The oenologist Ezio Rivella, also known as "Mr. Brunello," died at the age of 91. If Americans have gone from sipping Frascati and Lambrusco to spending $100 on a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, it is primarily because of him. His relevance dates back to when it encountered John Mariani as a soldier in Italy. Rivella had already invested in Castellina in Chianti in 1968, when he purchased Caggio. The Mariani family imported Frascati and Lambrusco to the United States, using Luciano Pavarotti as a testimonial. The two's aim was to start a business from scratch, designing it from the ground up in an incredibly traditional culture and industry. Mariani invested money into it. Rivella had a double intuition: invest in Montalcino for Brunello rather than Moscadello, as was previously supposed. Castello Banfi was born. Montalcino, the oenologist with the helicopter, the manager with a hundred million investment, and the first Italian to rule the world of oenology, knew from away that he needed to make himself recognized. "He was ahead of the rest," said his former partner, Aldo Fedeli. "He was the first oenologist manager, and most importantly, he cleared this professional figure. Previously, the winemaker had to be kept concealed; now, he has become the emblem of the cellars, so much so that he is the first Italian to become president of the World Association of Oenologists".
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