History
history
A fairy tale
Ripalte Farm: a sustainable farming business.
Artifacts and remnants of Etruscan smelting furnaces provide evidence of settlements from the ninth century B.C., but it was not until the first half of the nineteenth century, when ore began to be mined from Mount Calamita, that well-documented human activity began at Ripe Alte.
Artifacts and remnants of Etruscan smelting furnaces provide evidence of settlements from the ninth century B.C., but it was not until the first half of the nineteenth century, when ore began to be mined from Mount Calamita, that well-documented human activity began at Ripe Alte.
The Fattoria was founded in 1896 by Count Tobler, a Swiss nobleman in love with Italy, to carry out a grand project of his: a modern farm in which the cultivation of vines played a major role.
The entire area, about 450 hectares, constituted the largest farming business on the island. However, wine production and livestock farms were abandoned by later owners who were mainly interested in leisure stays and hunting.
The current ownership, which took over in 1977, has noticed the turistic potential of this area and focused on building on this, while building on the past, reintroducing viticulture in 2002. Now, sixteen hectares of new vines occupy the best positions on the estate.
The entire area, about 450 hectares, constituted the largest farming business on the island. However, wine production and livestock farms were abandoned by later owners who were mainly interested in leisure stays and hunting.
The current ownership, which took over in 1977, has noticed the turistic potential of this area and focused on building on this, while building on the past, reintroducing viticulture in 2002. Now, sixteen hectares of new vines occupy the best positions on the estate.
A large part of the production comes from aleatico grapes that, properly vinified, yield a captivating Rosè and a sweet and complex Raisin wine, very pleasant to drink. The other vineyards feature grape varieties representative of the Mediterranean area: Vermentino and Fiano, Alicante and Carignan.
The vineyard is planted on challenging, stony and very drained soils and is, in part, terraced. The vines do not produce much but the quality of the grapes is high. The soils are managed according to the principles of sustainable agriculture: organic fertilization and green manure, no chemical weeding and limited phytosanitary treatments.
The vineyard is planted on challenging, stony and very drained soils and is, in part, terraced. The vines do not produce much but the quality of the grapes is high. The soils are managed according to the principles of sustainable agriculture: organic fertilization and green manure, no chemical weeding and limited phytosanitary treatments.
IL CONTE TOBLER
Around 1890, the wild beauty of the area attracted the attention of a notable figure, Oscar Tobler, who used to sail the Tyrrhenian Sea on his yacht, starting from the Livorno port. His family moved from Switzerland to Livorno as early as 1772. Tobler was- between Livorno and Pisa- an entrepreneur in several fields. His passion, however, was always agriculture, which he saw both in an economic/rational and humanistic/social dimension.
Between 1889 and 1906, he acquired four properties on the island. The Cape Calamita Estate (now the Tenuta delle Ripalte) was the most impressive and riskiest investment because of its isolated location (it could only be accessed by footpaths or from the sea, as the current access road was not built until 1925, for mining use). The area had no resident population, and workers arrived on foot from Capoliveri, 9 km away.
It was also the one that had the most specific agronomic direction, because it was aimed almost solely at wine production (village accounts speak of more than three thousand barrels produced annually around 1910), sold to Genoese merchants who loaded it onto sailing ships that docked at beaches along the coast.
Between 1889 and 1906, he acquired four properties on the island. The Cape Calamita Estate (now the Tenuta delle Ripalte) was the most impressive and riskiest investment because of its isolated location (it could only be accessed by footpaths or from the sea, as the current access road was not built until 1925, for mining use). The area had no resident population, and workers arrived on foot from Capoliveri, 9 km away.
It was also the one that had the most specific agronomic direction, because it was aimed almost solely at wine production (village accounts speak of more than three thousand barrels produced annually around 1910), sold to Genoese merchants who loaded it onto sailing ships that docked at beaches along the coast.
Tobler's economic fortunes declined at the end of World War I; between the two world wars, he sold the estate to a prominent figure in Italian industry, Umberto Quintavalle (for decades vice-president and general manager of Magneti Marelli), who, however, reduced wine production, turning it into a splendid "buen retiro" (retreat) for himself, his family and his friends.
This is when the custom of large September hunting parties began (the estate was and is rich in hares, pheasants, partridges), attended by numerous members of the business and professional worlds. This activity continued even after the estate passed to his daughter Luisa, who was married to Marquis Niccolò Theodoli. In the meantime, the economy of Elba, and in particular of Capoliveri, changed its focus from agriculture and mining to tourism, and the current management of the estate is part of this evolution.
Today, with the perfect blend of wine production and hospitality, we return to Oscar Tobler's original spirit.
This is when the custom of large September hunting parties began (the estate was and is rich in hares, pheasants, partridges), attended by numerous members of the business and professional worlds. This activity continued even after the estate passed to his daughter Luisa, who was married to Marquis Niccolò Theodoli. In the meantime, the economy of Elba, and in particular of Capoliveri, changed its focus from agriculture and mining to tourism, and the current management of the estate is part of this evolution.
Today, with the perfect blend of wine production and hospitality, we return to Oscar Tobler's original spirit.
