Last week, Margarethe and I tested a mock experience for the launch of our new adventure in Bolgheri. This time, we set our own pace with Wine & Walk, a new way of experiencing slow tourism: a path through extraordinary vineyards and landscapes immersed in the Mediterranean scrubland, with two or three stops at some of our favorite wineries along the route.
This experience was created in collaboration with Daniele. We met him years ago, when he was working in the wine world here in Bolgheri. What stayed with us was not his role, but his way of being—genuine, present, deeply human. In a world that can sometimes feel driven only by numbers and performance, he was something else entirely.
Over time, we came to understand that his path was much richer than any single title. Daniele is a Certified Environmental Hiking Guide, a Wine & Hospitality Consultant, WSET Level 3 Advanced, and an AIS Certified Sommelier. His academic journey—an MSc in Marketing Management and a BSc in Tourism Economics—blends naturally with more than 15 years of experience in wine, hospitality, and international consulting.
And yet, none of these achievements define him as much as the choice he made: to slow down, to step away from a fast-paced industry, and to reconnect with what truly matters—nature, people, and authenticity.
That is exactly what you feel when you walk with him.
At a certain point, Daniele changed his life and founded his own company called “Ultreya Experiences” dedicated to trekking, retreats and custom team building discovering natural beauty on foot. It felt only natural to create something together. In Bolgheri, this means moving through vineyards, countryside, and woods, combining gentle walks with winery visits and tastings. Along the way, we share wine knowledge, local stories, and insights that help guests understand the territory beyond the glass.
Daniele’s guiding style is calm and attentive, leaving space to walk, listen, taste, and experience Bolgheri at its own rhythm.
We met in the morning in the village of Castagneto Carducci and, after a cappuccino to start the day, we set off. From the hilltop village, we followed an old mulattiera - mule path - down toward the vineyards of the Bolgheri DOC, along the Strada Vecchia Bolgherese. Very soon, we were immersed in the beauty of the macchia mediterranea, surrounded by the scents and colors of spring. Wisteria was in bloom, the Judas trees offered brilliant splashes of pink and violet, and all around us stood the great plants and trees of this landscape: silvery olive trees, ancient holm oaks, majestic cork trees, wild shrubs of myrtle, mastic, heather, strawberry tree, and aromatic herbs that make this Mediterranean environment so unique.
We reached the votive shrine of Pianacce, a small sacred structure located in the countryside, along old rural paths that connect the village to the Bolgheri vineyards. A votive shrine (edicola votiva or tabernacolo) is a simple, often humble construction built as an act of faith. These shrines are very common in the Tuscan countryside and were historically placed along roads, crossroads, and agricultural paths.
Votive shrines were created for both spiritual and practical reasons:
- protection for travelers, farmers, and animals
- gratitude for a received grace or miracle
- devotion tied to local families or communities
From there, the path led us up to Podere Grattamacco, the second historic producer in Bolgheri. After that, we descended into the valley toward the biodynamic estate Mulini di Segalari, crossing small streams and enjoying the freshness of the woods, before climbing again to the boutique winery Podere il Castellaccio.
Along the walk, the landscape kept changing. The diversity of the soils was striking: in some places the ground revealed more schist and galestro, while around us cyclamens appeared here and there, adding even more charm to the route. At one point, we stopped for a sandwich, which by then we had truly earned.
Finally, we made our way back to Castagneto Carducci, this time facing the first mulattiera uphill. It was not exactly easy, but we did it. At the end, a well-deserved lunch in a local wine bar, accompanied by a bottle of Bolgheri Rosso, was the perfect reward.
We finished the day satisfied and happy. It was a day of real contact with nature, with no rush—only beauty all around us. A different rhythm, a slower way to appreciate wineries and wines in one of the most extraordinary wine regions.
This is how Wine & Walk was born.
Not as a product, but as a rhythm. A different way of being in Bolgheri. Wine & Walk merges landscape, culture, local traditions, and the essence of Bolgheri wines.
No rush. No drivers. Just us, with our space. Silence. Time to look around. Time to breathe. Time to feel the land under our feet—while discovering more about this region, step by step and sip after sip.
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