Sea, cypresses, vine-rows, wine cellars, plus light, incredible amounts of it—from the sun, and reflected from the Tyrrhenian Sea that forms the western boundary of this winegrowing area. This viticultural denomination, centered on Bolgheri, contains the commune of Castagneto Carducci, which is bordered on the east by an undulating line of hills that enfold the area as if protecting this precious Tuscan enclave. This is the magical world of Bolgheri, magical above all for the beauty of its countryside, which only a few decades ago was still the almost-wild hunting estate of the Della Gherardesca family; today, rural houses and buildings delineate a well-ordered series of wine-making operations. Magical too for displaying, in a very brief period of time, a stunning talent for producing Bordeaux-style wines that are now among Italy’s most highly-respected treasures and that have made this area one of the world’s most celebrated winegrowing zones.
The name Campo alle Comete, ("Field of the Comets"), already expresses all that; its roots go back into history, when the Bolgheri countryside was marked just by campi (fields), and when at night the paths were illumined only by the stars and by an occasional comet. The ancient toponym, Campo alle Comete, which had fallen into disuse and was then resurrected, is an integral part of a wine operation established a century ago and is now the Tuscan extension of Feudi di San Gregorio.
Near the provincial road, the Via Bolgherese, lies an imposing, early 20th-century villa, rendered almost invisible by lofty pines and leafy palm trees, alongside it a meadow -that will soon be a garden- separates it from the cellar, a circular building, which its designer intended to recall the Etruscan tombs that once dotted the landscape. Next to it is the first vineyard that together with another parcel constitutes the productive heart of Campo alle Comete, now amounting to 15 hectares.
All of the Campo alle Comete vineyards are officially enrolled in the Bolgheri DOC denomination. The oldest dates back to 1993, while the most recent was planted in 2007. The grape varieties are those classic to the area: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Petit Verdot.