Description

Banfi La Lus Albarossa

Banfi began as a wine importing business in New York, founded by John Mariani Sr. in 1919, and grew into one of the most prestigious wine producers in Italy under his sons, brothers John and Harry Mariani. In 1978 the Mariani family established their flagship estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, and just over a year later they expanded into Piedmont, acquiring the historic Bruzzone winery near Novi Ligure and Acqui, an operation now known as Banfi Piemonte. From the start, the family’s goal has been to pair deep respect for regional tradition with modern winemaking science, a philosophy that carries through every corner of the Banfi portfolio.

La Lus, meaning “the light” in Piedmontese dialect, takes its name from the image of the rising sun and the dawn of a new day. The wine is crafted from Albarossa, a variety born from a cross of Nebbiolo and Barbera, Piedmont’s two defining grapes. Banfi is one of only a small handful of producers working with Albarossa, and La Lus stands as the estate’s fullest expression of this distinctive grape. Grown in sandy, clay soils in the Monferrato region of southeastern Piedmont, the wine undergoes a short 24 hour cold maceration followed by 8 to 10 days of skin contact fermentation at controlled temperatures, with frequent pump overs to preserve the fruit’s aromatic character. As fermentation nears completion, temperatures are gently raised to draw deeper color from the skins. The wine then ages for 12 months in French oak barriques.

Banfi La Lus Albarossa Notes to Your Senses:

• APPEARANCE: Deep ruby red
• AROMA: Rose petals, red berries, and cherries, with hints of oak
• TASTE: Velvety and full bodied, with harmonious structure, soft tannins, and flavors of cherry and plum jam layered with vanilla and licorice
• FINISH: Long, with lingering fruity notes
• ABV: 14%