GOLFING AT HEAVEN'S DOOR

Castiglion del Bosco lies amid the greatest vineyards and views of southern Tuscany, a grape's throw from the fabled village of Montalcino. The medieval estate has been transformed into one of the world's most exclusive golf clubs by a scion of the Ferragamo fashion family. Darius Sanai investigates.

To most people, Tuscany conjures up images of vine-clad hillsides, dotted with ancient farmhouses and churches; of olive groves and villas in the summer sun. This is only accurate if you are thinking of the Tuscany of John Mortimer's 'Chiantishire', the blessed, hilly area lying roughly between Florence and Siena, home to the wine that inspired the name. Tuscany is an expansive region, bridging the two Italies. Pontremoli in the north has more in common with the dank, forested uplands in Piedmont, truffle country, than it does with Chiantishire; and near Pitigliano in the south, Tuscany feels Roman - literally, as it is both within biking distance of Rome, and littered with Roman and Etruscan relics. The coastal area of the Maremma is flat with long, sandy beaches and some of Italy's finest vineyards (think Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Masetto). Over to the east, near Arezzo and Cortona, the landscapes are broad and sweeping, more Umbria than Chianti. And then there are the cities: Florence and Siena have such utterly different characters you'd swear the inhabitants had spent centuries fighting each other as opposing city states with highly different cultures - which they did.

So when you talk Tuscany, you need to specify which Tuscany. Most of them are entrancing, but for me the most beguiling Tuscany of all has long been the area between Siena and the forest-clad volcano that broods over the entire south of the province, Monte Amiata. Driving south from Chiantishire and Siena, the scenery opens out to a broad sweep of views, deceptive in that they seem always to spread in every direction, no matter where you are, like an optical illusion. The vineyards and olive groves give way to big farms, driveways along hillsides lined with cypress are still there but less common, more eye-catching. There are fewer buildings, and the slopes seem other-worldly, like someone picked the whole area up, shook it around like a sheet and laid it down carelessly.

The otherness has a reason: this region used to lie deep under the sea, and it is the seabed soil (they still find fossilised crustaceans here) that is supposedly one of the key elements in the equation making up one of Italy's most fabled wines, Brunello di Montalcino.

For the last 14 years I have made an annual pilgrimage to Montalcino, to taste the latest vintage of the Brunello wine, but also to absorb myself in the serene soulfulness of the place. Montalcino lies on top of a ridge above the undulations of southern Tuscany, and for many years one of my favourite Brunellos was a chewy, spicy example made by an estate called Castiglion del Bosco. The estate, itself an ancient village, lies on a ridge separated from Montalcino by forest and vineyard: you can see one from the other, which was surely the idea when both were built in medieval times.

Castiglion del Bosco still makes an excellent Brunello - on which more later - but it has also been bought and turned into one of the world's most exclusive resorts. One of the owners is Massimo Ferragamo, of the Florentine fashion dynasty. As well as turning some of the estate's 15th century buildings into ultra-exclusive villas, they have spent millions revamping the winery, creating a top-class Italian country restaurant, installing a swimming pool, a spa and - most remarkable of all - a world-class 18-hole golf course, for members only.

So what would it be like, this medieval ultra-luxe resortcum- wine estate facing my favourite village in Italy? And could it all really work?

Driving up to Castiglion del Bosco from the main Siena road involves a few sweeping bends up hillsides clad with vines, crossing a rushing stream, and an interval where you go through a deep forest. But you don't think much of the ascent until you look at the view from the terrace of the main lodge and intake of breath - the whole tapestry of southern Tuscany is spread before you. The view, again, is on every side: forested hills for miles that way, ancient farmland far below, that way, Montalcino and, beyond it, other ancient outposts of the Sienese city-state like Pienza and Montepulciano the other.

The fact is, though, that the view is not even one of the first things you marvel at when arriving at Castiglion. After arriving at a little stone-clad lodge scattered with coffee table books and model Ferraris, you stroll down what was the main (only) road of the farmstead, lined by cypress trees, views on either side. To the right, a pool of unearthly beauty appears, green-and-blue in colour because of the light stone used to make it; beyond it a shelf drops away to a forested valley, with Montalcino on the ridge beyond.

In front of you are the buildings of the old estate, refurbished in painstaking detail, with every piece of a dry stone wall lovingly recreated, every rafter perfectly angled. My suite's entrance was on the left: it opened out into a sweeping living room decorated with the kind of perfect judgment that only the scion of an Italian design house could exercise, and with the kind of investment in detail that suggests a return on investment was viewed as a long term prospect. This is a project of love. As examples of detail: the mini-bar and TV remote were clad in the same soft Ferragamo leather that housed the key; the slippers were a bespoke design, more soft shoe than slipper, fitting around and above the ankle.

When I mention the Ferragamo name, I do so gingerly, because nothing carries the brand's name here: that would be gauche, in what is a private investment by a family member.

