Tinessa Marco

Marco Tinessa was born in 1975 in the town of Montesarchio del Sannio, in the province of Benevento, and after high school he moved to Milan to study economics at Bocconi University. Today, at the age of over 40, after graduating and gaining various experiences in the sector, he works as a financial broker, happy and satisfied, and loves managing numbers, large English investment funds and everything that concerns the world of finance. However, behind all this is a long and burning passion for the world of wine, which Marco began nurturing at the age of 18. His travels around Italy and Europe allowed him to meet many producers, from whom he learned the techniques of winemaking and the art of viticulture. He fell in love with the wines of Burgundy and the Langhe areas and was inspired by the teachings of some great producers. These included Elena Pantaleoni, Frank Cornelissen, Bartolo Mascarello and others, whom he considered his gurus. On the strength of all this enological knowledge, he decided to try his hand at making his own wine.

As a result, Marco Tinessa identified 1.5 hectares at an altitude of 400 metres in the heart of Montemarano, one of the most suitable areas for the Taurasi denomination. He decided to purchase these hectares and started working in the vineyard with minimal copper and sulphur treatments, low yields and lots of love. He flew back and forth between Milan and Montemarano, personally following the most delicate phases, such as pruning and harvesting, and relied on a group of expert local farmers for the rest. He established a great friendship with Frank Cornelissen, a skilled artisan from the Etna region, who for the first 10 years helped him, taught him how to use amphorae and vinified his grapes. In 2007 the first bottle was released, called "Ognostro", or "Ink" in the Campanian dialect. This wine is made only from spontaneously fermented Aglianico grapes, and its finesse, depth and intense colour, just like ink, leave an indelible impression.

Marco, after receiving Frank's help, decided to work for a year in Monforte d'Alba with the great master Mario Fontana, producer of elegant Barolo. From him he acquired all the secrets of how to master the power, acidity and impetuous tannins of a great grape variety, Nebbiolo. Following this experience, he decided that the time had come to work on his own and set up a small winemaking facility on the outskirts of Milan. The grapes, once harvested, are brought to Milan the same day by truck to be selected and vinified directly by Marco. Marco Tinessa's wines are full of fragrances and flavours reminiscent of their land of origin. They are born in Campania and mature in Milan, just like Marco, revealing all their class and hard work. In addition to the Aglianico, there is also an elegant Fiano and the "Last Trip to Sicily" which is dedicated to his last chapter in Sicily and his new adventure in Milan. In short, Marco has succeeded in his gamble, producing wines that have the soul of Campania and the spirit of Milan.