Arianna Occhipinti Vino di Contrada ‘BB Bombolieri’

Arianna Occhipinti Vino di Contrada ‘BB Bombolieri’ – a brooding, contemplative expression of Frappato that retains interminable vitality. Unquestionably, this is a joyful homogeny of bright red and black fruits, coupled by a darker earthy underbelly. That Ilbein-based terroir comes surging forth in the form of jowl-biting acidity, windswept freshness and a stunningly sapid backbone. Saturated textural tones swaddle the tongue, seeming to augment the operatic soars of fruit. Evidently, this is a nuanced wine that delights in expressing the rich history of this region. The Bombolieri vineyard is set on a high point with white limestone soils; Arianna has recognised the subtleties garnered from soil composition and exposure. She operates three different bottlings on the same vineyard.

Arianna Occhipinti is the niece of fabled winemaker Giusto Occhipinti of the COS winery. Based in the south-eastern Sicilian town of Vittoria, she harbours a steadfast ethos to produce terroir-driven wines. She rejected the formal teachings offered to her by oenology, favouring intuition and her uncle’s artisan methods. Immediately implementing biodiversity, spontaneous fermentations and extended skin macerations, she started with a mere single hectare of abandoned vineyards. Subsequently, she replanted 10 hectares of the autochthonous Frappato and Nero d’Avola, later renting old vine vineyards of the same varieties. Each one of these is tended to using biodynamic principles and the cellar work is invariably measured. The wine is not pushed; gravity is generally used to move it and with this patience comes a lack of temperature control, fining and filtration. In any case, minimal doses of SO2 are utilised upon bottling; Occhipinti wines are mirrors of their place.

Arianna Occhipinti Vino di Contrada ‘BB Bombolieri’ – a superbly nuanced exemplar of Frappato, one that truly dignifies the grape. Furthermore, this is a powerful means of celebrating the millennia-old traditions of this historically charged region.

Additional information

Grape

Frappato

Colour

Red

Region

Sicily

Bottle Size

75cl

Style

Red

Arianna Occhipinti Vino di Contrada ‘BB Bombolieri’ – This is a joyful homogeny of bright red and black fruits, coupled by a darker earthy underbelly. That Ilbein-based terroir comes surging forth in the form of jowl-biting acidity, windswept freshness and a stunningly sapid backbone. Saturated textural tones swaddle the tongue, seeming to augment the operatic soars of fruit.

68.00

In stock