They would disapprove of me mentioning the name: they don't do so themselves. In fact there is no commercial signage, no branding apparent at all. There is nothing to suggest Castiglion del Bosco is a commercial venture. In the tiny 'square' formed by the confluence of the stone buildings, a little shop sells wraps, hats, sandals in the best possible taste - none of them Ferragamo.

The main lodge building houses a restaurant with a terrace with the same views over Tuscany and over to Umbria, in the far distance, as the pool, to which it is connected by stone-clad paths. I was sceptical about the restaurant, for the very unreasonable reason that, in Tuscany, as in much of Italy, the very best food emanates from the very simplest kitchens. Tuscan food is peasant food, hunter's and farmer's fare involving wild boar, fish from the coast, local tomatoes and herbs and olives, a few beans and pulses, and little else. Would the restaurant in Tuscany's most exclusive address overelaborate like a Michelin-starred restaurant of my acquaintance nearby, and spoil the moment?

I needn't have worried. The first course of cannelloni with wild boar, baby tomatoes, baby calamari and oregano was a perfection of simplicity. The Chianina beef T-bone that followed was seared outside, red inside, evidently dry-aged for the developed gaminess, studded with salt and little else. So magnificent that I nearly forgot the wine. Castiglion produces two Brunellos, a standard one and a single vineyard reserve, Campo del Drago. The 2006 Brunello was crunchy, fresh, fruity and gorgeously balanced. The 2005 Campo del Drago was deep, powerful, meaty and inky. Neither was quite as good as the 2004 Campo del Drago which I had tasted in Montalcino the previous year: sadly the estate's cellars are all sold out (although I would imagine the owners have a little stashed away as this is one of the world's truly great wines). You could smell many of the elements in the wines simply by breathing the air on the starlit terrace: oregano, olives, hot stone, and a hint of mint were in the air as much as in the glass.

All of this would be enough - is enough - to qualify CdB as one of the greatest places to visit in my world, let alone my Tuscany. But there's a qualifier. To experience CdB long-term, you need to be a member of the golf club, whose course opened earlier this year. This is not a hotel: it's the world's ultimate golf/wine leisure club. Friends who have taken up memberships wax lyrical, saying the golf is as exceptional as the rest of the experience. Not qualified to judge, I instead asked some questions

Q&A with Steve Williams
Director of Golf at Castiglion del Bosco

What is so special about the golf at CdB?
The golf course is neither a links or parkland course. It is a truly Tuscan-style course that blends perfectly with the surrounding countryside. It is the only one of its kind. Nowhere else in Italy is there a course that is kept in such an immaculate condition. Our membership policy (300 members) means that the course is never crowded and each golf hole is almost on its own, giving you the feeling that you are the only one playing the course.

Due to our 4 tee options, the course can be very demanding or less so and is therefore a challenge for every type of player, be that a scratch golfer or 24 handicap. The landscape and views that surrounds the course is breathtaking and unspoilt. Couple this with the wine and food that is on property and you have a very powerful combination.

Tuscany has distinct seasons - when is best to play?
Anytime from April to early November is good. During the very hot months we are blessed with a wind that blows in from the sea making it comfortable to play even at midday in July and August. The course takes on different looks at different times. In the autumn, for example, as the leaves turn brown, the Borgo (estate) takes on a completely different look which is spectacular. Also, early morning and late afternoon are good as the sun casts its shadows.

Any particular challenges?
The 13th hole is a monster! A 685 yard par 5, you have to hit straight and long to achieve a par on this hole. The 449 yard par 4, 18th hole has everything for a golfer. You need a tough drive, normally into wind, that has to be accurate and hit up the left side of the fairway, followed by a second shot usually from around 200 yards to a green protected by bunkers that wrap themselves around the green. The green, while quite large, is set sideways, making the landing area very small - around a 10 yard area. The approach is a hog's back. If you do not hit the shot perfectly accurately, your ball will be thrown either into the bunker or off the green and into a basin. The green has two levels which makes putting very difficult. It will wreck many good scores.

What do you like about playing on it?
The whole golf course has been designed to fit with the surrounding countryside. If you cast your eyes from the golf hole into the landscape behind, it looks like the holes have just been carved out of the original land. This makes the course feel very mature and as if it has always been there. There is so much space out there that you feel you are playing the course alone and are at one with nature. The surrounding fields are so full of colour and are constantly changing with the seasons, you never get bored of the view. The silence is amazing and very relaxing, making for the most enjoyable round of golf you have ever had. Although we are still young, this is the comment we receive time and time again. We keep course signage down to a minimum to enhance this feel of being at one with nature.

Would the golfer who has played everywhere like it?
Yes definitely. The course is so different from most golf courses in the style of each hole - one that would challenge the most travelled of golfers.

It seems very exclusive, is that what you want?
Our members are people who crave being a member of one of the world’s best golf clubs, where they can bring business associates and friends. They appreciate service, exclusivity, privacy, and a golf course that is playable on demand.