A Winery in Lipari That's Making Some of Sicily's Most Exciting Wines
/Tenuta di Castellaro is making some of Sicily’s most exciting wines I’ve tasted recently: fresh, volcanic, saline, and expressive of place. During an online tasting, I learned about the winery’s stunning location in Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian Islands, a remote volcanic archipelago off Sicily’s northeastern coast. Here, sea winds, mineral-rich soils, and intense Mediterranean sun shape energetic, characterful wines.
On my bucket list!
If you love vibrant, terroir-driven wines, these bottles are definitely worth seeking out.
Following is an article I wrote for Grape Collective. Hope to see you in the Aeolian Islands!
Tenuta di Castellaro: Windswept Wines of the Aeolian Islands
Today’s wine drinkers are increasingly gravitating toward fresh, drinkable wines: acid-driven, lower in alcohol, and free of interventions that mask their origins. When I discover bottles like these, my heart skips a beat. So my first sip of Tenuta di Castellaro Bianco Pomice nearly gave me full-on cardiac arrest! This white wine comes from the tiny island of Lipari, part of Sicily’s Aeolian Islands, where mineral-rich volcanic soils and proximity to the sea yield energetic wines with lean fruit expression and salty, savory minerality.
Perched off Sicily’s northeastern coast, the Aeolian Islands rise dramatically out of the Tyrrhenian Sea: seven volcanic islands surrounded by deep blue water and constant Mediterranean winds. Lipari, the largest of them, is a place of dramatic contrasts. Summers are hot and dry, but temperatures drop sharply at night as cool sea breezes sweep through the vineyards. This diurnal temperature variation helps the grapes retain acidity and freshness, even in such a warm climate. Beneath the vines, layers of volcanic ash, pumice, and mineral-rich soils force roots deep into the earth, while the constant maritime influence tempers the island’s heat. Together, these conditions shape wines that feel distinctly Aeolian: vibrant, saline, and deeply tied to their volcanic, maritime landscape.
Massimo Lentsch
Tenuta di Castellaro began in 2005, when founder Massimo Lentsch, originally from South Tyrol in northern Italy, arrived in the Aeolian Islands by sailboat and found himself standing on Lipari’s vast Castellaro plateau in the morning light. Looking across the windswept volcanic landscape, at 1,150 feet above sea level, he envisioned something that didn’t yet exist: a new expression of Lipari’s terroir through dry wines. At the time, the island was best known for Malvasia delle Lipari, the historic sweet wine that had long defined the region. But Lentsch saw the potential for something different. From the start, the project focused on reviving indigenous varieties, particularly Malvasia delle Lipari and the rare Corinto Nero, a grape that Tenuta di Castellaro has since become one of Europe’s leading producers of.
Today, the certified-organic estate spans 21 hectares (52 acres) and produces around 70,000 bottles annually. In addition to Malvasia delle Lipari and Corinto, the winery cultivates Sicilian varieties such as Carricante, Moscato Bianco, and Nero d’Avola.
My recommendation? Seek these wines out. They’re vibrant, distinctive, and unlike anything else coming out of Sicily right now. Here are tasting notes for three bottles I sampled.
Tenuta di Castellaro Bianco Pomice 2024 ($31). An expressive blend of 60% Malvasia delle Lipari and 40% Carricante, the heady aromas of apricot, orange peel, and honey lead into a dry, lean, zesty palate with notes of lemongrass, grapefruit, and green apples. An intriguing blend of saline minerality, florality, and a lingering, briny finish. Unique and delicious. Take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before pouring and serve with a caper and olive-studded seafood salad.
Tenuta di Castellaro Eúxenos 2022 ($43). 100% Malvasia delle Lipari grapes macerated in clay amphorae. The name comes from a 2,000-year-old amphora found on the Lipari seabed, stamped eoxenos (ancient Greek for ‘friendly to foreigners’), a word that felt like a message to Lentsch, an outsider who was welcomed to Lipari by the locals. Aromas of candied fruit, followed by a bone-dry palate with delicate minerality; round and textured; notes of apricot, lemon, and thyme. Try it slightly chilled with shrimp and scallop pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes.
Tenuta di Castellaro Nero Ossidiana Rosso 2021 ($38). 90% Corinto Nero, 10% Nero d’Avola. “Ossidiana” means obsidian and refers to the dark, shiny volcanic glass found on the island of Lipari. Aromas of subtle red and dark berry fruits (ripe cherries and plums) and Mediterranean herbs (thyme, sage). The palate is light-bodied with dusty, soft tannins; fresh, savory, and mineral with a mouthwatering tanginess. Serve slightly chilled with grilled or seared tuna steaks with caper sauce or cumin-spiced pork tenderloin.
