OLD BROOKVILLE
“A Gold Coast Manor”
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ABOUT BANFI
anfi is a private concern, founded in New York in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr.
and today owned and operated by his sons and grandchildren. The company is focused on
the production and import of wine.
Castello Banfi is the Mariani family’s vineyard estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, which
produces award-winning wines that are exported to over 80 countries around the world.
Vigne Regali is the name of the family’s sparkling wine cellars in Strevi, Piedmont, run in
conjunction with the nearby single-vineyard estates of Principessa Gavia and Rosa Regale.
Banfi Vintners is the sole U.S. importer of Banfi’s Italian wines along with those of
several other producers, principally from Italy, Chile and Australia. The company has
ranked as the nation’s leading wine importer for more than three decades.
Mr. Mariani named the company after an aunt, Teodolinda Banfi, a woman of eclectic
tastes who supervised his early education and greatly influenced his views toward fine
wines. Until her retirement, she had served as head of the household staff of the late Pope
Pius XI, and is distinguished as the first lay person ever to hold that post.
Banfi’s success has enabled the company to play a broad philanthropic role through the
Banfi Foundation. 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.
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anfi’s headquarters, a 60-room manor, originally known as “Rynwood,” which also has served as a country retreat
for a branch of the Vanderbilt family, sits amid squared lawns and formal English gardens on a heavily landscaped 127-acre estate
in the exurb of Old Brookville, Long Island. Its vaulted ceilings, English oak paneling, long-sounding corridors, stained-glass
medallions, Guastivino-tiled fireplaces and tapestries recall a charming yet opulent age of Long Island’s Gold Coast.
Harvard architect Roger Harrington Bullard built the manor house in 1927 on what local historians claim is the “oldest” road in
America: Cedar Swamp Road. He was commissioned by Sir Samuel Agar Salvage, often called the “father of the rayon industry”
in the United States, the chairman of the American Viscose Corporation.
In 1927, as “Rynwood” was nearing completion, he made the mansion available to the British government for “Empire Day,” a
royal spectacle held every May 24th to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria. The event marked the beginning of the home’s
prominent role in the social life of Long Island’s “Gold Coast” that was to last for more than three decades. All three Salvage
daughters – Katharine, Margaret and Magdelaine – made their debuts there.
Shortly after Sir Samuel’s death in 1946, Lady Salvage placed the manor house on the market. In less than 24 hours, Miss
Margaret Emerson appeared at the forecourt entrance. She was the widow of socialite Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt and the
daughter of the pharmacist, Isaac E. Emerson, who invented the headache remedy, Bromo Seltzer.
According to Magdelaine Salvage, Miss Emerson inquired only about the purchase price and the location of the “croakie-pitch
court” (croquet court). When informed there was no croquet court, she departed “without looking at the pantry, the kitchen,
even the swimming pool. My mother simply assumed we had lost a prospective buyer until the next day when Miss Emerson’s
attorney arrived at “Rynwood” and negotiated its purchase.
“A team of decorators appeared shortly thereafter,” she
continued, “and they worked on the home for nine
months. Not once during that time did Miss Emerson
ever make an appearance. But a croquet court did”.
The new owner ordered a hill on the southeast lawn
leveled for that purpose.
In 1960, the manor house was sold to Frederick William
Irving Lundy, a Sheepshead Bay restaurateur who
claimed he fed about a million people a year. It was one
of 70 properties he owned, including 30,000 acres in
Ellenville, N.Y. Mr. Lundy rarely visited “Rynwood”; he
kept increasingly to himself in his declining years and
the property began to deteriorate. He died in 1977 at
the age of 82, and Banfi purchased the estate two years
later.
Assisted by architectural renderings and old
photographs, two leading experts began restoring the
manor in 1980. They were: Dr. Marcello Matteini,
professor of architecture at the University of Rome;
Mr. Hampton, whose clients include former President
George Bush, described the Old Brookville assignment as,
“Simply heroic. Our objective was to create the atmosphere of a
magnificent home, not a crassly commercial office.” They
succeeded. It took almost three years to accomplish and required
the talents of 50 artists, artisans and horticulturists.
All 60 rooms, both great and small, have been appointed with an
array of treasures from Europe, mostly English and Italian,
reflecting the 15th-century custom of English gentry traveling to
Italy to acquire rare paintings, marbles, bronzes and other objects
of art. An eclectic, humanist assortment, they date from the
Etruscan period (8th century B.C. to 1st century B.C.) through
the 19th century A.D.
