design office for Reschio. It is here that Benedikt and his team work to develop architectural plans, designing new furniture, selling antiques, and providing multifunctional exhibition spaces for artists and other creative types.
Products all use materials sourced in Italy, most in the immediate vicinity of Reschio. These are then transformed by Benedikt’s carpenters, blacksmiths, stone masons, and upholsterers. Moreover, much of the furniture and accessories designed by B.B Reschio is inspired by materials found when renovating the property. For example, the stem of a floor lamp – the Reclaimed Standard Lamp – was inspired by the heating coils found in the tobacco processing plant. (You can see products offered for sale here: https://www.bbforreschio.com/.) Antiques are also sold within the space. These are one-off pieces discovered by Benedikt and Nencia during their treks to various markets and from other sources of which they are familiar.
An artist who has worked at Reschio is Nic Fiddian-Green. His monumental sculptures of horses, many of which were inspired by many of Antonio’s own, dot the estate. Why Nic? As the story goes, Antonio was walking the street in London when he saw sculptures of horses being unloaded. Antonio was wrong to assume the person unloading the material was simply a worker, as it was the artist himself. The conversation led to a visit and the offer to work at the estate.
Farming and Foraging, Wines and Gin, Beekeeping and Honey, Rewilding and Game Management
Reschio no longer practices tobacco farming, which was very destructive to the land and the environment. And so, it has undertaken a number of initiatives that not only attempt to produce healthy, organic products but revitalize the land both in terms of its natural character and sustainability.
For example, Reschio is a producing farm: it grows olives, sunflowers, wheat, hemp, vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit, honey, and poultry. And it does so in a fully biodynamic and synergic way. This means working through a sustainable, holistic approach which uses only organic, usually locally sourced materials for fertilizing and conditioning the soil and which views the farm as a closed, diversified ecosystem. Additionally, the meadows and forests that surround the estate are filled with wild herbs and plants which have been free of artificial fertilizers or pesticides. This is why members of Reschio’s staff take pride in using many of these products in restaurants offerings. And, in its most recent endeavor, Reschio has also been producing light reds and roses, gin, honey, and cold-pressed olive oil for sale to guests. These products are also produced in the same sustainable way.
This brings us, of course, to the notions of rewilding and sustainability. The owners and managers of Reschio are consciously aware of the importance of such terms, particularly given such certifications mean a lot to individuals and organizations who are at the forefront of responsible business and travel. Yet, as Benedikt notes, these are practices Reschio has engaged in since his father first acquired the property and will continue to do so even if such certifications weren’t available. Reschio has, he contends, “always been wild.” And as good stewards of the land, he feels it is their responsibility to protect the wildness and the animals that live within those environments in a rich, healthy, and sustainable way.
Remaining Committed to the Vision
It should be clear by now that Reschio is not just about hoteling. It is a long-term project that integrates their history, philosophy, and vision.
This is evident in Antonio’s smile when, exiting his vintage VW Beetle convertible with a black Labrador at his side, we complement him on the beauty of the place. Dressed in a jacket and knee-high riding boots he graciously thanks us for the compliment, and explains it was a labor
of love, due in large part to the hard work of his
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