Ciello Bianco Catarratto Terre Siciliane IGP

The dynamic Vesco family now own the winery, and have revolutionised the viticultural practices and invested heavily in cutting edge technology for the winery and bottling line. Their hundred hectares of organic vineyards are located high up in the hills above Alcamo. The wines are all certified organic and planted on south-east facing slopes on sandy soils 150 – 300m above sea level. The climate is clearly suited for producing the best quality grapes. The vineyards in three main sites:  Alcamo for Catarratto and Nero d’Avola.

The grapes tend to be picked earlier in the year than many of their neighbours which produces their customary bright, fresh style of wine. The results are evident in the Catarratto and perfumed, fresh Nero d’Avola. These wines are a million miles from the overripe styles made by many of their peers. Night harvesting and modern temperature-controlled fermentations result in bright, fresh, modern wines.

Fragrant, crisp Catarratto with a pleasant trace of pink grapefruit, apple-skin with soft almond on the finish and soft, warmy and plummy Nero d’Avola with good character. The first bottling of the Ciello tends to have the lees in evident suspension, the wine be chalky-opaque, but the fresh has that just-off-the-tank freshness. Subsequent bottlings will be a mite less cloudy; what you gain in clarity you lose a touch in mouthfeel.