“Brutto”, Vino Frizzante Bianco Ancestrale, Catarratto, Terre Siciliane

Aldo's pure Catarratto “pét-nat” comes from his iron-rich limestone slopes in northwest Sicily, crown-capped toward the end of its initial fermentation (spontaneous, of course) with no additions whatsoever. The resulting brew offers striking varietal purity, showcasing Catarratto’s apricot-and-peach lusciousness with an alluring smoky undercurrent. “Brutto” is controlled and balanced without being polite, and it’s of a piece with his still wines in its combination of effortless complexity and arresting purity of fruit. Bubbles are controlled rather than foamy, and it has great persistence for such a straightforwardly produced wine. There are but 150 cases for the United States to be had of this vivacious sparkler!