Our History
Our History
The Le Lappe of today is the precious fruit of centuries of history and transformation.
Its origins date back to the late Middle Ages, when, under the name of Rimontoli, it was first created as a watchtower, to defend the nearby Fuedo di Montegonzi, part of a string of defensive towers and fortifications, some of which still exist today, that span the area between the Chianti hills and the Valdarno.
Evolution over the Centuries
With the end of the conflict between Siena and Florence and the stability brought by the Medici Grand Duchy, the ancient tower lost its military function and gradually fell into ruin. However, its secluded location overlooking the Arno Valley, made it an ideal place for prayer and meditation. And thus, in the 16th century, a small convent arose near the ruins, of which few written records remain today.
It was precisely at this time that history becomes intertwined with local legend. Passed down through the centuries, it has been said that in the early 17th century the then owner decided to build a second farmhouse next to the existing one, on the ruins of the medieval tower: a gesture of love for his beloved and for the extraordinary beauty of these hills.
Two centuries later, with the development of the mezzadria system (sharecropping), the small convent was transformed into a farmhouse and became a leader of agricultural productivity and excellence in the area — so much so that it was recognized as Podere Rimontoli in the Leopoldine Land Registry, the famous land survey commissioned by Grand Duke Leopold II in the 18th and 19th centuries.
It is during that period of flourishing agricultural output that the famous Tuscan landscape as we know it was first created, when the many hillsides were terraced, to support the production of wine and olive oil. Much of which today has been reclaimed by the woodlands around us.
In the century that followed, amidst the changing of rulers and the drama of two world wars, the estate remained suspended in time, protected by the centuries-old woods that surrounded it. Agricultural activity continued until the 1960s, when, little by little, all of the farms that comprised the area were abandoned and forgotten, including the two farmhouses of Rimontoli.
The Rebirth to Today
The area languished until the early 1980s when the Pratolino Estate, including the ancient Podere Rimontoli, now Le Lappe, was purchased by Gabriella Galeffi, heir to the historic industrial family from nearby Montevarchi. It was Galeffi who initiated the estate's recovery, reviving its existing olive production and initiating the renovation of some of the estate's farms.
Upon Gabriella Galeffi's passing, most of the estate was inherited by her niece, Maria Lorenza Benini Galeffi, the current owner. She continued the work of restoration across the estate, planting thousands of olive trees typical of the area and converting the farm to organic farming, thus creating the excellent, award-winning Organic and IGP High Altitude Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is still produced today with the utmost care and attention.
Alongside her agricultural development, Maria Lorenza oversaw the total restoration of the two ruined farmhouses of the ancient Podere Rimontoli, and following which, born out of a profound desire to share the beauty and magic of this special place with a wider community, created Le Lappe.
Le Lappe as a name has its roots in the dialect and local traditions of the area of Siena, which half the estate is a part of. The lappe are the chestnut husks, guardians of the fruit that these woods abound with.
Today, Maria Lorenza’s commitment to the restoration and management of organic farming continues enthusiastically with the support of her son Niccolò Calabrese de Feo and his partner Remy Renzullo, who together keep the tradition and authentic soul of the estate alive.
