Davide Bentivegna — Biography
"I never wanted to become simply a winemaker. I wanted to create a place capable of generating beauty."
When Davide Bentivegna left a successful corporate career after many years at Siemens, he was not simply changing professions—he was choosing a different way of life.
Without inherited vineyards, without a family winemaking tradition, and without generations of experience behind him, he began building Etnella from the ground up in 2008 on the north-eastern slopes of Mount Etna.
What started as the dream of producing authentic wines gradually evolved into a broader vision: creating a place where agriculture, landscape, hospitality, education, and culture could coexist in harmony.For Davide, wine has never been an end in itself. It is a language through which Mount Etna tells its story. Every vineyard, every vintage, and every bottle is an attempt to preserve the identity of one of the world's most extraordinary volcanic landscapes.
His approach is based on artisanal farming, spontaneous fermentations with native yeasts, no filtration, and minimal additions of sulphur dioxide, allowing each wine to reflect the character of the vineyard rather than the hand of the winemaker.
Over the years, Etnella has become not only a winery but also a place of learning and international exchange. The project collaborates with Geisenheim University, the Edmund Mach Foundation in San Michele all'Adige, the University of Florence (Department of Viticulture and Enology), and the International School of Wine Tourism in Bordeaux. It also shares the philosophy of VinNatur, the association founded by Angiolino Maule and today led together with Alessandro Maule, promoting transparent and sustainable viticulture.
Every year, students and stagiaires from different countries join Etnella to experience the reality of heroic viticulture on Mount Etna, working directly in the vineyards, cellar, and hospitality activities.
A significant milestone in the evolution of the project came with the arrival of Carla Romano. An agronomist by education, Carla later trained as a chef at ICIF in Piedmont before opening her own Italian restaurant in Brazil. Today she co-leads Etnella alongside Davide, combining agricultural expertise, gastronomy, and hospitality into a single vision.
Davide's wines have gained international recognition for their authenticity and emotional expression. Among the most celebrated are Notti Stellate, awarded 96 points by Decanter for the 2021 vintage, Kaos Bianco Macerato 2021 and Artigiano 2022, both awarded 94 points by Adega, while Kaos Rosso and Notti Stellate have received ratings of up to 96 points from international critics.
Etnella and Casa Etnella have also been featured by international publications and platforms, including The New York Times, which highlighted the experience among the most memorable on Mount Etna, and Airbnb, which selected Casa Etnella among the most distinctive places to stay on Etna's north-eastern slopes.
Today, Davide Bentivegna is recognised as one of the contemporary voices of Mount Etna's natural wine movement. Yet he still believes that wine is only one chapter of a much larger story.
Wine is simply the language.
The true subject is the land, the people, and the emotions it inspires.