So much green, silence and the gaze free to look far away. If nature is easier to listen to and become part of the surrounding environment, it becomes a privilege to do so in the 450 acres of the Tenuta delle Ripalte.
Between Montecristo Island and Mount Calamita
Located at 9 km of dirt road from the town of Capoliveri, the Ripalte complex, overlooking 12km of enchanting coastline, is the right place for those seeking a peaceful and relaxing time in close contact with nature.
In this wild and enchanting corner in front of Montecristo Island, included in that quarter of the island of Elba occupied by the landing arm extending south to Mount Calamita, you can devote yourself to hiking, excursions, biking and refreshing swims in coves by the clear and crystalline water.
At the center of the estate stands the beautiful nineteenth-century villa, once buen retiro of the nobles Tobler Theodoli Quintavalle, now carefully restored and transformed into a charming hotel. The interiors have the charm of the original architectural elements: thick and wicked walls, windows with shutters, irregular floors and period furnishings. Entering the same climate of refuge and peace of the past is breathing.
Shaded by a centuries-old pine tree park and numerous farmhouses that have been converted into 52 comfortable apartments ideal for a relaxing holiday, it overlooks the vineyards that slope down to the sea.
Sixteen villas sprawled in the pine forest and all sea views, far from each other to ensure the most complete privacy for those who decide to spend their holidays here.
We have visited some of them including Villa Api, a large and refined sea-view residence: tastefully furnished, is on two floors and offers 12 beds, 5 bathrooms, large kitchen with all appliances and outdoor BBQ. Scenicize the small private swimming pool, with a panoramic terrace overlooking the green and the sea on the horizon. Very scenic also Villa Eucalipti, airy residence and flooded with light for ten people, with large glass windows overlooking the sea, private pool and a spectacular sun terrace.
For the most “athletic”, also the 10 overcrowded tents of Glamping, demanded by foreign customers so much that they are already booked for next season.
In the wide wooden curtains, canopy beds, Jacuzzi shower facilities and fully equipped kitchens, all immersed in nature, among pine woods and Mediterranean scrub. A great silence surrounds sleep and dreams, and it goes down to the sea as you walk through the green.
The shore, now rocky and steep, now with small sandy bushes emerging between the bright green of the pines, can also be reached on horseback. At the heart of the Tenuta delle Ripalte is the horse racing center A.S.D. La Bosana Costa dei Gabbiani, which with its technicians and horses is available for those who want to get closer to horse riding and to visit these unspoilt places.
It is not easy to choose where to stop to enjoy sun and sea: thanks to the geological variety of rocks that make up the promontory, in fact, the coves, though close, can have completely different seams, which affects the brightness of the sea and the composition of the sand. The cliffs are also very varied. On the southern tip of the calamitic promontory, they rise steep and jagged. This is also the area called “Coast of the Gulls”, for the presence of hundreds of pairs of real gulls nesting on the skies, where only the wild goats, who seem to play hide and seek among the rocks, venture together with the white birds.
For our swim we have chosen the beach of Remaiolo, the only one equipped in the Coast of the Gulls, but with a wild look dominated by the intense blue of the sea that degrades in its clearer shades, the green of the Mediterranean scrub and the red of ferruginous rocks. The beach is separated from that of Vetrangoli by a rock spur, while in front of it is the rock of Remaiolo, by seabeds rich in fish, gorgonians and lobsters.
On the other side of the spur of the Tenuta is the small beach of Buzzancone, characterized by wild nature and a clear and deep sea. Then the little beaches of Istria and Calanova, separated by a pine forest that seems to dive into the clear sea.
The Istia or Istria beach is the ideal place for those who love nature and are looking for tranquility, always insured by not easy access. The small bay is enclosed on the right side of the Liscoli Island, while a thick shingle of tall pines stretches behind it.
The beach of Calanova is framed by a rich vegetation made up of sea pines and cranes that reach the sea. In part equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas, it is a goal for many yachtsmen, thanks to the small pier and hosts the restaurant where you can lunch and dine outdoor while savoring fish cuisine and typical Tuscan dishes, always accompanied by the excellent wines of the Tenuta.
There is the possibility that we did not miss, to visit the cellar dug in the rock, designed by Tobia Scarpa and inserted among the 14 Cantine d’Autore in Tuscany: a parallelepiped inserted in a wild landscape, which recalls architecture of the nearby Calamita and Ginevro mines.
Here you can find the grapes of the vineyard of the most famous and typical Elban wine, Aleatico, planted in 2002 in order to enhance the old farm vocation of the site, which today has 15 hectares of vineyards.
In the tasting room on the terrace with breathtaking views of the vineyards and the sea, we have tasted Ripalte Rosé, very fresh with the typical hints of the Aleatico, such as pink rose, purple, marasca but at the same time rich in aromatic bouquet typical of Mediterranean scrub and also of terroir with strong mineral connotations. From the same vineyards of Poggio Turco cultivated in Aleatico, the Brut of Ripalte was born: a rosemary sparkling vinegar with the Charmat method, ideal in combination with crustaceans and seafood.
The last born is the Red of the Ripalte, a wine of character that follows the tradition of the Elba winemaking tradition but with innovative elements. The main grape is the Grenache, also called alicante, cannonau and garnacha, which fits perfectly to the arid and dry climate of the island. We could not taste the Vermentino, because the old production is already over and the new one is not yet available, produced by the Vigneti dei Pascoli Alti that mature late and guarantee the white grapes that make them more finesse and acidity even in the warmer vintages.
All the vineyards are fenced in to protect the wildlife living in the estate: hares, pheasants, pelvis, partridges, wild boar, wild goats. And often in the evening these animals peep at the stable to steal something from the buckets for horses.
Tenuta delle Ripalte
Capoliveri – Isola d’Elba (Li)
Info: +39 – 0565 94211
info@tenutadelleripalte.it – www.tenutadelleripalte.it
