. Earlier this year, Dr. Mariani was conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa at the 2007 graduation ceremonies for the National University of Ireland's Shannon College of Hotel Management. He also received a Doctorate in Business Administration, Honoris Causa, from the Rhode Island based Johnson & Wales University in 1985. He was knighted Cavaliere della Repubblica by the president of Italy in 1982; served as a trustee-fellow and presidential counselor of Cornell University, and served on the Dean's Advisory Councils of Cornell's Johnson Business School and Cornell’s Hotel School. In 1987 he was awarded the Johnson School's Entrepreneur of the Year following Sanford Weill of CitiGroup and Christopher Hemmeter, a prolific developer of some of Hawaii's most notable hotels and resorts. In 2001 Dr. Mariani received the National Education and Leadership Award from the Sons of Italy in America.

"John Mariani's vision and the implementation of it have helped to raise the quality of the world’s wines," said Wine Enthusiast publisher Adam M. Strum, "and to bring them into American homes and restaurants."

Founded in 1988, Wine Enthusiast Magazine's mission is to educate and entertain readers about wine and the wine lifestyle in an accessible and user-friendly way. Wine Enthusiast Magazine has grown to become one of the world’s most respected and quoted publications in the field of wine and spirits.

The magazine is an important source of ratings and reviews of both wines and spirits currently available in the marketplace, vital to both consumers and to the trade. With a readership of 500,000 per issue, Wine Enthusiast Magazine is available in fine wine shops, tasting rooms and major bookstores nationwide. In addition, Wine Enthusiast Magazine develops signature events for both consumers and the trade

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.