COS

Nero di Lupo is - in contrast to many other single-varietal Nero d'Avola - a fresh and rather light wine, but no less interesting. Intense aroma of sour cherries and herbs, the bright, friendly taste is exceedingly fruity, lively and silky. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2020 Nero di Lupo impresses with its savory blend of grilled sage, flinty crushed rocks and citrus-tinged red currants. It’s round in feel with lively acids to balance, as sour cherry mixed with hints of tangerine gives way to saline-mineral tones toward the close. A bitter trace and nuances of plum skins linger through the long and spicy finale. The Nero di Lupo is a zesty, varietal Nero d'Avola that will excel at the dinner table." Vinous

This is one of the most interesting and expressive wines to come out of the Vittoria area of Sicily. The 2020 Frappato is tangy and sharp, linear and direct. And it reveals more depth and nuances than one would expect in this price range. Normally, a good Frappato always has an authentic and transparent expression. This unmasked openness is also present here, but in addition there is an almost accidental hint of balsamic herbs and bitter almonds that give it further tension and personality. How good that Titta Cilia and Giusto Occhipinti leave nothing to chance, and so this finesse-rich frappato is rightly one of the region's most independent drops every year. SUPERIORE.DE

"Violet and rose tones give way to wild berries and hints of camphor as the 2021 Frappato blossoms in the glass. This is soft-textured, with medium-bodied weight complementing ripe red and blue berries that are further accentuated by lively acidity. A caking of minerality lingers, as it tapers off classically dry and perfumed. The balance here is simply stunning, as the 2021 comes across as fruit-centric, yet deep and characterful." Vinous

Rami is an attractive and at the same time very individual blend of Grecanico and Inzolia. Bright golden yellow with a slight cloudiness typical of an orange wine and with an initially restrained-reductive bouquet, then with some aeration sweetly fragrant of apricots, dried flowers and orange peel.

This intellectual white needs time and a certain experience with natural wines - with the necessary portion of oxygen it is highly appetising and elegant on the palate. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2021 Rami is a translucent amber color; it has a rich yet floral bouquet of raw almonds, peach skins and hints of chamomile. The 2021 envelopes the palate with silken textural orchard fruits while remaining perfumed and vibrant throughout. The finale is dry yet long and sapid, resonating on notes of young peach and a subtle yet bitter twang of gingery spice, all nicely offset by a hint of raw honey. In 2021, the Rami, a blend of 50% Grecanico and 50% Insolia, displays wonderful balance and verve, making it so easy to like." Vinous

Maldafrica denotes an "inner longing for a distant land" and is not love at first sight, but it is one of the most interesting wines of Sicily. It is very subtle and nuanced at first and it opens up gradually on its own timetable, but then: spontaneously fermented in amphorae, Maldafrica overwhelms the senses with dark fruits, spices, chopped herbs, salty notes, sulphur, leather and damp tobacco. Its mouthfeel is over a minute long and its acidity provides the perfect amount of astringency to refresh the senses for all its opulence. A quiet monument that sets standards throughout the wine region and leaves a lasting impression for all its longing. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2018 Maldafrica is earthy from the start. A blend of wild herbs, underbrush and animal musk slowly blows off to reveal crushed black cherries. It's soft, round and savory with balsam herbs and saline mineral tones giving way to tart wild berries. This finishes with medium length and lightly structured, ending with a sour citrus tinge. The Maldafrica is an equal parts blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot." Vinous

Maldafrica denotes an "inner longing for a distant land" and is not love at first sight, but it is one of the most interesting wines of Sicily. It is very subtle and nuanced at first and it opens up gradually on its own timetable, but then: spontaneously fermented in amphorae, Maldafrica overwhelms the senses with dark fruits, spices, chopped herbs, salty notes, sulphur, leather and damp tobacco. Its mouthfeel is over a minute long and its acidity provides the perfect amount of astringency to refresh the senses for all its opulence. A quiet monument that sets standards throughout the wine region and leaves a lasting impression for all its longing. SUPERIORE.DE

