Urano 159 Catarratto Viola 2024

Urano 159 Catarratto Viola 2024, natural wine, low sulphites, Alcamo, Sicily.  100% Catarratto, this new Cuvee from Viola is bursting with ripe stone fruit characteristics, a soft developed texture with hints of nut oil, and sun drenched orchard fruits.  This Cuvee has a much shorter maceration than other Viola Catarratto and lower abv, so is more of a lunchtime glass, easy drinking but still with the wine makers trade mark intensity and textural style, very nice, very Sicily.

Aldo Viola wine hails from the beautiful town of Alcamo in northern Sicily.  The vineyards lie just inland on hillside slopes on various terroir with different aspects and altitudes.

Viola could be called a natural warrior.  He is a 4th generation wine maker working 8 hectares according to organic and biodynamic principles.  He uses little oak in his production, preferring to give primacy to the pure fruit flavours of his grapes.  He works mainly with Grillo and Catarratto for the whites and Syrah for the reds.  

He uses long skin maceration on some of the whites which yield very deep, complex and profound orange wines.  By contrast, his reds are more subtle, lower alcohol than most Sicilian Syrah with a lovely fresh, soft mouthfeel.

Aldo does not fine or filter his wines and uses very little if any sulphur.  The wines are pure and authentic but clean, very rarely with VA or any unusual aromas.  Delicious and easy to enjoy wines.