2014 Il Frappato, Arianna Occhipinti, Sicily, Italy

2014 Il Frappato, Arianna Occhipinti, Sicily, Italy

Product: 20148006606
 
2014 Il Frappato, Arianna Occhipinti, Sicily, Italy

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Description

This wine always displays a playful energy and lightness of touch that slightly defies its origin. The fruit and minerality feel a little more balanced and integrated in the 2014, maybe due to the slow and steady véraison. The resulting perfume on the nose then leads to crunchy red fruit with a hint of spice and florality on the palate.
Drink 2016-2018.

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate93/100
Arianna Occhipinti has outdone herself with the 2014 Il Frappato. This is a wine of character and personality. It flaunts those slightly rustic edges with charm and confidence. The bouquet opens to ripe blueberry, raspberry and dried cassis. The quality of fruit shows good integrity and balance. You don't notice any of the raw or unclean smells you sometimes get with wines made in such a natural and non-interventionist approach. The nose is pristine. In the mouth, Il Frappato delivers vibrant acidity and snappy fruit flavors. More than any other wine, this vintage and this producer can claim to have produced something close to a Pinot Nero with an all-Sicilian soul.
Monica Larner - 31/08/2016 Read more

About this WINE

Arianna Occhipinti, Sicily

Arianna Occhipinti, Sicily

Located in Sicily ’s south-eastern Val di Noto province, the landscape of which is dominated by the red loam-over-white limestone soils and dry stone walls of the Iblei Mountain plateau, and by such beautiful towns such as Siracusa, Vittoria and Modica – this is a world away from Etna, which looms on the horizon.

The Occhipinti family is synonymous with the Frappato grape that underpins Siciliy’s only DOCG: Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Arianna kicked off in 2004, making wines in a family farmhouse, before transferring, in 2013, to a purpose-built winery, where her 22 hectares of Frappato and Nero d’Avola, along with one-and-a-half hectares of intense Albanello and Zibibbo white grapes, are vinified using cement and Stockinger barrels (Slavonian, German, Austrian oak).

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Frappato

Frappato

Frappato is a red grape variety primarily grown in Sicily, Italy. It is one of the key components in the production of Cerasuolo di Vittoria, the only Sicilian wine that has obtained the prestigious DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) status.

The grapes typically produce wines with a light to medium body, high acidity, and low tannins known for their fresh and fruity character, often exhibiting notes of red berries, strawberries, raspberries, and sometimes floral undertones.

Frappato is often blended with other grape varieties in winemaking. In Cerasuolo di Vittoria, it is traditionally blended with the Nero d’Avola grape, which adds structure, body, and complexity to the wine.

The variety thrives in the warm Mediterranean climate of Sicily, where it enjoys plenty of sunlight and warm temperatures. The vineyards are often located on hillsides and benefit from the cooling sea breezes, which help maintain the grape’s acidity and enhance its aromatic profile. The volcanic soils in some parts of Sicily also contribute to the wine’s unique character.

The wines are typically made using stainless steel or cement tanks to preserve their delicate fruit flavours and bright acidity. Some winemakers also use carbonic maceration, a winemaking technique that enhances the fruitiness and aromatics of the wine.

Due to its light and refreshing nature, Frappato wines are versatile and pair well with various dishes. They are especially delightful with Mediterranean cuisine, grilled vegetables, pasta dishes with tomato-based sauces, seafood, and light poultry dishes.

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