Alessandro ViolaThe Fourth Generation
From his father's vineyards to 12 hectares on Mount Bonifato and Santa Ninfa—Champion of Catarratto and native Sicilian varieties, low sulfur, indigenous yeasts, and the art of bâtonnage.
From vine grower's son to natural wine pioneer—the fourth generation of the Viola family in Alcamo.
Alessandro Viola comes from a family of vine growers in Alcamo, a town in the northwest of Sicily between Trapani and Palermo. His father, Giuseppe, cultivated vineyards on the mountain of Alcamo (Mount Bonifato) and in the Pietrarenosa district of Santa Ninfa on behalf of large regional companies. Alessandro and his brother Aldo grew up among these vines, learning the craft from their father since childhood [^373^][^375^].
While his brother Aldo established himself as a natural winemaker first (in 2000), Alessandro took a more studious path. He trained as an oenologist at the Conegliano Veneto oenology school—arguably Italy's most prestigious enology institute—traveling to northern Italy to "learn to make wine." After working for some important wineries in Sicily, he decided to return to his father's vineyards, imbued with the knowledge that sometimes "to make good wine you don't need to go that far" [^373^][^374^].
At his father's death, Alessandro divided the vineyards with Aldo, keeping about 12 hectares for himself. Today he manages two distinct terroirs: about 5 hectares on Mount Bonifato (600-700m altitude, limestone and sand) and 7 hectares in Santa Ninfa (250m altitude, clay). He lives among his vines and wines, dedicating his life to producing wines that best represent the terroir of Alcamo and the native grapes of the region [^373^][^375^].
"Neither filtered nor clarified"—low sulfur, indigenous yeasts, and the art of bâtonnage.
Alessandro's philosophy is rooted in organic viticulture and minimal intervention in the cellar. His vineyards are certified organic by Suolo e Salute—the vineyards are organic, and so are the cellar practices. The soil is managed with organic fertilizers and all treatments are strictly organic [^373^][^375^].
In the cellar, Alessandro uses indigenous yeasts and keeps sulfur levels very low—10-20mg/l at most, often with no sulfur added until bottling. His wines are neither filtered nor clarified, with only light filtering for the Passito. He is a master of bâtonnage (stirring the lees), particularly for his white wines, which gives them structure, creaminess, and complexity. He uses stainless steel tanks, large Marsala botti (traditional Sicilian barrels), and some French oak [^373^][^381^].
Alessandro is not a fan of semi-carbonic fermentation or carbonic maceration. For his reds, he prefers total destemming with pumpovers and punching down—traditional Burgundian-style vinification rather than the light, whole-bunch approach popular in natural wine circles. This gives his reds more structure and seriousness. The wines undergo long macerations and slow fermentations lasting 20-30 days [^373^][^374^].
Bâtonnage
Indigenous Yeasts
Two distinct terroirs—Mount Bonifato's altitude and limestone, Santa Ninfa's valley clay.
Hectares Mount Bonifato
About 5 hectares at 600-700 meters altitude on Mount Bonifato above Alcamo. Soils are limestone and sand, providing excellent drainage and mineral character. This cooler, higher elevation site gives freshness and acidity to the wines [^373^][^375^].
Hectares Santa Ninfa
About 7 hectares at 250 meters altitude in the Pietrarenosa district of Santa Ninfa (Valle del Belice). These valley vineyards have clay soils, giving more body and structure to the wines. This is where the warmer climate varieties thrive [^373^][^375^].
Sicilian Varieties
Alessandro focuses on native Sicilian grape varieties: Catarratto, Grillo, Nero d'Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Perricone, and Syrah. Each variety is planted in the site best suited to its needs—whites on the mountain, reds in the valley [^373^][^374^].
From Le Mie Origini Catarratto to Sinfonia di Rosso—wines that sing of Alcamo.
Le Mie Origini
100% Catarratto—the flagship wine that put Alessandro on the map. From vines on Mount Bonifato at 600-700m altitude. Brilliant straw yellow. On the nose: almond blossom, jasmine, aromatic herbs. On the palate: strong, decisive, savory, structured. Very fine and elegant. Aged in steel and Marsala botti. This is Alessandro's signature wine, showing that Catarratto can achieve great complexity [^373^][^377^].
