Monday, February 26, 2024

"A great natural white for everyday drinking." Ciello Bianco Catarratto Terre Siciliane.

Ciello Bianco Catarratto Terre Siciliane (IGP) 2022, 12% ABV


"A great natural white for everyday drinking"

RRP: €14.50. Stockists include 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny


Le Caveau is well known, among other things of course, for their range of appealing house wines, and this Cantine Rallo Bianco is one of them. See and try it at both Ichigo Ichie and 51 Cornmarket along with its red sibling Nero D’Avola. Rallo vines are organically grown and the label boldly states that the fruit for the Bianco was harvested in the first ten days of September.


Colour is a hazy gold - the wine is unfiltered, hence the cloudiness. Aromas feature both floral and herbal elements. On the palate, it is full of energy and freshness with refined white fruit leading before a slightly salty finish. If you love a fragrant and crisp Italian white, you’ll hit the target with this gem from the island. 


A great natural white for everyday drinking and, easily drunk, is also the perfect entry-level natural white wine. It is organic, unfiltered, and unfined.


 Very Highly Recommended. Well priced too by the way. 


Catarratto is a native grape in Sicily and the name means cataract or waterfall (not the cloudy thing in your eyes!). Why this name?  According to Vino (2022), because of “the prodigal amounts of wine from what is the most common grape in Sicily and the second most common in all of Italy”.


It is ideal to pair with the Sicily's traditional pasta, such as pasta with sardines or with broccoli or still with soft cheeses. Good too with turbot, white meats and very appealing by itself!



Check out  our Top Wines 2024 list (with stockists and short reviews) here 

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Andrea Vesco, whose family bought the winery in the 90s, runs it with expert commitment personally and meticulously attends to all the stages of production from the cultivation of the grapes to the final bottling, with the strong support of a professional staff of 21 employees.

Since 2010, Rallo wines have been “produced and bottled at their origin by the grower”. Night harvesting and modern temperature-controlled fermentations result in bright, fresh, and outstanding wines. The results are evident in this fragrant, crisp Catarratto and its red sibling the perfumed, fresh Nero d'Avola.

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