2019 Alessandro Viola Rosso 'isi'

Region: Trapani < Sicily < Italy

Grapes: Nero D´Avola, Nerello Mascalese

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: organic farming, harvested first week of September, spontaneous fermentation in steel tanks, no filtration, aged in steel, bottled unfined/unfiltered with no added So2; 13% ABV

Winemaker: Alesandro Viola

Native Sicilian Alessandro Viola has degrees in both viticulture and oenology, worked in Piemonte then returned home to Sicily to start his own natural wine project with a 7-hectare vineyard the north-facing slope of Mount Bonifato outside of Palermo, where cool northern breezes give the grapes a little relief from the hot Sicilian sun. Alessandro's philosophy is one we can get behind - build a wine using only the grape, from soil untouched by fertilizers and herbicides.

And this wine is a fun one!  A bright, juicy blend of Sicily's typical red grape, Nero D'Avola, with Nerello Mascalese (the main grape of Mt. Etna), it smells like dusty blackberries, but bright flowers and purple fruits pop on the palate, alongside black olives and oregano.  This wine is alive and almost tongue-tingling, with an undercurrent of electricity rather than straight-up fizz.   Served slightly chilled, 'isi' is just easy - not to mention versatile and delicious.  It's coming on all our summer picnics. 

SERVE SLIGHTLY CHILLED.