Note di Bianco
100% Grillo from Santa Ninfa at 250m altitude. Spontaneous fermentation in steel tanks with aging on lees. Bâtonnage for 5 months gives this wine structure and creaminess. Fresh and savory with notes of yellow-fleshed fruit. A more approachable white than Le Mie Origini, but with the same attention to terroir [^373^][^379^].
Note di Rosso
70% Nero d'Avola, 30% Syrah—a marriage of Sicily's flagship red with the international variety. From Santa Ninfa vineyards at 250m on clay soil. Stainless steel and French oak. Spontaneous fermentation. Intense and brilliant ruby red. Fresh, savory, and very elegant with a fruity and persistent finish. The Syrah adds structure to the Nero d'Avola's fruit [^373^][^380^].
Sinfonia di Rosso
100% Nerello Mascalese—a native variety from the Etna region that Alessandro has planted in Alcamo. From the oldest vineyard of the estate. Brilliant ruby red with complex aromas of red fruit and spices. Fresh, savory, and very pleasant. This wine demonstrates Alessandro's commitment to showcasing Sicily's diverse native grapes beyond the usual suspects [^373^][^378^].
Le Mie Origini White
A blend of Catarratto, Grillo, and Müller-Thurgau—one of the few non-native varieties Alessandro uses. From vineyards between Alcamo and Calatafimi Segesta at 450-550m altitude. Brilliant straw yellow with aromas of almond blossom, jasmine, and aromatic herbs. Strong, decisive, savory, and structured. Aged in steel [^381^].
Nero d'Avola
Pure Nero d'Avola from Santa Ninfa at 250m. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged in steel and/or Marsala botti. Shows the variety's characteristic dark fruit, Mediterranean herbs, and savory finish. Not semi-carbonic—Alessandro prefers total destemming for structure and seriousness. A classic expression of Sicily's most famous red grape [^373^].
Perricone
Perricone (also known as Pignatello)—a historic Sicilian red grape that Alessandro also vinifies as a white wine. The white version is made by direct pressing, showing the variety's potential beyond red wine. The red version is made with traditional fermentation. A rare variety that Alessandro helps preserve [^374^][^373^].
Passito
A passito (dried grape) wine—the only wine in the range that receives light filtering. Made from carefully selected grapes dried to concentrate sugars and flavors. Shows notes of dried fruit, honey, and Mediterranean herbs. A traditional Sicilian style that Alessandro produces in small quantities [^373^].
The Oenologist of Alcamo
Alessandro Viola represents the new generation of Sicilian natural winemakers—trained formally (at Italy's most prestigious enology school) but deeply rooted in family tradition. His choice to return to his father's vineyards rather than pursue a career with large wineries speaks to his commitment to terroir and authenticity. The fact that he shares this journey with his brother Aldo (who also makes natural wine nearby) creates a fascinating dynamic of sibling rivalry and mutual respect in the Alcamo wine scene [^373^][^375^].
His focus on Catarratto—often dismissed as a simple, high-yielding grape—demonstrates his ability to see potential where others see mediocrity. Through high-altitude farming, careful bâtonnage, and aging in Marsala botti, he transforms this workhorse variety into a wine of structure, elegance, and complexity. His rejection of semi-carbonic methods in favor of traditional Burgundian techniques for reds shows an independent streak that prioritizes the expression of Sicilian terroir over natural wine trends. With less than 30mg/l total SO2 across his range, Alessandro proves that technical training and natural philosophy can coexist beautifully [^373^][^381^].
- Fourth generation vine grower family
- Father: Giuseppe Viola (vine grower)
- Brother: Aldo Viola (natural winemaker)
- Trained at Conegliano Veneto oenology school
- Worked for important Sicilian wineries
- Returned to father's vineyards
- 12 hectares total
- 5 ha Mount Bonifato (600-700m, limestone/sand)
- 7 ha Santa Ninfa (250m, clay)
- Certified organic (Suolo e Salute)
- Indigenous yeasts
- 10-20mg/l SO2 max (often none until bottling)
- Unfiltered (except Passito)
- Not clarified
- Bâtonnage for whites
- Not a fan of semi-carbonic
- Total destemming for reds
- Stainless steel, Marsala botti, French oak
- Long macerations (20-30 days)
- Native varieties: Catarratto, Grillo, Nero d'Avola,
- Nerello Mascalese, Perricone, Syrah