New millionaire wine making neighbours in Tuscany
The Tuscan wine making regions, especially Montalcino, attract people with immense fortunes who want to see their name on dream bottles
By Donatella Cinelli Colombini
The castle of Colle Massari winery
Next door to Casato Prime Donne a property has been bought by Alejandro Pedro Bulgheroni Argentinean billionaire from the petrol sector with investments al lover the world and vineyards in Argentina, Uruguay and California. We expect him to transform the present rural buildings, in front of us, into a villa with heliport.
The new owner of Argiano, still in the Brunello area, is a Brazilian indicated by Forbes as one of the 300 richest men in the world. He has fallen in love with the splendid 16th century villa built according to a project by Baldassarre Peruzzi – a sort of Tuscan Chateau – and with the noble history of this location where, among others, Foscolo, Carducci, D’Annunzio and Zolà have stayed.
A few months ago I met the new owner of Avignonesi the Belgian shipping
Ernesto Bertarelli new Brunello producer
magnate Virginie Saverys and her very nice Basque husband. I said to him << so you are Spanish>> and he quickly replied << don’t offend me! >>. In a few months they have enlarged the property to 150 hectares of vineyard and are in preparation of becoming the engine for the whole wine region taking it towards quality levels never reached before.
The glamorous character is Ernesto Bertarelli, business man from the biotechnologies, the richest man in Switzerland, winner of two American Cups with the Alinghi sailboat, married to Kirsty ex Miss Great Britain …. In other words a man who does not go unnoticed. He owns Poggio di Sotto in Montalcino, Colle Massari in Montecucco and Grattamacco in Bolgheri. Three authentic pearls in production and architecture.
In first position for luxury and sophistication Massimo Ferragamo who, in his super exclusive resort Castiglion del Bosco in Montalcino, has had as a guest Sir Paul Mc Cartney to celebrate his birthday.
Castiglion del Bosco owned by Ferragamo
The young Russian business woman Valeria Zavadnikova has bought Montemaggio in Radda in Chianti while Eric Albada Jelgersma from Holland has chosen Caiarossa in the province of Pisa after having bought two Grands Crus Classés in Margaux.
In other words those of us who come from historic wine making families will end up looking like scroungers amidst so many billionaires.