Excelsus, Latin for “eminent,” is produced only in excellent vintages.

There’s something gloriously self-assured about this wine. Deep garnet in the glass, it opens with poised intensity, cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf and dark cherries drifting into mocha and cedar. The palate glides between plush power and precise structure, with ripe black fruit framed by polished tannins and a long, savoury finish that hums with balsamic herbs and spice. A wine of poise and pedigree, it feels at once modern and timeless, Tuscany seen through the lens of Bordeaux.

For when: the evening calls for candlelight and confidence.
Pairs with: Chianina steak, venison ragu, or a perfectly aged cheddar.
If this wine were a person, it’d arrive in a tailored jacket and leave with your admiration.

Born from Banfi’s pioneering spirit, Excelsus marries Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grown on select plots surrounding the medieval castle of Poggio alle Mura. The 2019 vintage, marked by warm days and cool nights, delivered grapes of remarkable concentration and balance. Aged for 18 months in French oak barriques, it’s a wine that bridges continents and philosophies, the precision of Bordeaux meeting the soul of Montalcino and one that continues to cement Banfi’s reputation as one of Tuscany’s great modern estates.