OCCHIPINTI IL FRAPPATO 2022

Style: Spicy Bright

A cult wine producer in Italy with a burgeoning international following, Arianna Occhipinti farms 18 hectares of certified organically grown native grapes. She started tending two hectares of vines on her parents estate in her university days, where she was dismayed by the emphasis on chemistry and laboratory work; by contrast her uncle Giusto Occhipinti, of the well-known Sicilian COS estate, believes in natural winemaking and Arianna grew to prefer that approach to winemaking. Her wines have an earthy, almost raw quality and are more about finesse than power. IAN D'AGATA

The 2022 Il Frappato is an understated beauty. Blackberries and currants swirl up from the glass, accentuated by hints of incense and rubbed sage. This splashes across the palate, soft-textured and pliant, with crisp red and black fruits that flow across a core of tactile minerals and savory spice. A bump of zesty acidity maintains amazing freshness even as a tart wild berry tinge pinches at the cheeks through the long and tension-filled finale. I¿d rather enjoy the 2022 alongside a meal than on its own, but I have a feeling that was Arianna Occhipinti¿s intention. ERIC GUIDO, Vinous

Region: Sicily, ITALY

Variety: Frappato

ABV: 12.5%

Liquor Act 2007. It is against the law to sell or supply alcohol to, or to obtain alcohol on behalf of a person under the age of 18 years. Lic No. LIQP770016424

*We endeavour to ensure the correct vintage is displayed, however some variations may occur in store and for delivered bottles.