Cristina-Mariani May, President and CEO of Banfi White Wines
Banfi
When scientists at Castelo Banfi Winery in Tuscany found brand-new grape vine clones that would produce higher-quality, healthier Sangiovese vines, they didn’t keep the info for their own exclusive use. Instead they shared it with their competitors, in an effort to enhance quality and sustainability in the whole region. Similarly, when Banfi CEO, Cristina-Mariani Might, 3rd generation family owner of the estate and Banfi Red wines, presumed the leadership function at the company in 2018, she didn’t simply keep the same 100 year old method. Rather she drastically changed it to a new direction, which many people doubted was the best business relocation.
Nevertheless, three years later, and after making it through a worldwide pandemic, May’s gutsy moves and visionary insight have actually paid off. Banfi accomplished a 25% growth in revenue in 2021, with positive patterns continuing into 2022. Today the company concentrates on a streamlined portfolio of 4 wine brands, which are distributed in 100 countries.
“Our primary message at Banfi,” reports Might, in a recent online interview, “is that we are dedicated to a better white wine world. We wish to make sustainable wines, research, and share that research with other wineries around the world, so that wine is acknowledged as one of life’s true treasures.”