Tasting Notes
100% Catarratto Blanc de Blancs made with zero dosage and 20 months on lees. An expressive nose of marizapn, bee pollen, caramelised apple and sweet baking spices. There's a persistent bead supported by a line of salinitiy and a delicately bitter finish. Fresh and finessed. - Nick F
"Nel vino ci sono una di equilibri chimici perfetti, solo la natura può arrivare a tanto, chi siam noi per fare meglio della natura?"
"In wine there is a perfect chemical balance, only nature can go so far, who are we to do better than nature?"
Sicily, the highly contested island at the toe of Italy's boot has witnessed a history rich in culture, politics and volcanic activity. The fertile soils that are conditioned by Etna's eruptions, together with the pleasant temperatures enjoyed by the island when Etna is at rest, have long attracted visiting traders, with agriculture, and particularly viticulture dating back to Phoenician times. This long history of outside interest has meant much of the land on the triangular island has been continuously cleared for agricultural pursuits, resulting now in even more arid conditions than the already dry Mediterranean climate would have been experiencing. The mild winters and extra dry summers mean that rot and mildew are generally not an issue, making Sicily an ideal place to practice organic and minimal intervention viticulture.
It is natural then that Sicilian native, Alessandro Viola would return to his roots to work with the native Sicilian vines to make natural wines.
After watching his grower father grow grapes for others all his life, and tinkering around with self-taught winemaking techniques himself, Alessandro Viola set off for a formal education in oenology. During his studies, Alessandro concentrated more on the science of viticulture and viniculture, rather than the machines used to create wine. His studies brought him to the realisation that nothing needed to be added or taken away from the wine if the grapes, soil and winemaking were all working together. Like the self-taught tinkering he had done before his formal education, he returned to his home in Sicily to make his wines amano, by hand, with love and nothing else added, not even sulphur.
Product Type | Wine Sparkling Imported Non Champagne |
Volume | 750ml |
Country | Italy |
Region | Sicily |
Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |