Podere Le Ripi is not just any winemaker; this is not just another story of biodynamic farming principles. Podere Le Ripi and its owner Francesco Illy is all that and so much more. Francesco Illy is a dreamer and a visionary. In this video, you can visit one of the most extraordinary wine cellars around and learn more about the famous Bonsai wine, which is undoubtedly one of a kind, not only in Brunello di Montalcino but worldwide.
Francesco Illy's ambition was to create a living wine cellar in harmony built on the principles of the so-called Golden Ratio 1:1,618033. This ratio is considered magical and has been used in architecture since 1500 BC when Stonehenge was built. We can find it in the Athens’ Parthenon, as well as in Leonardo da Vinci’s art and even in the recent United Nations Secretariat Building in New York.
This golden Fibonacci number forms the basis for all art and music. The number is considered so vital that it can be used across all disciplines of mathematics and physics - so profoundly purposeful that the natural world and the universe would bend to its whims.
And the pantheon in the golden cellar at Podere Le Ripi is genuinely a piece of art. It is an architectural masterpiece. It is a unique cathedral with spatial dimensions that strictly follow the Golden Ratio, with natural clay for the bricks, and a mortar made of lime without using reinforced concrete.
It took almost one year to move the 15.000 square meters of soil for the cellar, and it took another 7 years for it to be designed and developed and another year for the approval alone. Finally, using ancient bricklaying techniques, more than 750.000 bricks were laid down manually in "just" 4 years.
In this video, you can meet Francesco Illy, the visionary behind Podere Le Ripi, in his home just outside Montalcino. Francesco is from the Illy coffee family and is widely known as a free thinker and innovator. Not only are his wines biodynamic, but he is also quite dynamic himself.
Also, in this video, you can meet the CEO and head winemaker at Podere Le Ripi, Sebastian Nasello, and the Cellar Master Simone Ignesti.
Both of these live the philosophy that Francesco Illy preaches; "Be Crazy My Friend", a philosophy based on curiosity and the courage to follow your dreams.
The famous Bonsai wine is another example of pursuing your dreams against all odds. What most people said was impossible, Francesco Illy and his team made possible. Using a very high-density training system, he forced his plants to go through different geological layers quickly to survive.
The crazy experiment worked, and the Bonsai wines from Podere Le Ripi are unique and hard to get worldwide.
Join RareWine's Lars Granat on an extraordinary journey to positive craziness in this cinematic portrayal of Francesco Illy and his ambitious and extraordinary mission.
This portrait was filmed at Podere Le Ripi, Montalcino (Italy), in March 2023.
About 'Meet The Winemaker'
'Meet The Winemaker' is an independent documentary series produced by RareWine Group.
The aim is to give valuable insights into the art of winemaking at the forefront of the world's most prestigious wine areas. The stories are told by the most significant persons in the wine industry who share their passion and love for wine.
'Meet The Winemaker' is not sponsored in any way by the portrayed producers and does not contain paid promotion or product placement.
'Meet The Winemaker' is produced by RareWine Group - all rights reserved.
More info, inquiries, and requests regarding 'Meet The Winemaker' must be directed to lgj@rarewine.dk / rarewine.com
28 май 2023