The former Cerasuolo di Vittoria exudes a wonderful fragrance of dark wild cherries. Dense but not heavy on the palate, long and pure with multilayered subtle fruit flavours. A sensual and at the same time pleasure-giving wine, 60 percent Nero d'Avola from the oak barrel and 40 percent Frappato matured in the glazed cement tank. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2019 Rosso Vittoria is darkly alluring, with a whiff of balsam herbs and cocoa giving way to black currants and air-dried meats. This is savory yet silky in feel, with depths of dark red fruit offset by a tinge of tangerine. Inner violet and lavender tones resonate as the 2019 finishes gently tannic yet remarkably fresh. A saline tinge calls the taster back to the glass. The Vittoria Rosso is a blend of 60% Nero d'Avola and 40% Frappato." Vinous

Copper-coloured with light brown reflections. Floral-sweet and complex on the nose. On the palate, its typical Moscato aromas are carried by honey, dried fruit, caramel and a hint of musk. Creamy and dense on the palate with a well-dosed acidity that gives it a lot of freshness, the overall impression for us is that Aestas Passito is a dessert wine that is hard to beat in terms of excitement and specialness and where you can feel with every sip the dedication and certain wine craziness with which it was created. SUPERIORE.DE

Pithos Rosso was fermented spontaneously in the amphora and is a paragon of liveliness, freshness and elegance. On the nose, dried cherries, some leather and spices. On the palate, young and fresh, lively and yet highly fragile. A perfectly crafted, mineral and highly unusual red that embodies gentle biodynamics 100%. Be sure to aerate it sufficiently before drinking! SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2021 Pithos Rosso is wildly fresh and exotic, with spiced citrus and incense evolving to reveal dried strawberries and sweet smoke. It washes across the palate with a pretty inner sweetness and crisp red and blue berry fruits, all nicely motived by juicy acidity. A cascade of inner florals and citrus tones echo throughout as the 2021 finishes with gently grippy tannins and remnants of spiced blackberry that linger on and on. A fantastic Pithos Rosso." Vinous

Aristocratic, amphora-aged Natural Wine made from 100 percent Zibibbo with a reductive, floral bouquet, notes of white and yellow stone fruit, plus a savoury, spicy herbal aroma. The aromas merge on the palate with great elegance, fine peach and exotic fruits, long, fresh, mineral and extremely interesting in the finish. Be sure to aerate sufficiently before drinking! SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2021 Zibibbo in Pithos opens with an exotic array of tropical florals and citrus complicated by candied ginger and sweet smoke. It washes across the palate with a mineral-tinged blend of young peach and sour melon, all propelled by juicy acidity. The 2021 finishes remarkably fresh yet nuanced, with grapefruit and kiwi suggestions." Vinous

The grapes for the spicy, persistent Contrada come from over 50-year-old Nero d'Avola vines. Rich, lush bouquet of black cherries and plums, wonderfully fruity aromas on the palate with notes of leather, spices and liquorice. Seduces powerfully, with vitality and freshness, tension and a very distinguished elegance. SUPERIORE.DE

Rosso delle Fontane from the single vineyard of the same name beguiles with its light ruby red colour and subtle scent of dark cherries, followed on the palate by redcurrant, hints of tar, suede and a well-measured amount of Amarena cherry. Salty-mineralic, never-ending finish. Highly elegant in its entirety and packaged with COS's own noble restraint. Burgundian greatness and a beacon of the Vittoria DOC appellation! SUPERIORE.DE

"Wild herbs and dried strawberries come together with hints of shaved cedar as the 2018 Vittoria Rosso Fontane opens in the glass. Soft and supple, this begins with a burst of zesty acidity and saline minerals that complicate its tart wild berry fruits. It finishes long, staining and with a bitter tinge, leaving a subtle layer of fine tannin to linger." Vinous

"Once part of the Cerasuolo di Vittoria appellation, the 2018 Vittoria Delle Fontane is now a representative of the relatively new Vittoria appellation. This organic blend of 60% Nero d'Avola and 40% Frappato shows lovely tertiary definition with spice and toasted anise framing a core of dried cherry and plum. Drinking this wine now, you will notice the beautiful transition from primary fruit to something more complex and ethereal. There is, however, some acidity that reflects the cooler and wetter conditions of the vintage." Wine Advocate