Castelnuovo
I was stunned. Pleasantly stunned. Roberto Ferrata uncased his new titanium Fabbri 12 gauge shotgun and handed it to me. “I want you to use my gun today.” I received the magnificent firearm and held it as gently as if it were a newborn baby. Bringing it to my shoulder, I noted with conflicting emotions and thoughts that it fitted perfectly.
We were standing in the hunting room of the historic Castelnuovo estate located in Siena, Tuscany. More formally named the Tenuta Castelnuovo Tancredi, the estate is owned by Guido del Greco and his wife, Lee Venturiniand has been in Guido’s family, as I understood Guido’s narrative, for more than four hundred years.
A Fabbri Titanium in 20 gauge engraved by Valerio Peli of Creative Art (photo: Artfact).
“Do you note that it is raining outside?” I asked Roberto with arching eyebrows and a tone hinting of incredulity. Although the rain was slight, it was more than a fine drizzle. The notion of taking a gorgeous Fabbri into such a hostile environment impressed me as heretical. Roberto smiled. “The Fabbri is a tool designed to be used,” he said with an impish smile. “You are my guest. You use my shotgun.” That’s strong, I said as I made a fist and jabbed the air.
The door from the gun room that led outside was open, providing an unobstructed view of the rolling Tuscan hills, stands of eucalyptus trees and spears of sunlight that penetrated the cloudy gray sky as if in a Titian oil painting.
I finished dressing, zipping up my rubber boots and layering shirts and a sweater under an oiled rain-proof garment. Roberto, Guido, his brother, Ghino, and a friend, Fabbio, and I got into a truck carrying in the rear the energized yelping dogs. We drove about a mile or so on gravel and mud roads to our first hunting field. The beauty of the place stirred the soul. In all directions the hills were dotted with villas topped with red tiled roofs, some dating back as much as 1,000 years.
The rain abated and became more of a fine mist. We knew the hunting would be challenging because the dampness impeded the transfer of the scent of the birds into the air for the dogs to discern. Nevertheless, we were optimistic because we saw many pheasant as we entered the grounds of the estate and the dogs did bound about with enthusiasm.
Roberto and I walked along the edge of a section bounded by thick brush, tall grasses and dense growths of trees. Two pheasant arose from my right. Roberto swung quickly with his Beretta and knocked the farther bird down with the second barrel as Ghino, a few paces ahead of us, adroitly dispatched the other. I confide that I carried the Fabbri with caution as I would any sporting arm that is priced in the range of a Bentley. As a matter of habit, I kept wiping the water droplets from the Fabbri’s diamond-coated stainless steel barrels, an action that I came to learn was thoroughly unnecessary.
Guido del Greco, center kneeling, and Lee Venturini, standing top right, owners of Castelnuovo, and friends.