2009 Arianna Occhipinti SP68 IGT
I’ve already professed my undying love for the wines of Arianna Occhipinti elsewhere on this blog…..the 2008 Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato to be exact. Now it’s time to have a look at another of Arianna’s wines….this time a blend of Nero D’ Avola and Frappato….the staples of Sicily’s only DOCG… Cerasuolo di Vittoria.
The SP68 is the name of the main road that passes near to Arianna’s home town of Vittoria….it lies in the far South of Sicily just to the West of Ragusa. It is here that she has been making wine for the past ten years under the tutelage of her uncle, Giusto Occhipinti who owns and runs the famous COS estate.
The blend is an interesting one….the depth and ooomph of Nero D’Avola is given a lovely lift and nimble turn of pace, by the addition of the aromatic, zippy, high acid Frappato and it’s certainly a blend that seems to resonate with me as a wine drinker.
All the vineyards are worked using biodynamic principals and the work in the cellar is measured…not pushing the wine in any way…letting it find its own space…..natural yeasts, no temperature control, no fining or filtration and minimal SO2 at bottling.
Slighly turbid purple/red in the glass showing aromas of wild cherries, plum and mulberry with just a touch of raspberry lift. There are hints of flowers, leather, smoke, spice and herbs with wafts of licorice, earth and mandarin rind.
In the mouth the initial attack of fruit is awash with wild cherry sheathed in tobacco leaf with supporting fruit flavours of dark plum and blackberry. A very pretty wine on the palate with violet-like floral flicks across the leather and spice backdrop with hints of roasted meats, citrus rind and scattered herbs. It’s delicious and lively with a nice, lingering finish set upon a plinth of ripe, fine grained gravelly tannins. Super drinking…..it doesn’t mind a bit of chilling down also which is a godsend at this time of the year….a bit of time in the fridge is ideal…it tightens up a little and is a joy to drink.
Price: $40 – Closure: DIAM – Alcohol: 13% – Source: Cellar
I haven’t met Arianna Occhipinti as yet….hopefully later on this year….but I imagine she looks like this…..
The Wonder Women of Sicilian Wine
Lovely review-she does look like that dave- very good looking girl! This is one of my favorite wines and perfect as you said for cooling it down a little..comes in the shop, runs out the shop and often down my throat!!we need Frappatto growing in oz for thosewarmer climes that want to grow a pinotesque/gamay lighter wine…lets bring it on xgill
Lovely review-she does look like that dave- very good looking girl! This is one of my favorite wines and perfect as you said for cooling it down a little..comes in the shop, runs out the shop and often down my throat!!we need Frappatto growing in oz for those warmer climes that want to grow a pinotesque/gamay lighter wine…lets bring it on xgill
It’s a cracking wine Gill….I actually popped into the Yalumba Nursery and spoke to nick dry about a month ago as he’s onboard with who’s sourcing what cuttings O.S…..someone…he wouldn’t tell me who was in Sicily with the intention of sourcing some Frappato at that stage…..three years in quarantine though before planting so it could be a while before we see any in bottle….perfect for our climate I reckon.
As both Arianna and Giousto (of COS) was in town (Oslo) this week, we’ve thus far had an Occhipinti week. I find the 09 Il Frappato to be one of the more interesting wines around. Anywhere. A tad expensive, but if you compare the wine to a Burgundy or a mature nebbiolo, the price is not that high. There’s something very precise and pure about Arianna’s wines. And intriguing.
The full tasting notes, etc. here http://bit.ly/pQLXdM