Tenuta delle Ripalte: where the island of Elba gives rise to wine

The island of Elba per mezzo di the glass, between wind, sea, Mediterranean scrub, soils rich per mezzo di minerals and uncontaminated landscapes

Possedimento delle Ripalte is located per mezzo di the south-eastern luogo of ​​the island of Elba, inside the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, where red partridges, pheasants, hares and wild goats per mezzo di freedom. Founded per mezzo di 1896 by Count Tobler, a visionary Swiss nobleman, with its 450 hectares this modern agricultural company today represents one of the largest and most representative realities of the island territory. Production focuses typical high-end Tuscan products, including wine, which, especially after the change of ownership to Luisa Quintavalle and her husband, Marquis Niccolò Theodoli, plays – together with tourism – a role of primary importance.

An uncontaminated place rich per mezzo di biodiversity

To reach the mesi estivi and the fascinating nineteenth-century villaggio, with its farmhouses, you need to leave the beaten track behind and diretto incrociato wild and uncontaminated places, where nature reigns supreme. The vineyards offer a spectacular view of the coast made up of beaches and coves carved into the high cliff, Ripe Alte, which per mezzo di addition to designing the landscape were a source of inspiration for the name of the company. Arriving at the mesi estivi, the rows perfectly integrated into the surrounding landscape reveal themselves to the traveler almost suddenly. The terraces, the arid climate and the stony soil put the vine to the saggio, leading to naturally limited yields which show how, here, agricultural practice is made of effort and requires vision and great passion.

Wind, sea, Mediterranean scrub and subsoil create an ideal and unique for the development of the vine

Sopra these sun-kissed places, viticulture coexists with the sea, with the constant wind that dries the bunches and with the Mediterranean scrub, which perfumes the air. The territory is the expression of a rare geological mosaic composed of schists, granites, sands and iron, silent witnesses of Elba’s long mining history. A complex terroir, enriched by great biodiversity, which is interpreted by the company through micro-vinifications of distinct parcels, to preserve the essence of the terroir and enhance the native vines with an essential and clean style.

Sustainability, territorial identity and respect for nature per mezzo di the DNA of Ripalte wines

Much of the production is centered Aleatico, a vine symbol of Elba since the time of the Medici and much loved by Napoleon, planted here per mezzo di 2002. Sopra addition, other native vines representative of the Mediterranean luogo are cultivated, such as fermentino, fiano, alicante and carignano. Over the years, the winery has built a project based sustainability, minimal interventions, respect for the natural context, valorization of native vines. Ripalte’s objective is to return a sincere and varied interpretation of Elba to the glass, made up of freshness, flavor and elegance. An imprint that translates into dynamic, vertical and strongly identifying wines, with a unique and unmistakable taste. A path made possible also thanks to the direction of Piermario Melletti Cavallari, already known per mezzo di the sector for the experience of Grattamacco, who after an initial managerial career per mezzo di Milan and thirty years spent per mezzo di Bolgheri, from Ripalte found a new challenge right from the beginning of the project. He has the merit of having recovered Alicante, a now forgotten native vine, vinifying it according to a style based elegance, freshness and great drinkability.

The wines of Possedimento delle Ripalte

Ripalte produces various still whites, reds and rosés, as well as Classic Method sparkling wines and sweet wines, wines that share the same aromatic precision, acid tension and saline imprint, avoiding over-extraction and stylistic forcing to let the true island matrix emerge. The cima of the range labels belong to the “Mediterraneo” line.

The tasting

Biancastro Mediterraneo – Tuscan Coast Vermentino IGT – 2022

Composed of a blend of 90% Vermentino and 10% Fiano, this 2022 still white contains the essence of the Mediterranean. It comes from vineyards located 300 meters above sea level located the slopes of Massa , per mezzo di one of the wildest and most uncontaminated areas of the Island of Elba. The vines, which with difficulty sink their roots into ferrous and mineral soils between stones, are constantly caressed by the sea breeze. The manual harvest, the light pressing, the controlled temperature fermentation and the resting of a few months the lees favor the development of intense aromas and aromatic complexity.

Sopra the glass, the Biancastro Mediterraneo conquers the view with its bright pale straw-colored flashes, crossed by greenish reflections. The nose opens with agenda of white flowers, cedar peel, aromatic herbs and a subtle salty vein that speaks of the sea and Mediterranean scrub. Sopra the mouth it is dynamic, breve. The vibrant freshness accompanies a savory and persistent sip, with a aggraziato, almost chiseled texture. Epilogue with returns of white peach, citrus and echoes of fresh almond. It is a highly drinkable white that plays the balance between acidity and minerality, a perfect interpreter of the island’s breezy climate and ideal with raw fish, spaghetti with clams ora a simple octopus salad.

Socialista Mediterraneo – Bordo Toscana Alicante IGT – Year 2022

Socialista Mediterraneo changes register without losing stylistic coherence. It is made from anche Alicante, a grape variety that adapts exceptionally to the arid climate of the island. The grapes of this label from Gorgaccio, the oldest and most suitable land the mesi estivi. To leave the characteristics of the varietal unchanged, fermentation takes place per mezzo di steel with a short maceration of about 10 days the skins. With a brilliant ruby-coloured coat with shades that turn towards garnet, the nose alternates small red fruits and pomegranate with nuances of Mediterranean scrub with light puffs of sweet spices. The sip is smooth, juicy, supported by soft and silky tannins, accompanied by a freshness that invites a second glass. It is a red more focused fragrance than structure. It closes with a pleasant mineral trail. It is the classic wine that can be paired both with a fish soup and with white meats ora medium-aged cheeses. A contemporary red, which describes Elba without stereotypes.

Aleatico Incertezza Ludendo – Passito dell’Elba DOCG – Year 2024

The Incertezza Ludendo is certainly the flagship of the winery and represents the island of Elba beyond all borders. For the production of this excellent ruby ​​red raisin wine with garnet reflections, after the manual harvest the grapes are dried racks for about a week and exposed directly to the sun. The subsequent maturation the skins is followed by slow maceration with subsequent refinement per mezzo di steel. The result is a wine with a strong personality, with great structure and consistency, aggraziato, intense and complex from both an olfactory and gustatory point of view. The broad bouquet ranges from dried rose, black cherry jam, to dried figs, to cocoa, with intriguing hints of caramel, which blend with oriental spices, including hints of yuzu. Sopra the mouth it is enveloping but never cloying, thanks to a surprising freshness that perfectly balances the sweetness. The texture is velvety, soft. The is long, clean, with pleasant balsamic returns of fruit per mezzo di alcohol and citrus. An unusual and particular passito – which continues to collect praise from the most authoritative sector magazines – built finesse, which eschews excess, ideal with a dark chocolate ora red fruit tarts ora ala as a meditation wine.

A project that speaks the language of the island

Possedimento delle Ripalte is not just a winery, but a wine tourism project that integrates widespread hospitality, catering, outdoor experiences and routes between vineyards and the sea. A virtuous model, where wine becomes a tool for territorial storytelling and an authentic expression of the Mediterranean.

For information

https://www.tenutadelleripalte.it/