Antonella Lombardo’s Wines and Bencò’s Cuisine: A Tale of Passion and Traditions from Calabria
Written by Susanna Schivardi | Published in recensioni, Vinoway Italia 
Bencò Osteria Calabrese hosts the wines of Antonella Lombardo, an authentic expression of Calabria, in Locride, where winemaking history began centuries ago.
It was first with the Greeks and later with subsequent vintners that Greco di Bianco vine cuttings arrived in Bianco, a small town in the province of Reggio Calabria. Identified in the last century by agronomist Attilio Scienza, this grape was classified as a biotype of Malvasia delle Lipari. Not to be confused with Greco Bianco, this variety is the main grape used by Antonella Lombardo, owner of the winery that began its journey in 2019, the year of its first vintage. A successful lawyer in Milan, she decided to leave everything behind and move to the southern tip of Italy to pursue her dream. She started with a small plot in Calabria’s Ionian area and has now expanded to five hectares. The vineyard, located close to the sea, has limestone-clay soil, which appears bright white in photos, and sits at just 50 meters above sea level. The sea breeze creates a mild, ventilated climate, which helps keep the grapes healthy and disease-free. Moderate temperature fluctuations further enhance the quality of the grapes, which are then carefully aged in the cellar.
Lombardo is a pioneer, and today we can discover her wines thanks to Manuel Bennardo, owner of Bencò, a Calabrian osteria in Rome, originally from Rossano Calabro in the province of Cosenza. A refined and meticulously designed establishment, Bencò first opened in 2020 as a gourmet restaurant but soon embraced tradition thanks to Manuel’s deep connection to his roots. From the furnishings to the menu, everything speaks of Calabria. And what better way to do so than through flavors and wines, with a wine list entirely dedicated to Calabria, the only one of its kind in Rome.
Antonella Lombardo has chosen to vinify native varieties such as Gaglioppo, Nerello Mascalese, Calabrese Nero, Greco di Bianco, Mantonico, and Alicante. The latter two represent a remarkable effort to recover ancient, nearly forgotten grape varieties. We begin our tasting with Greco, Calabria IGT 2022, a 100% Greco di Bianco, vinified in stainless steel, undergoing cryomaceration, and aged on fine lees for at least five months. The yeasts are indigenous. As a base wine, it is very well-balanced, with a delicate aromatic note, lively acidity, and a long, fragrant finish, enhanced by its persistent savoriness. A remarkable wine, made even more special by the patience required to wait at least two years before release.
This pairs perfectly with appetizers such as eggplant meatballs, the typical ‘nduja, and alici scattiate, all served with warm, freshly baked taralli.
Next, we try sardella bruschetta, a specialty from Crotone, which prepares the palate for the second wine: Particella 58, Calabria IGT Bianco 2022. This wine comes from a single one-hectare vineyard, officially designated as “Particella 58” in the land registry. Only 1,300 bottles are produced. The wine undergoes cryomaceration, is aged in stainless steel, and then rests on the lees for a year. On the nose, it surprises with an unusual yet pleasant petrol note, reminiscent of Riesling. On the palate, however, it fully expresses its Mediterranean identity—mineral, saline, and intensely territorial, with almost balsamic notes. Its color is a deep, intense gold, truly captivating. The first course pairing is stroncatura, a pasta made from wheat milling scraps, dressed with anchovies, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and a crunchy topping of toasted breadcrumbs.
Gaglioppo, Calabria IGT Rosso 2020 performs exactly as expected. Named Aoristo, its elegant black label references ancient Greek grammar, evoking the idea of timelessness. This Gaglioppo nebbioleggiante has a pale red, with transparency and finesse. The nose offers spice, elegance, and verticality. The wine is aged partly in stainless steel and partly in tonneaux and barriques, where oak influence remains subtle. On the palate, it reveals a slight iron note, marked acidity, and a vibrant, youthful energy. The grapes are harvested early, due to increasingly high summer temperatures.
Finally, we taste Cheiras, which means “hands” in Greek. This is a passito wine made from 100% Greco di Bianco, with a light drying process on the vine before spending 20 days in controlled drying rooms—unlike Lampedusa, where grapes are dried outdoors on racks. This technique preserves a balanced sweetness. After six months in bottle, it takes on a deep amber hue. On the palate, it offers sweet spices, dried fruit, and a delicate, never cloying elegance. The bright acidity makes it a perfect match for the cheese platter and Scoratelli, a local delicacy made of fried bread dough, topped with sugar and cinnamon.
A new sparkling wine is coming soon from Antonella Lombardo: a Metodo Classico made from Mantonico grapes, aged on the lees for 48 months, and still waiting to be released. It will be a 2019 Brut Nature, with only 500 bottles produced.
A special thank you for the tasting, technical explanations, and service goes to Domenico Accinni, currently sommelier at Pascucci al Porticciolo.
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