Aldo Viola Rosso Saignee Terre Siciliane Sicily 2019

Maverick Sicilian winemaker Aldo Viola crafts soulful, sun-soaked wines from organically farmed vineyards near Alcamo, embracing minimal intervention and bold expressions. His Saignee red blend is a harmonious mix of Nerello Mascalese, Perricone, and Syrah – ripe with lively red fruit and a savory twist that makes it dangerously irresistible, more so at $19.95 a bottle!

Aldo Viola is a dynamic and unconventional Sicilian winemaker from Alcamo, born into a winemaking family but following an unusual path before returning to the vineyard. In his early life, he worked with his father, later becoming a professional footballer and spending time traveling in Denmark, India, and the Amazon. In 1996, he returned to Sicily, studied enology in Marsala, and became the first enologist for the Centopassi cooperative, which cultivated land seized from the Corleonesi mafia – an appointment that required notable courage given the risks associated with using former mafia property. Independent by nature, Aldo eventually forged his own path rather than continuing the family winery alongside his brother.

Today, he farms seven hectares of Catarratto, Grillo, and Grecanico on the iron-rich Timpi Rossi hills near Alcamo, along with another coastal plot planted to Perricone, Nerello Mascalese, and Syrah. Aldo works without synthetic chemicals and performs nearly all vineyard work by hand. His wines are defined by Aldo’s appreciation for restraint and balance, creating deeply expressive, textured wines that emphasize clarity and a strong sense of place. While he once used no sulfur at all, he now adds tiny amounts when needed to maintain purity. His experimental approach has evolved over time, including abandoning terracotta vessels when they proved unsuitable for his gentle extraction methods.

Aldo Viola’s “Saignee” red wine comes from vineyards located about 30 kilometers from Alcamo in a hot, arid coastal microclimate shaped by intense sirocco winds, similar to conditions in northern Africa. The wine is a blend of equal parts Nerello Mascalese, Perricone, and Syrah, grapes that thrive in the region’s dry heat. It is fermented in stainless steel with about a week of skin maceration, then aged for one year in large Slavonian oak casks before being bottled with only a tiny addition of sulfur. The result is a ripe yet balanced wine featuring bright raspberry, strawberry, and pomegranate notes layered with cedar, blood orange, mint, and a distinctive savory character reminiscent of high-quality tomato sauce. At its core, it is lively, fresh, and highly drinkable – and for under $20, an easy wine to bring home in multitudes!

PAIRING IDEAS: Pizza, no question. Wood-fired (or grilled) sausage and mushroom ideally, finished with a sprinkling of fresh, torn, mixed herbs.