Description
Located in Sicily ’s south-eastern Val di Noto province, 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).
Tasting Notes
“Darkly alluring, savory and nearly sultry, the 2019 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Grotte Alte grumbles up with a blend of crushed ashen stones and black cherries complicated by exotic spice and dusty dried roses. It splashes easily across the palate, energized by a core of zesty acidity. Tart red berry fruits and mineral tones saturate throughout. This leaves a fascinating blend of tangerine and sour melon that keeps the mouth watering for more despite its grippy tannins as wild blueberry notes fade. The Grotte Alte remains a testament to the height to which Cerasuolo di Vittoria can achieve.” [95/100 Points, Eric Guido, August 2024, www.vinous.com]
