Occhipinti

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

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

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

Muscular Nero d'Avola, deep dark red, rich in extract and powerful with aromas of dried fruits, raspberries, beetroot and blackcurrants. A juicy Sicilian from natural cultivation, which enchants us with great personality and beguiling finesse. SUPERIORE.DE

"Dark and brooding in the glass, like cracking open an ashen stone, the 2019 Nero d’Avola Siccagno makes itself known. There are depths of blackberry, sage and spiced citrus beneath its smoky exterior. This fleshes out across the palate with prominence, silky and warming, yet with a mounting tension, as tart wild berries mix with hints of sour citrus toward the close. It leaves a coating of fine tannins through the lip-smacking finale, yet they fail to slow the 2019’s momentum, as inner rose tones and balsam herbs slowly fade. This really takes you on a journey from start to finish, and I love the nervous citrusy string that ties it all together. What’s more, the 2019 is in no hurry, and it should only get better through short-term cellaring." 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

Arianna Occhipinti's new white wine is a 100% Grillo and comes from a vineyard 490 metres above sea level, surrounded by pine forests, oaks and centuries-old olive trees. The soil of Contrada Santa Margherita consists of sandy calcareous marl of a whitish colour and yellowish-white calcarenite, all sediments of the sea dating back to the Pleistocene. These soils of the Monti Iblei at the foot of the small commune of Chiaramonte Gulfi give the wine an impressive complexity and saltiness.

Pale yellow in the glass, intense bouquet of citrus notes accompanied by spicy vegetal notes and white flowers. In the drink, a fantastic balance of alcohol and acidity, impressive complexity that only reveals itself with some time, with beautiful length and a dry-mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The 2020 Bianco Contrade SM is a varietal Grillo with a wild yet alluring bouquet that reminds me more of a spiced, citrus-inspired, herbal tea than wine. Then mix in some smoke, a hint of underbrush and viola. It’s soft-textured and savory to the core, with flinty young peach motivated by brisk acids and hints of sour lemon. This leaves a staining of minerality, along with notes of ginger and tangerine, while tapering off with impressive length and concentration. Wow, I’m finding it hard to put this glass down. This is the first vintage of the SM with a strikeout on the label, as Occhipinti can not legally add the Contrada name “Santa Margherita” to the label. The vines are planted in sandy, calcareous soils at 500 meters in Chiaramonte Gulfi, just north of Vittoria." Vinous

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

"Transparent dark cherry red. In contrast to the other two Cotradas, the PT is currently the fruitiest. Sweet cherries, sour cherries and plums are accompanied by sweet yeast dough and light tobacco. Nevertheless, the wine is by no means cloying or overripe, but consistently fine and elegant. The etherealness, which can also be 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. When you have this Frappato in your glass, Sicilian elegance can be redefined. Here it meets a sour cherry fruitiness and the already mentioned impressive clarity and precision." Christoph Raffelt (originalverkorkt.de)

"The Arianna Occhipinti 2017 Frappato Vino di Contrada PT draws its fruit from the Contrada Pettineo that sees 60-year-old vines planted in loose, sandy soils. Of these new releases, this wine has a heavier note of old leather that might worsen with time. I'd suggest a near-term drinking window as a result. There is plenty of dark fruit at the back, and the mouthfeel is glossy and silky in texture." Robert Parker

This Frappato comes from the single vineyard Bombolieri, which lies not far from the Serra San Bartolo. The topsoil is sandy and clayey and around 25 centimetres deep. After that, one finds bare limestone. The stone, like the surface, varies between a walnut brown and white. Around 2,600 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE

"Transparent dark cherry red. Of the three Contradas, the BB is the most powerful in the fragrance. There is only a light, violet floral scent here, joined by a restrained yeasty note. The Frappato is reminiscent of sour cherries and cherry stones, autumn leaves and a little dark tobacco. The aroma already hints at taut tannins. At the same time, the Frappato remains fragrant and ethereal. On the palate, the BB shows a wonderful balance of lightness and punchy juiciness, power and a masculine tannin. The wine is clearly the tightest and darkest of the three single-vineyard Frappato. But as is characteristic of the Arianna Occhipinti Frappato, it flows almost crystal clear over the palate. All that quiet power and earthy dark aromatics form the backbone behind the cool, fresh, transparent and sour cherry style. The wine shines with dark beauty." Christoph Raffelt (originalverkorkt.de)

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) that Arianna Occhipinti has been cultivating since 2004. The topsoil is sandy with mineral deposits that colour it partly red, partly brown. After 40 centimetres, one encounters pure limestone. The Frappato is grown there in Albarello - typical for Vittoria. The vineyard is located on the Monti Iblei, the Hyblaean Mountains in south-eastern Sicily. Around 2,600 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE

"Transparent medium cherry red. What a wonderful, typical and yet unexpectedly intense Frappato start! The young wine still 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 is absolutely transparent and clear, fine and fresh, yet complex and powerful. On the second day, the FL retreats more, but the elegance and the underlying power can still be sensed. Red wines outside Burgundy are rarely this fine, this transparent. Balanced between slightly acidic red fruit and a fine spicy perfume on the one hand, and a dry but ripe, precise tannin and fresh, lively acidity on the other, the Frappato seems to float lightly, yet it is connected 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 light-hearted character and surely dares to go further in the future. This Sicilian belongs on the big stage." Christoph Raffelt (originalverkorkt.de)

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 centimetres. After that, limestone is found. Originally, the Frappato, which is now about 60 years old, stood there in Albarello vines, then the previous owner raised them in wire frames, where they grew very tall. Around 2,600 bottles were produced. SUPERIORE.DE

"Transparent dark cherry red. In contrast to the other two Cotradas, the PT is currently the fruitiest. Sweet cherries, sour cherries and plums are accompanied by sweet yeast dough and light tobacco. Nevertheless, the wine is by no means cloying or overripe, but consistently fine and elegant. The etherealness, which can also be 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. When you have this Frappato in your glass, Sicilian elegance can be redefined. Here it meets a sour cherry fruitiness and the already mentioned impressive clarity and precision." 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 is perhaps the most classically beautiful of Arianna Occhipinti new releases and is probably the best wine I have yet tasted from this dynamic winemaker located in Vittoria. The intensity and purity of the 2016 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico Grotte Alte are unmistakable. This wine pops with fresh cherry, raspberry, wild rose, balsam herb and a touch of iron ore or rusty nail. The blend of fruit is equal parts Nero d'Avola and Frappato, and the results show impeccable balance and graceful composure. To the palate, the wine is slender and slimmed down, but there is enough texture and richness to power a long, silky finish." Robert Parker

"The raspberry and red-flower aromas are very enticing, but this is also deep and sophisticated with notes of terra cotta and smoke. Sleek and concentrated palate with fine-grained tannins. Very long, fresh and mineral finish." James Suckling

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

"A joyful and fragrant frappato that's so sleek, fresh and mineral. With aeration, a whiff of smoke joins the bright red cherry, making the wine even more fascinating. Long, clean finish with lovely savory complexity." James Suckling

"Wow! The freshness and poise of this wine is such a fantastic example of Arianna Occhipinti's skill as a winemaker and of the purity of the fruit she uses. Remarkably fresh and expressive with amazing red fruit, a herbal lining and a delicious hint of blood orange." Decanter