To reduce its environmental impact, Tenuta di Castellaro has optimized the use of sun and wind implementing two ancient Persian techniques: solar chimneys and the wind tower. Solar chimneys, also known by the Romans, were used to naturally capture sunlight and diffuse it within an interior. Today this system enables Tenuta di Castellaro to almost completely eliminate the use of electricity to light its winery. The wind tower, on the other hand, was used in the Middle East since the 10th century B.C. to harness wind power and create a natural climate control system, repurposed today in the winery for wine storage.
The Tenuta di Castellaro is located in the open countryside 20 minutes from the center of Lipari, a magical and unspoiled place, expression of the volcanic territory of the Aeolian Islands. Established as a winery in 2005, the Tenuta di Castellaro has helped to enhance the hamlet of Quattropani, a part of the island of Lipari that had fallen into complete abandonment. Within its 20 hectares planted with vines are Casa Pomice, Casa Ossidiana and Casa Caolino, created from the renovation of three ancient ruins that combine the Tenuta di Castellaro's wine production with an original and unique hospitality service. They are three micro residences named as three volcanic stones found on Lipari set in a dreamlike landscape, between the green of the native vines of Malvasia delle Lipari and Corinto Nero and the blue of the surrounding sea. Renovated with local materials such as lava stone and wood, they are equipped with every comfort and offer an independent stay in a relaxing atmosphere. Not far from the micro-residences is the winery, a 2,000-square-meter space dedicated to landscape, architecture and technology, with full respect for nature, people and traditions where visits and tastings are conducted daily. The estate is an example of sustainable best practices, both for the energy efficiency and environmental impact reduction solutions it presents and for the enhancement of the territory, reintroducing a very ancient system of alberello vine cultivation and redeveloping the ancient Kaolin Quarries, now transformed into an open-air museum.
