Frappato times three
Arianna Occhipinti was sixteen when her uncle Giusto (the O in COS) took her to Vinitaly for four days in 1998.
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Arianna Occhipinti calls Fossa di Lupo the backbone of her work since 2004. If you buy only one of the three single-vineyard wines, make it this one.
From the wine letter
Arianna Occhipinti was sixteen when her uncle Giusto (the O in COS) took her to Vinitaly for four days in 1998. Afterwards she studied viticulture and oenology. In 2004 she rented a hectare of abandoned vines from her parents in Contrada Fossa di Lupo near Vittoria and, as she later recalled, made her first vintage at 21. Today she farms some 30 hectares of vines biodynamically in eight contrade. She does not irrigate. “Not irrigating, harvesting late and not using fertilizers are the secret to making more elegant wines in the area.”
Since 2016 she has bottled the Frappato from three of these contrade separately. Because only abbreviations are allowed on the label, the wines are called FL, BB and PT. In the cellar she treats all three alike: each stays on its skins for 20 days and then matures for 20 months in an oval 20-hectolitre concrete tank. The differences come from the vineyard. In Fossa di Lupo the vines grow on 25 centimetres of brown earth over the rock, in Pettineo on 60 centimetres of red sand over tuff. I would open the three 2022s side by side on the same evening. You will find them below, together with three more wines from the estate.
P.S. The Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico “Grotte Alte” 2019 is half Nero d’Avola and half Frappato, from 40-year-old vines. It spent 30 days on the skins and then four years in a 50-hectolitre cask of French oak. Approx. €57.50.
The wines in this letter
The 20-year-old bush vines in Fossa di Lupo face north-east towards the Monti Iblei. It comes across as wild and spicy, and on the palate it is juicy, slender and racy. Vinous gave it 94 points. With rabbit ragù, or with a porcini risotto.
54,00 €incl. VAT
The grapes come from the Vigna Strada, the pale, clay- and lime-rich part of Bombolieri, where 25-year-old vines grow on a thin layer of sand over solid limestone. The estate describes it as floral, direct, with great acidity. With grilled tuna, or with caponata.
54,00 €incl. VAT
The La Chiusa parcel in Pettineo was an old alberello vineyard until the previous owner retrained the vines on a trellis. The wine is fruity, with silky tannins and taut acidity. It received 93 points from Vinous. With roast quail with wild herbs, or with pasta alla Norma.
54,00 €incl. VAT
The grapes grow in Bastonaca and Fossa di Lupo, on 35-year-old vines planted in calcareous sand. Arianna Occhipinti calls it austere, full-blooded and elegant, the wine that is most like her. With pasta with tomatoes and basil, or with antipasti of grilled vegetables.
33,00 €incl. VAT
It is named after the country road that runs past the cellar and follows the ancient route from Gela to Kamarina. Seventy per cent Frappato and thirty per cent Nero d’Avola from four contrade spend six months in concrete tanks and are bottled unfiltered. It is juicy and dark-fruited, with red berries, herbs and a touch of graphite lingering on the finish. With grilled sardines, or with a plate of pecorino and black olives.
20,50 €incl. VAT
The Nero d’Avola comes from 35-year-old vines in Bombolieri and Fossa di Lupo, planted in pale sand over limestone, and ages for 24 months in a 30-hectolitre cask of Austrian oak. Arianna Occhipinti describes it as wild, yet fresh and elegant, tasting of red fruit. Vinous gave it 93 points. With rack of lamb with rosemary, or with hard pecorino.
32,50 €incl. VAT