News & Events
Castellare di Castellina Joins Bancroft
“We are delighted to welcome Castellare di Castellina (Chianti) and its sister property Feudi del Pisciotto (Sicily) to the Bancroft Portfolio. We have been looking for the right partner to help take our Italian range to next level and Castellare fits the bill perfectly. A very well-known and respected name in Tuscany, giving a modern and exciting rendition of Chianti, we have been impressed with the quality of the wines and the dedication of the team towards the UK market.” – Lenka Sedlackova MW, Head of Brand Management at Bancroft Wines
Castellare di Castellina, founded in the 1970s by Paolo Panerai, is a leading Chianti Classico estate known for uniting tradition and innovation. Located in a natural amphitheatre in Tuscany, it produces elegant, age-worthy wines from low-yielding, organically farmed vineyards. Head Winemaker and Managing Director Alessandro Cellai, mentored by Giacomo Tachis, champions indigenous varieties while also crafting acclaimed international wines. The estate pioneered clonal research with leading universities and avoids synthetic chemicals, symbolised by rare birds on its labels. A tribute to Tuscan heritage and excellence, Castellare remains a benchmark for authentic, terroir-driven Italian wine.
Raffaele Augelli, Sales Director at Castellare, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are truly thrilled to begin this journey with Bancroft. Their deep knowledge of the UK market, strategic approach to premium wine, and unwavering commitment to brand building impressed us deeply. Bancroft’s values align perfectly with our own, and we are confident that our wines – and the story behind them – will be in expert hands to a further step forward in a key market for fine wines like London where our flagship I Sodi di San Niccolò has a lifetime history since the eighties. We believe that this collaboration marks a new chapter in Castellare’s international growth and represents an important milestone for Bancroft’s Italian portfolio development”
Expanding Bancroft’s Italian Offering: Feudi del Pisciotto also joins the Portfolio
Bancroft recently announced the partnership with Castellare’s sister estate, Feudi del Pisciotto. Feudi del Pisciotto is a 40 hectare property located in a rural area of south-eastern Sicily, on the edge of the Sughereta di Niscemi Nature Reserve. The name refers to a small river that flows through the property. The winery and cellars are housed in a historic ‘palmento’ dating to the 18th century. The property and vineyards were all but abandoned before they were bought by famous Italian journalist Paolo Panerai in 2005. The viticultural ideology of Feudi del Pisciotto is based on the philosophy of Giacomo Tachis, who famously proclaimed that “the terroir of Sicily allows any type of vine to be grown successfully, with the right knowledge”.
