D'Ambra Vini D'Ischia Srl

D’Ambra Vini d’Ischia was born in a unique environment where geography, history, and culture are deeply intertwined. The geographical isolation of the island of Ischia contributes to the distinctive climate and traditions that have shaped its identity over centuries.

On the island, winemaking is not only a source of income but also a fundamental activity for protecting the environment and preserving local cultural and historical heritage.

Ischia’s winemakers face many challenges, not only because of the difficult terrain but also due to historical, geographical, and socio-economic constraints. These conditions result in very high production costs. For this reason, the specialized press has often referred to Ischia’s winemakers as “crazy angels.”

Two remarkable personalities contributed significantly to the creation of the winery’s label: the French Champagne producer Monsieur Chandon and the renowned film director Luchino Visconti.

Monsieur Chandon, whom Mario D’Ambra met by chance in a café in Naples, allowed the Ischia winemaker to use the Champagne-style template for the label. Visconti, on the other hand, offered advice on its layout and content, suggesting: “It has to be straightforward: your house, Ischia’s sky and sea, and the wording must stand out.”

Today, the company logo — based on a lithograph by Aniellantonio Mascolo, an artist from Ischia — represents symbolic elements of the island: large chestnut containers filled with grapes in the foreground, a palm tree, and Villa Garavini, the company’s first cellar, in the background.

At D’Ambra Vini d’Ischia, the vinification and ageing processes carried out by the winery enhance the most distinctive feature of D’Ambra wines: their delicate bouquet, often accompanied by a lingering almond aroma.

Thanks to the commitment of the brothers Mario, Michele, and Salvatore D’Ambra, the winery’s wines obtained the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) recognition as early as 1966. In more recent years, this protection has also been extended to some of the island’s most renowned grape varieties, including Biancolella, Forastera, and Per’e Palummo.

The winery’s cellar is located in a spectacular natural amphitheatre at the foot of Mount Epomeo, the highest peak on the island of Ischia. The building houses a temperature-controlled facility covering 3,500 square metres, where all production phases take place.

Here, the grapes are vinified in stainless steel tanks, while red wines are aged in both small and large wooden barrels. The same facility also hosts the bottling line and storage areas for the finished wines.

The cellar has a daily processing capacity of 80 tonnes of white grapes and 25 tonnes of red grapes. The stainless steel tanks can hold up to 10,000 hectolitres, while the wooden barrels have a total capacity of 300 hectolitres. The bottling line can produce up to 3,000 bottles per hour.