A grape-and-wine theme is evident everywhere: on carpets, wall
sconces, windows and, of course, statuary. Dominating the main
staircase is a bronze statue of Michelangelo’s “Bacchus,” which
stands two meters high. A similar casting can be found in the
Mellon Wing of the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. The
original figure was executed in marble during the sculptor’s first
visit to Rome in 1497. He completed it in a year.
Many of the home’s furnishings and paintings were acquired by
John F. Mariani, Banfi’s chairman, and his wife, Pamela. On
numerous trips to Europe over a two-year period, they spent
countless hours visiting historic homes and antique shops in London, Rome,
Florence, Milan, Zurich and Geneva. “The last thing we wanted to create
was a museum, but we wanted museum quality,” said Pamela Mariani.
The manor’s library, which extends the entire length of the building’s west
wing, can boast of an unusual number of “conversation pieces,” including a
12th-century Tuscan table, medieval tapestries, a 17th-century George
Brooke grandfather clock, a Queen Anne tallboy (circa 1710), an English
“rent table” that now serves as a desk, even a choir loft. (In Elizabethan
times, such a room which is shaped in the form of a cross, served as the
manor’s chapel.)
Several chairs in the library had been purchased by professor Matteini
but their flame-stitch coverings, mostly blue and grey with gold highlights, did not appeal to Mr. Mariani. Before leaving on a business trip
to Italy, he made arrangements to change the fabric. While in Florence,
however, he spotted the identical fabric at the Uffizi Palace and learned
that it featured the colors and signatures of the Medici. A fast call to
the office saved the library chairs!
A heavily paneled room, appointed with a 7th-century Tuscan table
flanked by 8th-century Tuscan chairs, serves as Banfi’s boardroom.
The decorators also borrowed selectively from periods within England’s
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golden age of furniture, everything ranging from florid
Baroque to elegant Queen Anne. There’s a George 1
lowboy and a chest of drawers (circa 1775), an Irish
Chippendale tall case clock (circa 1790), “Gothick”
(so spelled to distinguish it form medieval Gothic)
Chippendale side chairs (circa 1830); and, of course,
smooth Cabriole legs and ball-and-claw feet are much
in evidence.
A few pieces are modern, albeit with a period look.
The dining room table, which seats 12, and the board
room table were both made by Italian craftsmen in
Locust Valley, N.Y., based on Mark Hampton
sketches. No tables could be found in Europe large
enough to meet Banfi’s needs.
Other appointments are 18th- and 19th-century
Chinese lacquer screen panels, French Empire urn
lamps, Ludovican benches of the 12th century, an Italian Renaissance refectory table and fireplace equipment and wall sconces
with a grape motif hand-crafted by Swoboda, the Austrian swordmaker.
Flemish tapestries of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries and medieval banners decorate the walls. One tapestry, depicting Putti
harvesting grapes, is based on a 15th century Italian vintage cartoon by Gaetano Romano, a disciple of Raphael; its mate hangs at
Chateau Beychevelle in Bordeaux. John Mariani, Sr., founder of Banfi, acquired the banners at an auction held at the Harvey
Firestone estate in Florida in 1929.
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lso on display are acquatints, sketches, prints,
lithographs, water colors, Grisaille panels (two white-on-gray
tompe l’oeil murals), and a notable collection of paintings by
Gabriel Carelli; such American artists as Ryder Platt Powell
and Granville Perkins; and the works of five members of the
Royal Academy, W. H. Collingwood-Smith, William Henry
Hunt, Arthur Joseph Meadows, C. T. Bale and C. M. Powell,
and the noted Victorian army surgeon-turned-painter, Henry
Pillau.
A unique boast of the manor is a wine cellar that houses some
6,000 bottles of rare vintages, including vertical collections of
Castello Banfi’s Brunellos, Super Tuscans, and single-vineyard
varietals. A safe-type door, 8 feet high and almost a foot
thick, guards the treasure.
Like all English manor houses, this one too is haunted by a
ghost, Banfi executives always tell visitors, noting it “performs” in the living room. They admit they’ve never seen the
ghost but insist that he (or she) occasionally sits down at the
Baby Grand to play. Guests laugh off the suggestion, sometimes derisively, and direct their attention elsewhere. Then
the keys begin to move, offering up Beethoven’s
“Moonlight Sonata” or a Bach prelude, inspiring at least
questioning looks. (The piano operates electronically
when triggered surreptitiously by the guide.)
