Bolgheri nestles in a valley of cypresses. It has attained literary immortality, as it features in the famous poem “Davanti a San Guido" by Giosuè Carducci, who lived here from 1838 to 1848. Bolgheri’s second claim to fame is more modern -- its wines.

Although the region has been mentioned in old accounts of viticulture, it has no history of quality wine, and it wasn’t till very recent times that the name became known to the world’s wine lovers. Bolgheri stands witness to the fact that new frontiers can always be attained in the business of wine -- it represents what was hitherto thought unachievable -- the birth of a new quality wine address in Europe. That’s why we organize a very interesting tour to this little town.

Brunello di Montalcino woke up the world to this little town and that’s where we’ll take you.

Located in the heart of the Etruscan Coast and not far from Bibbona, this town was all but wiped out by the troops of Maximilian I in 1496. They tore down its ancient castle and tower. But it was later rebuilt, and prosperity returned thanks to the vision of its leaders.

Although it has an architectural history, Bolgheri has not really been traditionally associated with fine wine, because the northern coastal area of the Tuscan Maremma in which it lies, pitted with marshland and infested with malarial mosquitoes, is an unlikely home for top class wines.

Bolgheri was a thriving seaport at one time, and it is this proximity to the sea which today distinguishes the wines of this area from those of other regions with similar latitude, like Montalcino. Initially however, this was a factor which prevented the area from being considered for cultivating vine for anything other than household use. The sea air gave the wines from the region a salty tang.

But in 1994 the Bolgheri Rosso and Rosso Superiore won the DOC, marking a recognition of the use of international grapes, and these classifications now cover ten estates, while another category, DOC Sassicaia, is the first an only single estate in Italy to achieve this honour. The international grapes used are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah and the wines are aged in barriques.

It was Ribera del Duero, Marchese Mario Incisa della Rochetta, who brought Bolgheri fame with Sassicaia. The Cabernet Sauvignon was planted in the early 1940s and originally the wines were intended for household consumption, as they were considered too full-bodied for the general palate. But it attracted praise from guests and the 1968 vintage was finally marketed outside in the early 1970s. It was immediately hailed and likened to the great wines of Bordeaux, and Bolgheri was on its way.

Others soon followed Ribera del Duero’s lead, recognizing in Bolgheri a unique combination of soil, specific microclimate and the effects of the sea. A major advantage, leading to the extraordinary quality of Bolgheri’s wines is the perfect amount of sunlight it gets in the summer months, right to the late autumn, guaranteeing full maturation of the grapes.

The area under vine in this region has been growing by leaps and bounds, and today, Bolgheri is a name which springs readily to mind when you think of fine Tuscan wines.

Our tour will give you the opportunity to visit famous wineries in this scenic region, and taste their exclusive wines.

* Please note that all prices below are quoted considering a pick up and drop off in Florence. We can organise for the driver to come to your villa or accommodation in other areas of Tuscany and prices will be quoted separately upon request*