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Arianna Occhipinti Sicilia Bianco SP68 2021 piel
Origin: Sicily, Italy
Retail: $34.95 | Sale: $31.46
Arianna is the niece of Giusto Occhpinti, whose COS wines are undisputedly amongst the very best of Sicily. In 1998, Giusto invited her to help him out at Vinitaly for four days. Arianna was 16 at the time and knew nothing about wine; the experience was such a good one that she decided to study viticulture and oenology in university. This quickly proved counter-intuitive, since everything she had learned from her uncle (organic viticulture, hand-harvesting, native yeast fermentations) clashed with what she was being taught in school. Undeterred, Arianna started making her own wine with just one hectare of abandoned vines in the commune of Vittoria. Over the years, she has progressively expanded the estate by replanting 10 hectares of the region's indigenous Frappato and Nero D'Avola in selection massale. A few years later, she was able to start renting 50 year old Frappato and 45 year old Nero D'Avola vines, both independently bottled as single varietal/vineyard cuvées. In 2012, an additional eight hectares of 19 year old vines were acquired, which for the time being will be used to produce more of her SP68. “SP68 Bianco di Arianna Occhipinti has an intense straw yellow color. On the nose, Zibbio is the master with an interesting island variation: fresh grapes, pickled olives, Mediterranean scrub, broom, fresh cedar peel. In the mouth, it is salty and fresh, with a good structure and balsamic-citrusy length.”
60% Zibibbo 40% Albanello.
Arianna Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso Nero d'Avola Siccagno 2019
Origin: Sicily, Italy
Retail: $34.95 | Sale: $31.66
“The SP68 is a blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola, named after a highway near Arianna’s home town of Vittoria. With bright aromatics of raspberry, cherry and garrigue, this is a year-round red wine to serve slightly chilled and paired with grilled lamb.”
70% Frappato/30% Nero d'Avola
Sleight of Hand ‘The Illusionist’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Origin: Colombia Valley, WA
Retail: $54.95 | Sale: $49.46
Started in 2007, Sleight of Hand Cellars has, in a short period of time, established itself as one of the premier wineries in Washington state. The winemaking team of Trey Busch, Jerry Solomon, and Keith Johnson craft remarkable and incredibly delicious wines. The 2018 Illusionist Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from our Estate Vineyard blocks located in both the W alla Walla and Red Mountain AVAs. It was aged for 20 months in 54% new French oak, and has a classic nose of tobacco leaf, red and black cherries, Asian spices, cassis, earthy herbs, and leather. The palate is dominated by dense flavors of more dark cherries and plums, with herbal undertones. It is richly textured, almost decadent, with refined, mouth-coating tannins, perfectly integrated oak notes, and incredibly fresh acidity.
81% Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Petit Verdot 7% Cabernet Franc.