Alessandro Viola Note di Bianco 2024

Alessandro Viola grew up watching his father, a local vine grower, produce small quantities of wine for household consumption. Fascinated by viticulture from an early age, Alessandro pursued formal studies in oenology and viticulture, though he diverged from the industrial techniques being taught. He gained experience working in Piedmont and near Mount Etna before returning to his corner of Sicily with a clear conviction: great wine requires nothing to be added or removed when grapes, soil, and winemaking work in harmony.

Today Alessandro cultivates approximately 12 hectares across two distinct zones. Five hectares on Mount Bonifato near Alcamo sit at 600-700 meters elevation on a geological fault, with sand on one side and limestone on the other. Seven additional hectares in the inland valley around Pietra Rinosa and Santa Ninfa occupy clay soils at around 250 meters. This diversity of terroirs allows him to produce wines with different characters while maintaining his non-interventionist philosophy.

Alessandro farms organically, plowing by hand around vines and planting cover crops to nourish the soil. All vineyards are dry-farmed, relying on abundant underground water. In the cellar, he works exclusively with indigenous yeasts and bottles without fining or filtration. Sulfites, if used at all, appear only as trace amounts at bottling.

The estate focuses entirely on indigenous Sicilian varieties: Grillo and Catarratto for whites, Nero d'Avola and Nerello Mascalese for reds. Alessandro's Catarratto bottlings, particularly Le Mie Origini, have earned widespread acclaim, while his méthode champenoise Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine ranks among Sicily's finest. His brother Aldo Viola operates a separate estate nearby, though their styles differ considerably.

Discover more Alessandro Viola wines: Note di Rosso, Blanc de Blancs, and Le Mie Origini. Browse our best-selling natural wines.

Sicily is Italy's largest island and its third-largest wine-producing region after Veneto and Tuscany. The Strait of Messina separates it from the Italian mainland. The island spans approximately 25,711 square kilometers, with vineyards planted across diverse terroirs from sea level to over 1,000 meters elevation on Mount Etna's slopes.

The climate is predominantly Mediterranean. Coastal areas experience hot, dry summers and mild winters. Higher elevation sites benefit from significant diurnal temperature variation, preserving acidity in the grapes. The island receives abundant sunshine—among the highest in Italy. Rainfall concentrates in winter months. Sea breezes moderate temperatures in coastal vineyards, particularly in the western provinces of Trapani and Agrigento.

Soils vary dramatically across the island. Mount Etna features volcanic soils rich in minerals from ancient lava flows. Western Sicily around Alcamo and Marsala has clay, limestone, and sandy soils. The southeastern corner near Vittoria contains calcareous and sandy terrain. This geological diversity contributes to the range of wine styles produced.

Indigenous grape varieties dominate Sicilian viticulture. Nero d'Avola is the most widely planted red variety, producing full-bodied wines with dark fruit character. Nerello Mascalese thrives on Mount Etna, yielding elegant, Pinot Noir-like reds. White varieties include Grillo, Catarratto, Carricante, and Inzolia. International varieties like Syrah and Chardonnay have also found success.

Key appellations include Etna DOC, Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Marsala DOC, and numerous IGT designations. The Terre Siciliane IGT allows producers flexibility with grape varieties and winemaking techniques.

Sicily has become a center for natural winemaking. Producers like Alessandro Viola, Frank Ferreri, and COS work with organic and biodynamic practices, spontaneous fermentation, and minimal sulfites. The island offers remarkable diversity—from powerful reds to crisp whites, skin-contact orange wines, and the historic fortified wines of Marsala.