Title – Name
Podere Le Ripi
Scope / Sector / Industry
Wine tourism
Country / Region
Italy, Montalcino
Why is it good practice?
Podere Le Ripi Winery is a good practice wine tourism business, as through its actions, it brings the visitor closer to the natural environment of Tuscany, the local authentic taste and the culture around wine. By applying the method of biodynamic agriculture to its crops, as well as other sustainability practices, it aims for the harmonious coexistence and respect of the entire ecosystem (human – nature – animals) in which it operates. This philosophy is evident in the wine tourism experiences it offers and a visitor can not only live an authentic wine experience, but also become aware of and reflect on the modern way of life.
How is it applied?
Podere Le Ripi Winery was founded in 1997 in the Montalcino are of Tuscany. It has a total area of 34 hectares and consists of two vineyards on two opposite sides of Montalcino, in Galampio on the west side and in Castelnuovo dell’Abate on the southeast side, where the winery was also founded. In addition to the winery, a cellar has been built, using only ancient construction techniques.
As most of today’s agriculture has been transformed into an agribusiness, the company decided in 2011 to reconsider its approach and apply the biodynamic farming method to the cultivation and production of food. Biodynamic farming is a philosophy that allows a farm to evolve as a complex and interconnected agricultural organism. In this context, the winery has sought its continuous development, resulting in the fact that until today it produces wine, oil, honey and vegetables and hosts a small herd of cows, sheep, donkeys and goats that grow and enrich its ecosystem. The aim of the company is to cultivate only food and wine with aesthetic and nutritional characteristics and with the ultimate aim of limiting the negative impact on the land to the greatest extent and leaving the next generation with arable land as a legacy.
In this context, the winery’s wines are cultivated using the biodynamic farming method and are prepared in small quantities. The fact that the winery cannot guarantee the purchase of larger quantities of bottles, decided and created a more specific distribution system, similar to that of wine clubs, in order to ensure their annual shipment to the customer. Members of this club, in addition to the wines that will be guaranteed to them, have additional privileges (e.g. participation in tastings and events).
Following the previous philosophy, in 2018 the winery decided to utilize 6 acres of land and create a garden with orchards that were added to the existing century-old olive trees, beehives, lakes and areas for animal reproduction. The garden aims to increase and enrich biodiversity and preserve ancient species of fruits and vegetables cultivated according to biodynamic practices. It is also a place of research and observation, as it gives results of biodynamic practices in a faster way compared to those of vineyards. Biodynamic preparations and herbal infusions are also cultivated there.
All of the above philosophy and values of the company are summarized in a 5-point which states that “every business must understand the importance of the aesthetic, ethical, economic, ecological and social impacts” of its choices. Specifically, it argues that every business:
- if it works economically, it will be able to last in the future
- if it works in the environment in which it struggles, then it will be able to survive
- if it is ethical, then it will be a sustainable model
- when it works aesthetically, it can create culture and
- if it works socially, it can build a team that will create and develop this culture and spread it inside and outside the company.
Regarding the latter, the Winery places great importance on its human resources, trying to act as an incubator for young people taking their first steps. The average age of the employees is 28 years and they come from different parts of Italy and very different backgrounds. According to the winery, the combination of energy, professionalism, experience and knowledge allows a constant flow of new ideas and projects aimed at the development of the biodynamic winery.
In the context of human resources development, training sessions are organized with the aim of continuous exchange of information between senior and trainees, on a wide range of topics, from wine to marketing. In addition, once a year, the team travels to wine-producing regions around the world, in order to expand knowledge and strengthen teamwork.
In addition to the above, the winery provides wine courses from wine professionals and their aim is to enhance knowledge about wines from other regions of the world. It is noted that the courses provide space for learning about other wines and not necessarily about the winery.
In the context of developing wine tourism, the experiences that the winery has designed and offers to its visitors are briefly presented below:
- Private tour upon reservation of the farm, from the vineyards to the cellar and wine tastings accompanied by a tasting of the farm’s olive oil (if available).
- Lunch, dinner, aperitif and wine tasting experience at a special wine bar 3 km from the winery. The meal is based on seasonal local products.
- Experience in the winery’s biodynamic garden through a learning game designed for adults and families with children. The experience includes a tour of the biodynamic garden, meeting and feeding the farm’s animals, a tour of the vineyards and a wine tasting. The aim of the experience is to understand the environment and seasons for the products grown and to present the sustainable practices applied. Special clothing is provided during the experience, making the activity more experiential and safe for the visitor.
- Cooking classes. The courses include special clothing with boots, shirt, hat, gloves for the purpose of collecting fruits and vegetables from the farm. The aim is to create dishes based on the gastronomic tradition of Tuscany, accompanied by wines from the winery that suit the occasion.
- Private culinary experiences, from meals to private wine dinners.
- Special helicopter experience, which has been created in collaboration with another winery and a famous Michelin-starred restaurant, both located in the wider area. The aim is to provide a more special tour of the Tuscan vineyards, which includes a visit to the two wineries and a meal at the specific restaurant.
Regarding the sustainability practices implemented by the winery, these are achieved in various ways. The following are indicative:
- Creation of a 100% ecological cellar, so that the wine processes carried out in it have zero impact on the environment.
- Reduction of food waste, by feeding any leftovers to the farm animals.
- Efforts to develop the farm as a closed-loop agricultural system capable of integrating different types of crops and animals.
- Utilization of renewable energy sources.
- 100% reduction in the use of plastic in wine shipments.
- Implementation of a tree planting project in Sarah Desert from 2020.
- Reduction of non-natural chemical additives in the vineyards and cellar.
Where is it applied?
Podere Le Ripi’s activities adressed to those who wish to experience another philosophy of winery management and operation, which is based on harmonious coexistence and respect for the entire ecosystem (humans – nature – animals). Through the experiences that have been created, the visitor can live in a strongly experiential way the natural heritage of the area, the products it produces and the culture around them.
When did it applied?
Podere Le Ripi Winery was founded in 1997.
Results
Podere le Ripi Winery has been certified as “Organic and Biodynamic” for its actions since 2011, by the Demeter certification body that certifies and protects the integrity of biodynamic agriculture and products. Furthermore, in 2018 it became a member of Triple A (meaning Artisans, Artists, Farmers), a world-renowned natural wine distributor whose mission is to popularize organic, biodynamic and natural wine.
Also, in addition to the distinctions that its biodynamic wines have won, the Winery was included among the 12 best wine tours and tastings in Florence by CN Traveller and in the National Geographic Traveller Luxury Collection 2017.
Other Information
The official website of Podere Le Ripi Winery is: https://www.podereleripi.com/
