Massimo da Bergamo creates a model vineyard in Lipari and on Mount Etna.

From Bergamo to Lipari, from the shadows of the Po Valley (northern Italy) to the light of the Aeolian Islands (Sicily). Massimo Lentsch, 61, from Bergamo, with a degree in Economic Sociology, was very courageous in making a choice that went against the grain: he emigrated from the North to the South. With a specific goal: to make high-quality wine with true sustainability.

It all began with a holiday in Sicily in the early 2000s, when Massimo fell in love with the Aeolian Islands. With the help of Salvo Foti, Italy's most experienced winemaker in volcanic soils, he developed the Tenuta di Castellaro project, a winery built in the Quattropani area of ​​Lipari with the aim of promoting native grape varieties such as Malvasia delle Lipari and Corinto Nero.

Thus was born what is known as the largest winery in the Aeolian Islands, a project strongly rooted in sustainability and the valorization of the volcanic territory, with production focused on wines of character, made with indigenous yeasts and minimally interventionist techniques. The winery is spectacular precisely because of its sustainability-inspired features: it was designed hypogeal, meaning almost entirely underground to ensure stable humidity and temperatures. Solar chimneys have been installed to bring light inside, ventilation is natural thanks to the Wind Tower, and the wine moves without the use of invasive pumps.

Following the success of Lipari, with his zero-impact winery, Massimo Lentsch continued to expand further into Sicily. Thus, a second project was born on the slopes of Etna, with a winery bearing the owner's name. He produces wines primarily from Etna's iconic grape varieties, Carricante and Nerello Mascalese, with vineyards located between Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia. The philosophy is artisanal viticulture, respectful of nature, with vineyards often trained using the alberello system and a strong focus on the identity of each Etna cru.

Finally, the third piece of Lentsch's plan, with a return to the origins: a production plant also in the Bergamo area.

Today the best-selling wines from his cellar are: 

Etna Bianco DOC

It is the winery's main white.

• 100% Carricante
• Fresh, mineral, with citrus and herbaceous notes
• Direct expression of the volcanic soils of the northern slope of Etna 

Etna Rosso DOC

The “homemade” red wine.

• 100% Nerello Mascalese
• Elegant, spicy, with red fruits and strong volcanic minerality
• Fine structure but also suitable for aging 

Etna Rosé DOC

The rosé version of Nerello Mascalese.

• Fresh, fragrant and very gastronomic
• More immediate and lighter than red

Carricante IGT

A more “vertical” and experimental white than the Etna Bianco DOC.

• Always pure Carricante
• More aromatic and with a strong mineral and citrus imprint 

Etna Rosso DOC Feudo di Mezzo

• From a historic vineyard (even a century-old one)
• 100% Nerello Mascalese
• More complex and structured, with great depth and capacity for evolution 

The images are taken from the Facebook page “Massimo Lentsch”

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