The name most likely originates from a group of 'Bulgari' or Bulgarian mercenaries who settled here after being employed by the invading Longobards or Lombards.

Already by the 8th century AD, this group was getting Latinized into Bulgarus, Bulgarellus or Bulgarinus, just like a number of localities across north Italy.

For example, Bulgarogrosso (Como), Bòlgare (Bergamo), Bòrgaro Torinese (Turin) and Bolgarello (Pavia, capital of the Longobard reign ).

From the 14th century, the expansion of Fiorentine power and conflict with Pisa saw a number of grave skirmishes in and around Bolgheri.

The nearby locality of Donoratico was even wiped from the history books, such was the devastation In the the mid 15th century.

Livorno had always supported Florence and a group of special troops from the port city, 'I Lanzichenecchi' o 'Lanzi', eventually got to Bolgheri in 1496. The Lanzi besieged the walls of Bolgheri and demanded money for their freedom.

The subsequent skirmish was by all accounts exaggerated by an excess of wine drunk by both to the fortune of the populace who ran off into the woods. Bolgheri itself was unfortunately sacked and raised to the ground by flames.

They had learned their lesson and new Bolgheri was built with solid walls, ditches all around and a still standing stone church made from the previous castle or 'Castelvecchio'.