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Arianna Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso Frappato 2019
Origin: Sicily, Italy
Retail: $49.95 | Sale: $44.95
Arianna Occhipinti is a female winemaker and pioneer of biodynamic viticulture. Her love for wine was sparked at age of 16 when she attended Vinitaly with her uncle (Giusto Occhipinti of COS). It prompted her to study oenology at university in Milan. There, she was distressed to find the emphasis on chemistry and laboratory work, at odds with the more natural winemaking she had learned from her uncle. This wasn’t what had prompted her to fall in love with wine. For her, it was about farming: the vines. In her early 20s, she began making wines in her home area of Vittoria, Sicily. Frappato amazed her: a grape capable of making floral, elegant reds, so different from the big, ripe overpowering Nero d’Avolas that had so far defined Sicilian wine. She decided her style would be one of finesse and elegance and perfume over power. Her first vintage (2004) was released in 2006 when she was just 24. At the time she was working with just one hectare of abandoned vines. Arianna now owns 23.5 hectares of vineyards in the southeast of Sicily, near Vittoria. Here she works beautiful land of limestone and sandy soils at around 300 metres in altitude. It’s in complete contrast to Mount Etna further north; flattish land where grapes are just one of the many fruits, and vegetables are grown – polytunnels seem as familiar as vineyards. However, it’s also arguably where the Frappato variety originates and reaches its zenith, while the local Nero d’Avola is also particularly suited. Her 2019 Frappato comes from 40 year old vines. It is made with native yeasts, unfiltered, unfined, no added sulfites. It's the perfect balance between rustic terroir and elegance. It's widely aromatic burning with flowers, minerals, and raspberries. The palate is juicy with fine tannin and vibrant acidity. This wine has potential to be a magical pairing with a wide variety of foods so play around and let us know what you discover! Don't be afraid to throw a tiny chill on your bottle when pairing with lighter fare.
100% Frappato