It was 2017 when the project was announced, 2019 when the work to secure the quarry began, 2021 when the actual construction work began: after 1125 days of construction, the new Cantina Meraviglia, the most ambitious architectural and oenological project of the ABFV Italia Group – Alejandro Bulgheroni Family Vineyards in Tuscany.
Nestled inside the former Cariola quarry, in the Italian wine scene this is a one-of-a-kind structure, a place where landscape, wine, architecture and sustainability are integrated in a harmonious and profound way.
A territorial redevelopment project that is a declaration of love for this territory: the winery is the fruit of the vision of entrepreneur Alejandro Bulgheroni, driven by the desire to restore beauty and value to a wounded and forgotten place, transforming it into a symbol of territorial and cultural rebirth. Engineer Bulgheroni attended the inaugural ceremony and gala dinner, together with his wife Bettina Bulgheroni and his sons Alejandro Jr and Diego: with emotion, he recalled his Italian origins (his great-grandfather Giovanni Alessandro Bulgheroni had left Olgiate Comasco in 1873 to move to Argentina) and said he was proud of this project, born not by chance in a place where the terroir is extraordinary.
Designed by Bernardo Tori Studio with the engineering consultancy of Niccolò De Robertis (AEI Projects), the cellar is spread over three levels, following the natural orography of the quarry. With 7,000 m² of production and technological spaces, a panoramic terrace overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and a green roof immersed in the Mediterranean scrub, the building blends into the landscape without altering it, respecting the edges of the quarry. The materials used, over 95% of which are locally sourced, and the construction systems adopted meet the highest standards of environmental sustainability.
The final result is a profound fusion between elements, a continuous dialogue between what existed and what was imagined and built. The architecture does not impose itself but adheres to the place. The quarry, originally a place with very limited development possibilities, was understood as a resource. The fragility of the land, aggravated by the presence of rhyolites — a friable volcanic material — required complex design solutions, starting from the safety measures, followed by a long work by geologists and technicians.
The unique characteristics of the quarry – made of effusive volcanic rock (rhyolite), the San Vincenzo volcanics – are not only a landscape element, but an oenological resource. The natural thermal inertia and the constant humidity offer an ideal microclimate for winemaking and refinement. The winemaking process takes place by gravity, with the grapes being delivered to the square on the highest floor (where we also find a vibrating sorting bench with an optical selector); below are the rough concrete Tulips and steel vats for winemaking. Finally, the room with the large, untoasted French oak barrels, where the large rock wall preserves perfect characteristics for the long evolution of the wine.
The Cantina Meraviglia project is based on three pillars – environmental, social and economic sustainability – which represent the very essence of the ABFV model. Among the interventions carried out: rainwater management to reduce erosion and sedimentation, reduction of light pollution according to the DarkSky standard, green roofs, intelligent energy systems and environmental comfort for workers and visitors.
Cantina Meraviglia will be the production site for the two company brands, namely Tenuta Meraviglia and Tenuta Le Colonne, for a total of 95 hectares. The division between the two estates is purely agronomic: Tenuta Meraviglia, higher up, has volcanic soils, and is almost entirely planted with Cabernet Franc (with the exception of 3 hectares in the Vermentino foothills); Tenuta Le Colonne instead extends almost to the sea, on sandy soils, giving us elegant and immediate wines.
It will also be a place of hospitality and wine tourism. The two rooms on the upper floor, the beautiful panoramic terrace, but also the library room (with old vintages) suspended over the barrel cellar, are evocative places designed for quality wine tourism, where to promote the territory and culture. The winery will open to the public in September.