Visits and tasting at the Lento winery.

The Lento winery has been operating in Lamezia for four generations, and is very proud of its DOC wine.
Salvatore Lento, the owner, was born into a family of respected winemakers in 1946. In 1963 he inherited his father's business and has continued the family tradition of winemaking together with his family, his wife Giovanna and daughters Danila and Manuela, who look after marketing and sales.

Wine production is mainly produced on the Romeo and Caracciolo estates, which are both in a DOC area, and the Galati estate in Amato.

Baron Bruno Chimirri once owned the Galati estate, located in the town of Amato.
This is an impressive complex of 70 hectares (the company has a total area of 100 hectares) of vineyards, olive groves and woods, a real paradise for the vines Magliocco, Greek white, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The sandy-clay soil has a good quantity of limestone and is particularly rich in potassium, with a good magnesium / potassium ratio.
It is also south facing, has constant sunshine, and the perfect temperature and altitude (ranging from 500 to 700 meters), which is all the ingredients needed to produce a high quality grape.

There is a beautiful 18th century villa in the middle of the estate, which is now a centre for wine tourism, culture and ecology.

The winery is part of a village that seems to be from another era, where life and work are dictated by the vine and wine cycle and the seasons.
This contrasts with the modern production area where the grapes are cared for under the watchful eye of the oenologist and other experts.
The temperature is controlled at every stage, from the fermentation of the grapes to the storage of the bottles.
But the real heart of the winery, is the cellar, which is an underground complex dug out of the bedrock, an incredible manmade feat which has to be seen and admired.
Here you can walk next to bottles arranged in rows, next to barrels and vats, and feel the mood of the wines while they are maturing.

The trip to the winery gives you a theoretical introduction to what follows at the Lento family "Bottega del Gusto" (the workshop) where you can taste the wines and visit the museum to see how winemaking was done in the past. Family memories are preserved there, and the old tools of the trade, such as the press, the hand pumps, the "Carracci" (small barrels) and the cart that was pulled by horses.
The Workshop offers guests a unique experience, not only in terms of tasting, but also because of the warm, welcoming atmosphere.

In winter, the fireplace creates an intimate and relaxing atmosphere while in the summer you can sit out on the terrace, relax and enjoy the view while trying the wines and other local products.