Occhipinti

Occhipintis Bianco has been one of the craziest and at the same time most independent white wines of Sicily for years. Made from equal parts of Moscato and Albanello, it exudes the scent of peaches and flowers, with a subtle smoky note on the nose. Delicately bitter on the palate, it is bone dry and has wonderful fruity hints of lychee, lime and apricot. With half an hour of aeration and at a moderate 12°C drinking temperature, you will be completely captivated by the refinement and drinkability of this exceptional drop! SUPERIORE.DE

The SP68 cuvée of Frappato and Nero d'Avola is wonderfully fresh, dynamic, individual and modern. Generous aromas, solidly structured and with mild tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

Rare every year, Il Frappato from Arianna Occhipinti is spicy and elegant on the nose, rich in red berries, plus fresh spices and flowers. Lively on the palate, beautifully relaxed, vibrant tannin. A graceful and exceptional red. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2018 Frappato is seductive and perfumed, as crushed stone gives way to violet pastille, sweet plums and hints of grilled citrus. It's silky in texture, quite savory and vivid, with notes that are sometimes blackberries and at other times cranberries, tinged with saline-minerality and inner herbal notes. The 2018 is persistent, only lightly structured, and packed full of tension with a sweet and sour display of wild berries and lavender that lingers incredibly long." Vinous

Rare every year, Il Frappato from Arianna Occhipinti is spicy and elegant on the nose, rich in red berries, plus fresh spices and flowers. Lively on the palate, beautifully relaxed, vibrant tannin. A graceful and exceptional red. SUPERIORE.DE

The SP68 cuvée of Frappato and Nero d'Avola is wonderfully fresh, dynamic, individual and modern. Generous aromas, solidly structured and with mild tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

This frappato comes from the single vineyard Bombolieri, which is not far from the Serra San Bartolo. The topsoil is sandy and clayey and about 25 centimetres deep. Then you find bare limestone. The stone, as well as the surface, alternates between walnut brown and white. Around 2,600 bottles were produced.

"Transparent dark cherry red. Of the three Contradas, the BB has the strongest fragrance. There is only a light, violet floral scent here, and a restrained yeast tone is added. The Frappato is reminiscent of sour cherries and also of cherry stones, autumn leaves and some dark tobacco. Here the fragrance already hints at a quite firm tannin. At the same time the Frappato remains fragrant and ethereal. On the palate, the BB shows the wonderful balance of lightness and powerful juiciness, strength and a masculine tannin. The wine is clearly the tightest and darkest of the three single vineyard Frappato. But like the Frappato of the Arianna Occhipinti, it flows crystal clear over the palate. All the quiet power and the earthy-dark aromas form the backbone behind the cool, fresh, transparent and sour cherry style. The wine shines in dark beauty." Christoph Raffelt (original corked.de)

"From the Contrada Bombolieri, the 2016 Frappato Vino di Contrada BB appears to be the darkest and most saturated in this set of three Frappato-based wines. This vineyard is set high on a promontory with white limestone soils. The expression is open and accessible like the others, yet this wine adds an additional layer of earth or potting soil on top of the bright red and black fruit you get on the nose. This one also appears to have extra layering and textural richness. All that fruit is capped by fresh acidity that plays a big role, making this wine a nice pairing partner to creamy fettuccine. An exclusive 2,400 bottles were produced." Robert Parker

This Frappato comes from the single vineyard Fossa di Lupo, from which the fruit of the Grotte Alte also comes. This is a historic single vineyard (contrada), which Arianna Occhipinti has been cultivating since 2004. The topsoil is sandy with mineral inclusions that color it partly red, partly brown. After 40 centimeters, pure limestone is found. The Frappato is grown there in Albarello - typical for Vittoria. The vineyard is located at the Monti Iblei, the Hyblaean Mountains in the southeast of Sicily. About 2,600 bottles were produced.

