Alfara 2021
A liter of orange Italian catarratto wine with tropical fruit flavors, herb aromas, citrus notes and a saline finish!
Tasting Notes: Rainier cherry, cantaloupe and peach.
Pairing Suggestions: Ricotta Fritters, Couscous Alla Trapanese, Sfincione
Sicily, Italy
Type: Orange | Vintage: 2021 | Sulfur: Minimal | Varietal: Catarratto | Alcohol: 11% | Production: Organic, Biodynamic | Style: Glou Glou
Producer Profile
Flavia Rallo—a young wine producer of the fourth generation of the historic Rallo family is interpreting the values of her great grandfather—spreading the culture of good wine and quality products of their territory by completely dedicating themselves to the creation of native Sicilian wines. The passion for work, excellent intuition and commitment have led to the production of natural wines from certified organic fruit, unfiltered, and with very low sulphite contents. These wines, with their lively freshness, come from the historic vineyards owned by the Rallo family since 1860. They are located between Contrada Birgi and Paolini, a stone’s throw from the Riserva dello Stagnone and the historic Marsala salt pans. The presence of the sea contributes to the creation of soils rich in minerals and with high sapidity—characteristics that give life to unique wines with Sicilian flavors and aromas. They also work with vineyards on the northern slope of Mount Etna. The vines, between 20 and 30 years old, come from some of the best terroirs on the volcano: the North Slope of Mount Etna, in the Zottorinoto and Puntale Palino contrada of Solicchiata, a hamlet of Castiglione di Sicilia, at 950 meters (3116 feet) altitude and on sandy volcanic soils. The choice to work organically is an effective choice for the well-being of each individual but also for the planet, the sustainable choice is a direct vote for the health and hope of the generations to come. Their main objective is not to achieve high production levels, but to maintain and increase the levels of organic matter in the soils by completely eliminating the supply of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides to fight parasites (insects, mites, etc .) and pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses). Their organic production method therefore has a dual function: to respond to the demand from consumers for healthy and safe wines; on the other hand, to produce natural wines that contribute to environmental protection, animal welfare and rural development. - Minum
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About Natural Wine
Great question! There are a lot of definitions for natural wine with the main term you'll hear being that it has had minimal intervention. To be more specific, our definition is that the wine must first be sustainably farmed, which typically means it was organically or biodynamically farmed.
Then, in the cellar the natural winemaking process has some differences as well! The wine is typically unfined, unfiltered, and goes through spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. If you want to know more about what natural wine is, we have an entire guide under our reference section!
The short answer is that natural wine can taste like any other kind of conventional wine (we like to call these stealth natural wines) or it can taste quite a bit different, as production methods can vary and potentially be lighter, or in a style you've never had before (like orange, pet-nat or amphora).
The natural wine community is also more accepting of some qualities in wines that conventional would consider a flaw, like Brett, some oxidation, or volatile acidity. We would consider these in high amounts to also be a flaw, but in many cases a touch of these qualities can ultimately improve their flavor and texture and be happily accepted in a natural wine.
To find out more about what natural wine tastes like, check out our full blog and podcast on the topic here.
The short answer is, no! But many are. Glou-glou describes winesthat are easily chuggable, impossible to put the glass down, and seductively delicious! They tend to be young and fresh, designed to be drunk early with an average ABV of around 10%. Check out different styles or glou glou natural wine here on our site.