Tenuta Delle Ripalte

Fattoria delle Ripalte was founded way back in 1896 on the initiative of the Swiss Count Tobler; we are on the island of Elba, in the southernmost area. The estate consists of approximately 450 hectares of Mediterranean scrub, 15 of which are made up of new vineyards located in the best positions of the estate, all dominated by the modern cellar designed by the famous architect Tobia Scarpa. The winery is also part of a circuit that brings together all the Tuscan wineries that have an architectural relevance: Toscana Wine Architecture. The building is spread over three levels and responds to the logic of the transfer of raw materials by means of gravity, while the roof of the cellar consists of a terrace used for drying the grapes, with an incredible view of the surrounding vineyards, the coasts of the island and the other islands of the archipelago. The new cellar is a real work tool, all functions have their own space and a logical production path. The current ownership, which took over in 1977, has developed the natural tourist vocation of the Elba area but, mindful of the past, reintroduced viticulture in 2002: now 16 hectares of new vineyards occupy the best positions of the estate. A large part of the production comes from the native island vine, the Aleatico which, vinified properly, produces an attractive Rosé and a sweet and complex Passito, very pleasant to drink. The other vineyards are planted with vines representative of the Mediterranean area: Vermentino and Fiano, Alicante and Carignano. The vineyards stand on complex, stony and, in part, terraced soils. The vines produce little, but the quality of the grapes is very high. The soils are all of volcanic origin with considerable mineral richness. Further curiosity: all the vineyards are fenced to protect wildlife (hares, wild boars and wild goats) which are particularly attracted to the ripe grapes! We are within the Tuscan Archipelago National Park and, also for this reason, the agronomic management of the company follows the principles of sustainable agriculture, the land is managed according to the principles of sustainable agriculture: organic fertilization and green manure, no weeding chemical and limited phytosanitary treatments. Current production consists of 60,000 bottles. The estate's wines are intriguing, complex, respectful of nature and reflect the characteristics of the production area, the island of Elba.