Occhipinti Sp68 Rouge

You cannot talk about Sicilian wine without talking about Occhipinti. Helmed by the extraordinary Arianna Occhipinti, this winery has drawn a spotlight to Vittoria in southeastern Sicily. The niece of Giusto Occhipinti, who cofounded nearby COS winery, she released her first wine when she was only 22! Beginning with a mere one hectare of abandoned vines, today Arianna has 18 hectares of vineyards. Her adherence to organic and biodynamic viticulture, and deft touch with native grape varieties such as Frappato, result in wines of intense clarity and typicity. Unlike many conventional producers, Arianna avoids the seasoning of new oak barrels.

This young and fresh wine is a blend of 70% Frappato and 30% Nero d’Avola grapes from 15 year old vines. It is named after the road that leads to the winery. Co-fermented with indegenous yeasts and macerated for 15 days, it was aged for 8 months in concrete vats.

Medium ruby in colour, the SP68 Rosso has vibrant aromas of purple raspberries, pomegranates, and clove incense. Medium bodied with light tannins, the palate has crunchy flavours of blackberries, black plums, and licorice. The finish is lively and fresh. Pizza wine at its best!