Cristina Mariani-May is a prominent figure in the international wine industry and a third-generation member of the family behind Banfi. Her career combines family heritage, business education, luxury wine production, international marketing, and a strong focus on sustainability. Today, she serves as President and CEO of Banfi, the family-owned wine company established in New York in 1919, while also remaining closely associated with the celebrated Castello Banfi estate in Montalcino, Tuscany.
Her story is more than that of an heir stepping into a family business. After studying art history and earning an MBA, Mariani-May worked through different areas of Banfi before assuming senior leadership. Her tenure has included a major strategic shift toward premium wines, sustainability initiatives, and protecting the future of Brunello di Montalcino in the face of changing climate conditions.
Who Is Cristina Mariani? A Short Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Cristina Mariani-May |
| Profession | Wine executive, business leader, family proprietor |
| Years Active | 1993–present |
| Education | Georgetown University; Columbia University Graduate School of Business |
| Famous For | Leadership of Banfi and Castello Banfi |
| Father | John F. Mariani Jr. |
| Spouse / Partner | Marshall May |
| Children | Three children |
| Social Media |
Publicly available sources do not reliably establish a date of birth, birthplace, height, mother, siblings, or verified personal net worth, so those details are omitted rather than estimated.
Cristina Mariani-May’s Family and Early Connection to Wine
Growing Up in the Mariani Family Business
Cristina Mariani-May was born into a family whose relationship with wine stretches across generations. Her father, John F. Mariani Jr., was part of the second generation of the family business, while her grandfather, John Mariani Sr., founded Banfi Vintners in New York in 1919. That history placed wine and entrepreneurship close to her from an early age.
The family’s ambitions eventually extended well beyond importing wine. In the late 1970s, the Marianis established Castello Banfi in Montalcino, Tuscany, developing an estate that became closely associated with Brunello di Montalcino and the international promotion of Tuscan wine. For Cristina, the business therefore represented both an American family enterprise and a deep connection to Italian culture.
Education in Art History and Business
Rather than immediately entering Banfi, Mariani-May first pursued her own academic path. She studied at Georgetown University, including a junior year in Florence, where her exposure to Italian art, culture, food, and Tuscany strengthened her connection to the world surrounding the family enterprise.
After completing her undergraduate studies, she joined Banfi in 1993. She subsequently earned an MBA from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business, giving her formal business training to complement the practical knowledge she was gaining inside the company. Her education became an important part of her transition from family member to professional executive.
Building Experience Before Executive Leadership
Mariani-May did not simply enter the company at the top. Her early work included sales, marketing, and public relations, allowing her to understand different parts of the organization and the wine business. This experience helped her develop a broader perspective on brand development and long-term strategy.
Her progression is significant in understanding her later leadership. Banfi was already an established family enterprise, so her challenge was not simply preserving an existing name. She needed to understand how a traditional wine business could remain competitive while responding to changing consumer expectations, sustainability concerns, and evolving international markets.
Cristina Mariani-May and Banfi Leadership
From Third-Generation Family Member to CEO
In 2007, Cristina Mariani-May and her cousin James Mariani became co-CEOs, representing the third generation of family leadership. The arrangement allowed the company to continue its family ownership while introducing a new generation into strategic decision-making.
In 2018, Mariani-May became President and Chief Executive Officer of Banfi Vintners, with James Mariani moving to the company’s advisory board. This marked a significant change in the company’s leadership structure and placed Mariani-May at the center of Banfi’s next phase.
Today, Banfi identifies her as its President and CEO. The company remains family-owned, with its portfolio centered on the family’s Italian estates alongside other wine and spirits brands.
A Strategic Shift Toward Premium Wine
One of the defining decisions of Mariani-May’s leadership was a strategic repositioning of Banfi. A 2024 account of her career describes how she moved the business away from a much larger volume of value-priced wines toward a more focused portfolio built around premium products and selected brands with strong sustainability credentials.
The strategy illustrates a broader principle of luxury wine management: growth does not necessarily mean selling more bottles. For a heritage producer, it can mean strengthening brand identity, protecting quality, improving the consumer experience, and increasing the long-term value of the estate. Under Mariani-May, those ideas have become closely connected to Banfi’s positioning.
Protecting the Castello Banfi Heritage
Banfi is particularly associated with Castello Banfi, the family’s Tuscan estate in Montalcino. The property has played a major role in the family’s wine story and in Banfi’s international reputation for Brunello di Montalcino.
Mariani-May’s approach has emphasized preserving the character of the estate while allowing the business to evolve. That includes scientific research, vineyard development, sustainability programs, and continued attention to Sangiovese, the grape central to Brunello di Montalcino. The result is a leadership philosophy that treats wine as both an agricultural product and an expression of place.
Cristina Mariani-May and Sustainability
Sustainability as a Long-Term Business Strategy
Sustainability has become one of the most recognizable elements of Mariani-May’s leadership. Banfi’s work in this area predates many of today’s mainstream sustainability conversations, and Mariani-May has repeatedly connected environmental responsibility with the long-term health of the vineyard and surrounding community.
Castello Banfi has also been associated with major certification efforts. Earlier in its development, the estate achieved ISO 14001, ISO 9001, and SA 8000 certifications, covering environmental management, quality management, and social accountability. Later, Banfi received Equalitas certification connected to sustainability in the wine sector.
Recognition for Sustainability Leadership
Mariani-May’s sustainability work has received international recognition. She won the Vision Award for Sustainability at the 2021 Women in Wine and Spirits Awards, an honor recognizing women whose professional achievements and vision have influenced the wine and spirits industry. Banfi specifically linked the recognition to her contribution to corporate social responsibility.
