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A “Journey” to Sicily

New Releases from Arianna Occhipinti up to 93 points

"Wow, I'm finding it hard to put this glass down” - Eric Guido, Vinous Media

Arianna Occhipinti has become a seminal figure for a new generation of wine lovers. Her rise to prominence has been meteoric, and rightfully so: anyone who has ever met Ari will instantly vouch for her charming personality and seemingly boundless energy. (Occhipinti translates to "painted eyes".)

Arianna is the niece of Giusto Occhpinti, whose COS wines are undisputedly amongst the very best of Sicily. In 1998, Giusto invited her to help him out at Vinitaly for four days. Arianna was 16 at the time and knew nothing about wine; the experience was such a good one that she decided to study viticulture and oenology in university. This quickly proved counter-intuitive, since everything she had learned from her uncle (organic viticulture, hand-harvesting, native yeast fermentations) clashed with what she was being taught in school.

Undeterred, Arianna started making her own wine with just one hectare of abandoned vines in the commune of Vittoria. Over the years, she has progressively expanded the estate by replanting 10 hectares of the region's indigenous Frappato and Nero D'Avola in selection massale. A few years later, she was able to start renting 50 year old Frappato and 45 year old Nero D'Avola vines, both independently bottled as single varietal/vineyard cuvées. In 2012, an additional eight hectares of 19 year old vines were acquired, which for the time being will be used to produce more of her "SP68".

2020 Occhipinti Vini di Contrada Bianco SM

$65.89 (750ml) In Stock - Buy Now

93 VM / 93 JS

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 Ochipinti cannot legally add the Contrado name Santa Margherita' to the label The vines ore planted in sandy calcareous soils at 500 meters in Chiaramonte Gulf, just north of Vittoria.- Eric Guido, Vinous Media

2021 Occhipinti SP68 Bianco

$29.89 (750ml) In Stock - Buy Now

The name of a road, for a wine which is a journey. That of the farmers who already three thousand years ago left from the country with the amphorae, and then the casks, and inside the fruit of their labor., fatigue, joy, even the smell of the soil. The journey of the farmers, even today headed for their vineyard, amongst meetings and works exchanged, under the Iblei clear sky.-Winemaker Ariana Occhipinti

2020 Occhipinti Il Frappato

$42.89 (750ml) In Stock - Buy Now

93 JS

Aromas of suede, dried rose and dried strawberry. Medium-bodied with slightly firm tannins. Linear on the palate and rather pretty, fresh and long. Drink or hold.-James Suckling

Il Frappato stems from a dream which I had when I was a girl to make a wine that knows the land that I work, the air I breath, and my own thoughts. It is bitter, bloody and elegant. That is Vittoria and the Iblei Mountains. It is the wine that most resembles me, brave, original and rebellious. But not only. It has peasant origins, for this it loves its roots and the past that it brings in; but, at the same time, it is able to fight to improve itself. It knows refinement without forgetting itself.-Winemaker Ariana Occhipinti

2021 Occhipinti SP68 Rosso

$29.89 (750ml) In Stock - Buy Now

2020 Occhipinti SP68 Rosso

$32.89 (750ml) In Stock - Buy Now

SP68 is a road but it is also a young wine. Cool and pleasant, with a delicate taste that it brings the flavour of the sun and the freshness of this land.-Winemaker Ariana Occhipinti