Podere Le Ripi

Podere Le Ripi interprets Montalcino through an agricultural philosophy centred on Sangiovese and the vitality of the soil. The estate operates under Demeter-certified organic and biodynamic practices, viewing the farm as a complex agricultural organism, where biodiversity, natural preparations and attention to the balance of the ecosystem underpin the cultivation of the vines. The heart of the estate lies in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, on the eastern slope of Montalcino, where the influence of Monte Amiata, the morning light and the air currents create a dry, bright and breezy environment. Here, the soils of marine origin, rich in clay, silt and active limestone, lend the Sangiovese depth, energy and complexity.

The estate’s vineyards also extend to the western slope, which is cooler and more humid, characterised by its proximity to the Ombrone, by woodland and by looser alluvial soils containing sand, clay and fragments of alberese, galestro and Tuscan macigno. The decision to highlight the different origins of the grapes separately reflects a keen sensitivity to the nuances of the terroir. In the cellar, the process involves hand-harvesting, careful selection, slow spontaneous fermentation in large oak vats, ageing in large barrels and subsequent refinement in concrete tanks. The approach is measured and minimally interventionist: the wine is guided rather than dictated, with the aim of giving voice to the harvest, the geology and the two slopes of Montalcino.