A tall glass showcase, dubbed the “reliquary,” rests
against the living room’s south wall. It contains the
relics of the late Saint Pope Pius X, including his silverware, which was given to the Marianis by their
great aunt, Teodolinda Banfi, who served at the
Vatican as chief of the household staff of Pope Pius XI.
(He obviously preferred his own silverware.)
Other shelves display Etruscan artifacts that date back
to the third or fourth century before Christ: arrowheads, vases, lamps, mirrors and jewelry.
Another conversation piece in the living room is a
15th-century “cassone” or “bride’s chest,” precursor of
the “hope chest,” used in the days of Catherine de
Medici. They usually doubled as benches. Measuring
almost 10 feet in length, the side panels are etched in
Greek and Roman motifs.
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he terraced gardens of Banfi Old Brookville were designed
by Ellen B. Shipman in 1927. Shipman was considered in her time the “dean
of women landscape architects” and is perhaps most famous for her estate
gardens.
Banfi Old Brookville’s gardens create a smooth transition from the natural landscape to the imposing structure of the house, which sits between
a paved court with massive oaks at the entrance and a grass court
behind the house formed by the dining room wing on one side and the
library wing on the other.
Broad stone steps lead to a wide grass terrace with another set of
steps leading to a sprawling lawn and wooded ravine.
To the west of the terrace is a walled-in rose garden which lies
directly below the main flower garden. A round dovecote, a
structure typical of old English estates, is nestled between these
two gardens with a small tea house designed with an open porch
standing opposite to the north.
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o the west of the main garden, semi-circular steps lead down to a reflecting pool and yet another garden, with winding steps leading to a tennis court below.
This network of terraces, gardens, and decorative buildings allowed for a house of the
proportions of Banfi Old Brookville to fit perfectly on an irregular building site without
losing the natural character of its surroundings. One might say that Shipman’s design
shows nature and nurture in a near perfect harmony.
The estate’s bucolic atmosphere is enhanced with a 20-acre Chardonnay vineyard.
Banfi officials view their “home” as a showcase for world-class wines, much like the
chateaux, schloss’ and castelli found in the great wine regions of Europe. Their penchant for historical buildings and treasures also led them to acquire in 1979 an 1860 cellar and winery in Strevi, Piedmont, and some 7,100 acres in Montalcino, on which Banfi
has built what it considers the most technologically advanced winery and vineyards in
Europe, perhaps the world. The Montalcino property is crowned with a castle that was
built by the Longobards in 800 A.D. It also has been restored.
“The wine trade is a gentleman’s calling,” says John Mariani, Jr. in explaining Banfi’s
preference for historically appointed surroundings, “and the integrity of the business should
be reflected in an atmosphere that, like wine itself, is gracious and steeped in tradition.”
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anfi is led today by the founder’s two
sons: John F. Mariani, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, and Harry F. Mariani, President and Chief
Operating Officer, along with their children. John’s
daughter, Cristina, serves as Executive Vice President
for Global marketing of Castello Banfi and Harry’s son,
James, is Executive Vice President of Sales and
Marketing for Banfi Vintners’ import operations.
James Mariani literally learned the wine business from
the ground up, working in his family’s vineyards in
Montalcino, Italy and Old Brookville, New York,
before heading off to earn his undergraduate degree at
Colgate University and his MBA at Cornell
University’s Johnson School of Business. He took on
management positions in several areas of the business.
Though most of his time is dedicated to meeting with
Banfi’s wholesale and retail customers, James still seizes
each opportunity to address consumer groups at seminars, dinners and other events. “Meeting and talking
with people at these events gives me continual insight,”
noted James. “Banfi’s success was built on
understanding the American wine palate,
and I want to make sure we always remember that.”
Family travels for a child can mean adventure and relaxation, but for young Cristina
Mariani-May, it meant informal job training. From the age of 7, she traveled to some
of the world’s renowned wine regions with
her father. Captivated by the travel bug, she
rounded her undergraduate education with
a year at Georgetown University’s campus
in Florence, Italy to study art history,
another family passion.
