Podere Le Ripi
As a naturalist photographer, which he was by profession, Francesco Illy has always loved observing the surrounding environment with an attentive and creative eye. The area of Montalcino, in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, where Podere Le Ripi stands, brings together all the essential traits of the perfect photo: majestic, uncompromising, untouched and colorful. Here Francesco set his mind on wanting to live. The Illy family is among the most established leaders in the coffee world, and Francesco seeks the same excellence in the wine sector.
The first cuttings are planted at Podere Le Ripi according to a very specific thought: the greater the density of plants per hectare, the greater the quality of the fruit will be. Francesco exaggerates this concept by positioning the plants 40 centimeters apart, effectively creating the densest vineyard in the world: the Bonsai! Here the competition among the roots of the young vines underground is so high that the plant is forced to descend quickly into depth to grab the best nutrients. Another an indispensable ingredient for Podere Le Ripi is the composition of the soil, rich in clay, tuff, sand, and limestone, but above all fertile, well-oxygenated, enlivened by flowers, herbs, and microflora. In the vineyard there is no intervention, if anything, it is preserved.
The cellar of Podere Le Ripi is a Greek theater where wine takes center stage as the undisputed protagonist. Rigorously circular and made of brick (in contrast to the gray cementification we are too accustomed to today), this Pantheon unfolds underground like a spiral where the barrels dance to the rhythm of classical music resonating from a speaker positioned in the center. The architectural and musical harmony can only give life to equally harmonious and seductive liquids. No temperature control, everything is at the mercy of climate changes, relying on the protection of the walls and the earth that naturally permeates the walls from the outside. The Sangiovese, exalted in purity in the Rosso and in the Brunello di Montalcino and the Syrah in “Amore and Follia” are naturally noble and elegant wines that amaze the drinker with an earthly, warm, and resolute care.
As a naturalist photographer, which he was by profession, Francesco Illy has always loved observing the surrounding environment with an attentive and creative eye. The area of Montalcino, in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, where Podere Le Ripi stands, brings together all the essential traits of the perfect photo: majestic, uncompromising, untouched and colorful. Here Francesco set his mind on wanting to live. The Illy family is among the most established leaders in the coffee world, and Francesco seeks the same excellence in the wine sector.
The first cuttings are planted at Podere Le Ripi according to a very specific thought: the greater the density of plants per hectare, the greater the quality of the fruit will be. Francesco exaggerates this concept by positioning the plants 40 centimeters apart, effectively creating the densest vineyard in the world: the Bonsai! Here the competition among the roots of the young vines underground is so high that the plant is forced to descend quickly into depth to grab the best nutrients. Another an indispensable ingredient for Podere Le Ripi is the composition of the soil, rich in clay, tuff, sand, and limestone, but above all fertile, well-oxygenated, enlivened by flowers, herbs, and microflora. In the vineyard there is no intervention, if anything, it is preserved.
The cellar of Podere Le Ripi is a Greek theater where wine takes center stage as the undisputed protagonist. Rigorously circular and made of brick (in contrast to the gray cementification we are too accustomed to today), this Pantheon unfolds underground like a spiral where the barrels dance to the rhythm of classical music resonating from a speaker positioned in the center. The architectural and musical harmony can only give life to equally harmonious and seductive liquids. No temperature control, everything is at the mercy of climate changes, relying on the protection of the walls and the earth that naturally permeates the walls from the outside. The Sangiovese, exalted in purity in the Rosso and in the Brunello di Montalcino and the Syrah in “Amore and Follia” are naturally noble and elegant wines that amaze the drinker with an earthly, warm, and resolute care.