"Transparent medium cherry red. What a wonderful, typical and yet unexpectedly intense Frappato start! The young wine seems slightly yeasty at the beginning. In addition, there are many violet flowers such as violets and iris, but also roses, which lie over the glass like a fine perfume. Finally, there are nutty notes and black cherries as well as wild berries and a little tobacco. All this shows absolutely transparent and clear, fine and fresh and yet complex and powerful. On the second day, the FL retreats more, but the elegance and the subliminal power can be sensed even then. So fine, so transparent are red wines outside of Burgundy only rarely. Balanced between slightly acidic red fruit and fine spicy perfume on the one hand, and a dry but ripe, precise tannin and fresh, lively acidity on the other hand, the Frappato seems to float lightly, and yet is tied to the earth and the chalky soil from which it comes. This lime provides vitality and a power that one only notices in the second moment. Then it becomes clear that the FL surprises with a wonderful depth and complexity that peeks out like a second face behind the juvenile lighthearted character, sure to venture further in the future. This Sicilian belongs on the big stage." Christoph Raffelt (originalverkorkt.de)

High-class and typical Cerasuolo di Vittoria from Frappato and Nero d'Avola. Bright ruby red, expressive bouquet of berries and herbs, with a hint of coffee and flint, full fruit on the palate with depth, soft and long, a fine salty vein in the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2016 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Grotte Alte is darkly alluring yet also incredibly pretty, as crushed violets and sweet smoke are contrasted by hints of grilled citrus and blackberries. Its silky textures wash shades of black and purple-tinged fruits across a core of zesty acids, leaving minerals and a bitter twang of lemon peels. Round tannins coat the palate with youthful poise, as this tapers off long to hints of licorice and savory exotic spice. The Grotte Alte is lifted yet displays amazing concentration and an almost nervous energy. Give this equal-parts blend of Frappato and Nero d'Avola a few years of cellaring, and watch it shine." Vinous

This Frappato comes from the historic single vineyard Pettineo, which lies beyond the Serra San Bartolo. The topsoil is sandy with a depth of 50 to 60 centimeters. After that, one finds limestone. Originally, the Frappato, now about 60 years old, stood there in Albarello vines, then the previous owner raised them in wire frames, where they grew very tall. About 2,600 bottles were produced.

"Transparent dark cherry red. In contrast to the other two Cotradas, the PT currently shows the most fruit. Sweet cherries, sour cherries and plums are accompanied by sweet yeast dough and light tobacco. Nevertheless, the wine does not seem cloying or overripe at all, but consistently fine and elegant. The ethereal, which is also found in the other two Contradas, is also present here. The Vino di Contrada PT is highly present from the first moment. There is a lot of juiciness at play and also a pleasant pressure on the palate. Like the other two Frappatos, the PT is extremely elegant and transparent, almost cool and crystal clear like a white wine, but then again equipped with a silky and distinctive tannin. When people talk about almost Burgundian elegance in Sicilian wines, they are actually always talking about Nerello Mascalese from Etna. If you have this Frappato in your glass, Sicilian elegance can be redefined. Here it meets a sour cherry fruitiness and the aforementioned impressive clarity and precision." Christoph Raffelt (originalverkorkt.de)

This frappato comes from the single vineyard Bombolieri, which is not far from the Serra San Bartolo. The topsoil is sandy and clayey and about 25 centimetres deep. Then you find bare limestone. The stone, as well as the surface, alternates between walnut brown and white. Around 2,600 bottles were produced.

"Transparent dark cherry red. Of the three Contradas, the BB has the strongest fragrance. There is only a light, violet floral scent here, and a restrained yeast tone is added. The Frappato is reminiscent of sour cherries and also of cherry stones, autumn leaves and some dark tobacco. Here the fragrance already hints at a quite firm tannin. At the same time the Frappato remains fragrant and ethereal. On the palate, the BB shows the wonderful balance of lightness and powerful juiciness, strength and a masculine tannin. The wine is clearly the tightest and darkest of the three single vineyard Frappato. But like the Frappato of the Arianna Occhipinti, it flows crystal clear over the palate. All the quiet power and the earthy-dark aromas form the backbone behind the cool, fresh, transparent and sour cherry style. The wine shines in dark beauty." Christoph Raffelt (original corked.de)

"From the Contrada Bombolieri, the 2016 Frappato Vino di Contrada BB appears to be the darkest and most saturated in this set of three Frappato-based wines. This vineyard is set high on a promontory with white limestone soils. The expression is open and accessible like the others, yet this wine adds an additional layer of earth or potting soil on top of the bright red and black fruit you get on the nose. This one also appears to have extra layering and textural richness. All that fruit is capped by fresh acidity that plays a big role, making this wine a nice pairing partner to creamy fettuccine. An exclusive 2,400 bottles were produced." Robert Parker