After earning her MBA at Columbia
University, Cristina returned to the wine
world. When not traveling to wine venues
across Europe, Asia and North America,
she divides her time between the Tuscan
estate and Banfi Vintner’s headquarters in
her native Long Island, New York.
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OLD BROOKVILLE VINEYARDS
anfi’s Old Brookville Vineyard was planted in 1982 on a plot formerly used to grow crops for the neighboring
Young’s Farm Stand on Hegeman’s Lane. The 20-acre vineyard is dedicated to one grape variety, Chardonnay. Approximately
1,500 cases of “Old Brookville Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay” are produced from grapes grown on the site, and bottled and
vinified by Premium Wine Group of Mattituck, Long Island.
Old Brookville Vineyards is the only commercial vineyard property in Nassau County, and also has the claim of being the
“closest vineyard to Broadway.” The wine is sold throughout the U.S. as well as internationally thanks to Banfi’s efficient sales
network and recognized name for quality wines.
OLD BROOKVILLE
Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay
Area of Production:
Nassau County, Long Island, New York.
Soil:
Highly calcareous, nutrient-rich.
Grape Variety:
100% Chardonnay.
Production Technique:
The clean must is fermented off the skins at a
controlled temperature of 15ºC for 25 days. 100%
barrel fermentation and aging for 6 months in
French oak barrels. Bottle aging
follows for 4-5 months.
Characteristics:
Color: Pale-straw.
Bouquet: Floral and burnt-sugar aromas.
Taste: Rich palate with hints of tropical fruit,
butter, and wood.
Alcohol Content: 13.0%.
Total Acidity: 7.80 g/l.
A fine accompaniment to Long Island duckling,
oysters, clams, and scallops, as well as savory
poultry, veal and lightly sauced pastas.
CASTELLO BANFI
A Profile
A family-owned vineyard estate and winery in the
Brunello region of Tuscany, Castello Banfi’s dedication to excellence in all aspects has won the approval
of aficionados the world over, capturing honor after
prestigious honor. A constellation of single vineyards
encompassing over three dozen varying subsoils, the
Castello Banfi estate is renowned for its work to
weave noble grape varieties with their optimal terroir.
Here, over two decades of unprecedented research
has isolated a selection of superior clones of the
native Sangiovese to produce not only a consistently
outstanding Brunello but the maximum expression of Montalcino Super Tuscan cuvées. Central to the property is a medieval
castle that functions as a hospitality center, hosting visitors at the fine dining, Michelin-star Ristorante Castello Banfi and the
more casual Taverna Banfi, along with an enoteca, balsamic cellar, and museum dedicated to the history of glass and its relation
to wine. Signature wines of the Castello Banfi estate, in addition to Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, the cru Poggio alle
Mura and the single-vineyard Riserva Poggio all’Oro, are three proprietary cuvées, ExcelsuS, SummuS and Cum Laude. Several
noble varietal wines, including Tavernelle Cabernet Sauvignon, Colvecchio Syrah, Fontanelle Chardonnay and San Angelo
Pinot Grigio, are produced there as well as an extra vergine olive oil and a balsamic vinegar called “Salsa Balsamica Etrusca.”
Ristorante Castello Banfi
The elegant Michelin-star, Ristorante Castello Banfi, with clothed tables, frescoed walls and a
welcoming fireplace, serves what has been described as light Mediterranean cuisine. Its selection
of meat and fish dishes are inspired by seasonal local produce, offered in tasting menus or à la
carte. A complete list of Castello Banfi wines rounds out the experience. The Ristorante is open
for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Taverna Banfi
Taverna Banfi is a casual setting in the vaulted cellars of the building, with sturdy wooden tables
placed under the brick arches where over sized wooden casks of the area’s traditional Brunello
di Montalcino once rested. Castello Banfi wines complement the three-course and five-course
tasting menus as well à la carte selections of traditional Tuscan dishes and delicacies. The
Taverna is open for lunch Monday through Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Reservations made three to five weeks in advance are required for the Ristorante and
recommended for the Taverna. Visitors to the estate may also arrange for guided tours of the
winery as well as wine tastings at the Enoteca and entry to the Giovanni F. Mariani Glass
Museum, both located within the Castello complex.
Telephone 011-39-0577-816001, Fax 011-39-0577-816021, email [email protected]
For more information, please visit us on the internet at
www.banfi.com
©2004 Banfi Vintners, Old Brookville, NY CBBR024