Cenatiempo

When you think of the Cenatiempo winery, your mind is immediately drawn to the splendid landscape of the island of Ischia. It was here in 1945 that Francesco Cenatiempo set up this strictly family-run winery, which is now in the hands of Pasquale Cenatiempo, a winemaker who has always avoided the media spotlight. The setting in which the winery has taken shape is evocative, being literally dug out of the heart of the Kalimera hill, almost as though it intentionally wanted to be rooted in the deepest and most lively part of that splendid territory. It is no coincidence that already in Roman times the island of Ischia, called Aenaria at that time, was considered "the land of wine". It was a very important part of the economy of the island until the first half of the 20th century, and today it has been revived by this winery.

The wines of the Cenatiempo winery are the offspring of a unique territory, where the volcano meets the sea, the solid meets the liquid, and the heat of the lava blends with the cold waves of the Mediterranean. These two opposing and pulsating souls are the signature of the winery's labels, appreciated for their pleasant drinkability and markedly salty character. In the winery, any kind of disruptive production such as the use of wood is banned, in favour of steel tanks and old concrete vats in order to sincerely and genuinely enhance the natural aromatic qualities of the grapes. A combination of traditional production and landscape concentrated in a single wine glass!

Since the founding of the winery, the Cenatiempo family has been committed to pursuing the worthy project of enhancing the native and traditional grape varieties of the island of Ischia. Biancolella and Forastera, the undisputed symbols of the entire production, are characterised by a salty, marine and fresh style, just like the sea the vineyards overlook, while Piedirosso, locally called Per' e Palummo, has an earthy and volcanic soul, typical of its territory of origin. This is heroic vine-growing, practised on steep terraces that enjoy perfect sunshine, and based on the principles of biodynamic agriculture that respects the environment. This is definitely a wine to be tasted and, if possible, the winery also deserves a visit!