Alessandro Viola - 2020 Simphona Rosso
Alessandro Viola is making beautiful wine in Sicily. He grew up watching his father tend to the land and produce a small amount of wine, which planted the seed for wine to become Alessandro's lifelong passion. After completing his tertiary education in Oenology and Viticulture and working in some large scale wineries around the world, he decided to return to his Sicilian roots and reject the highly mechanical way of making wine that was taught throughout his studies. Understanding that good wine starts in the vineyard, Alessandro manages his 7 hectares of vines under strict Organic principles and takes a minimal intervention approach in the cellar.
He champions local grape varieties and is committed to working with Catarratto, Grillo, Nero d'Avola and Nerello Mascalese.
This is Nerello Mascalese from Pietra Rinosa. The grapes see a 14 day maceration on skins and spend 11 months in chestnut barrels and remain unfiltered with a small sulphur addition. The resulting wine is deep, rich and structured.