Ischia DOC Biancolella 'Kalimera' 2021 (750 ml.) Cenatiempo

THE WINE

The 'Kalimera' by Cenatiempo is made from pure Biancolella grapes, an indigenous variety from the island of Ischia. This biodynamic white wine, whose name means 'good morning', is born in a predominantly volcanic terroir located about 450 meters above sea level. The richness of the volcanic soil is evident during tasting with a full mineral character on the palate and good length. Aromas of fruit blend with citrus notes, finishing with hints of aromatic herbs. It has a slender body, a fresh and savory vein, and good persistence. A bottle that brings to life the heroic viticulture of the island.

THE COMPANY

Thinking of the Cenatiempo winery immediately transports the mind to the beautiful landscape of the island of Ischia. Here in 1945, Francesco Cenatiempo founded this strictly family-run winery, now in the hands of Pasquale Cenatiempo, a winemaker always away from the media spotlight. The setting in which the winery was formed is striking, literally carved into the heart of the Kalimera hill, almost as if wanting to root itself in the deepest and most vibrant part of that beautiful territory. It’s no coincidence that even in Roman times, the island of Ischia, then called Aenaria, was considered “the land of wine,” an economy that flourished until the first half of the twentieth century, now revived by this winery.

The wines from the Cenatiempo winery are children of a unique territory, where the volcano meets the sea, the solid embraces the liquid, and the warmth of the lava mixes with the cold waves of the Mediterranean. These two antithetical and pulsating souls are the signature of the winery’s labels, appreciated for their pleasant drinkability and distinctly saline character. In the winery, any type of production interference like the use of wood is banned, favoring steel tanks and old concrete vats to genuinely enhance the natural aromatic profile of the grapes. A synthesis of productive and landscape tradition concentrated in a single glass!

Since the founding of the winery, the Cenatiempo family has committed to a noble project of enhancing the indigenous and traditional varieties of the island of Ischia. Biancolella and Forastera, the undisputed manifesto of the entire production, speak a saline, marine, and fresh language like the sea on which the vineyards overlook, while Piedirosso, locally called Per’ e Palummo, exhibits an earthy and volcanic soul, typical of its origin. Heroic viticulture practiced on steep terraces that enjoy perfect sunlight, based on the principles of biodynamic agriculture that respects the environment, is definitely worth tasting and, why not, visiting in person!

EXTREME WINES

Extreme wines are heroic wines, born from the effort, sweat, and labor of man; they are produced in often unknown, geographically challenging, sometimes impossible areas, and cultivated in tiny plots of land wrested from the mountains, rocks, and sea.

From Trentino-Alto Adige to Sardinia, from Valle d'Aosta to the island of Pantelleria, from Valtellina to the Amalfi Coast, from the Cinque Terre to the slopes of Mount Etna, ancient Enotria boasts a myriad of grape varieties that have survived wars, plagues, and the scourge of phylloxera.

Varieties that, thanks to the tenacity and passion of some small yet great winemakers, have been rescued from oblivion and are still capable of offering wine lovers extraordinary wines.

Gianpaolo Girardi