Her professional recognition extends beyond sustainability. She was named Woman of the Year by The Drinks Business in 2018, and her profile has appeared among notable women in food and beverage leadership. In 2019, she accepted the Meininger Wine Family of the Year award on behalf of the Mariani family.
Research, Sangiovese, and the Future of Brunello
Sustainability under Mariani-May is not limited to environmental certifications. Banfi has supported research and education surrounding Sangiovese through the Sanguis Jovis project, a program dedicated to research, training, and the broader culture of the grape variety. The initiative reflects a belief that protecting wine’s future requires scientific knowledge as well as traditional vineyard expertise.
Climate change has made that approach increasingly relevant. In a Forbes interview highlighted by Banfi in December 2025, Mariani-May discussed increasingly unpredictable harvest conditions and the challenges facing Brunello producers. Her comments focused on maintaining the authenticity and identity of Sangiovese while adapting vineyard practices to changing environmental conditions.
Cristina Mariani-May’s Influence on the Wine Industry
Promoting Italian Wine Internationally
Mariani-May’s influence extends beyond the vineyards of Tuscany. Banfi was created as an American wine-importing company, and its history has always involved connecting Italian producers and products with consumers in international markets. Her career has continued that tradition while giving greater emphasis to premium positioning and the experience surrounding wine.
That international perspective is important because Castello Banfi’s reputation is not based solely on production. Wine is also hospitality, tourism, food, culture, and storytelling. Mariani-May has spoken about her passion for travel and culture, while the family’s Tuscan estate has developed into a destination where wine and hospitality exist alongside one another.
Balancing Family Heritage With Modern Management
Family businesses face a distinctive challenge: preserving the values that created a company without becoming trapped by the past. Mariani-May’s career illustrates that tension particularly well. She inherited a powerful family name, but her leadership has also involved significant strategic decisions about portfolio size, premiumization, sustainability, and organizational structure.
Her story is therefore relevant beyond the wine industry. It demonstrates how succession can work when the next generation combines inherited institutional knowledge with formal education and a willingness to rethink established practices. The Mariani family’s longevity in wine provides the historical foundation, while Mariani-May’s leadership represents an attempt to adapt that legacy for a changing market.
A Modern Vision for a Historic Wine Brand
In recent years, Mariani-May’s public focus has increasingly included the future of Brunello and the impact of climate change. Her 2025 discussion of changing harvest patterns highlights the practical challenges facing producers who depend on agricultural cycles that are becoming less predictable.
That makes her role particularly interesting. She is not simply managing a heritage wine label. She is overseeing a business where agriculture, climate, science, luxury branding, family ownership, and international commerce intersect. Her continuing emphasis on Sangiovese, terroir, sustainability, and research suggests that preserving tradition does not necessarily mean resisting change.
Cristina Mariani-May’s Personal Life and Family
Marriage and Children
Mariani-May’s professional profile is closely intertwined with her family life. A 2014 profile identified her husband as Marshall May and described the couple as parents of three young children. Her public LinkedIn profile also references balancing professional responsibilities with taking her children to activities on Long Island.
Beyond these confirmed details, Mariani-May has generally kept the focus of her public profile on business, wine, sustainability, and family heritage. That makes it more appropriate to concentrate on the aspects of her personal life that have been reliably documented rather than repeat speculative claims found on low-quality biography websites.
A Family Legacy That Continues Across Generations
The Mariani family remains central to the identity of Banfi. John Mariani Sr. founded the business in 1919, the second generation expanded its wine interests, and Cristina Mariani-May became part of the third generation to lead the company.
That continuity helps explain why her career receives attention within the wine industry. Her position is not simply a corporate appointment. It represents the continuation of a century-old family enterprise while confronting contemporary issues such as sustainability, changing consumer preferences, and climate uncertainty.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cristina Mariani
Q: Who is Cristina Mariani-May?
A: Cristina Mariani-May is an American wine executive and third-generation member of the Mariani family, which owns Banfi. She is President and CEO of Banfi and is closely associated with Castello Banfi in Montalcino, Tuscany. Her career has focused on premium wine, international business, sustainability, and the long-term development of the family enterprise.
Q: What is Cristina Mariani-May famous for?
A: She is best known for leading Banfi and representing the third generation of Mariani family leadership. She has also gained recognition for sustainability initiatives in the wine industry, including receiving the 2021 Women in Wine and Spirits Vision Award for Sustainability.
Q: What does Cristina Mariani-May do for Banfi?
A: Mariani-May serves as President and CEO, overseeing the company’s strategic direction. Her leadership has included repositioning Banfi toward premium wines, strengthening sustainability efforts, supporting research into Sangiovese, and addressing the effects of climate change on Brunello di Montalcino.
Q: Where did Cristina Mariani-May study?
A: She studied at Georgetown University and later earned an MBA from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. During her Georgetown years, she spent time studying in Florence, an experience that deepened her connection to Italian culture and Tuscany.
Q: Is Cristina Mariani-May married?
A: Yes. A published profile identifies her husband as Marshall May, and the couple has three children. Her public professional profile also references her family life and parenting responsibilities.
Conclusion
Cristina Mariani-May represents the intersection of family heritage and modern wine leadership. From studying art history and spending time in Florence to earning an MBA and joining Banfi in 1993, her career developed through both cultural understanding and business experience. She eventually became President and CEO, carrying the Mariani family’s century-old wine enterprise into a new era.
Her leadership is particularly notable for its emphasis on premium wine, sustainability, research, and the future of Brunello di Montalcino. As climate conditions reshape viticulture, her focus on protecting Sangiovese and the identity of Tuscany’s wine heritage has become increasingly relevant. For anyone interested in the people shaping modern Italian wine, Mariani-May’s career offers a compelling example of how tradition and innovation can coexist.
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