SP68 Rosso Arianna Occhipinti 2023

Arianna Occhipinti's Rosso "SP68" is a true Sicilian flagship, a squeeze of territory of disarming drinkability. Arianna Occhipinti is one of the best known women in artisanal wine, a pioneer of an agricultural approach that although it may seem as logical and obvious as possible, must still be communicated as a different or countercultural choice. In this Arianna is doubly gifted, in that in addition to being a sensitive winemaker she is also a skilled speaker, a combination that has allowed her wines to carve out an important space on the Italian scene. The setting is that of Vittoria, and of the splendid southeastern Sicily, where traditional local grape varieties such as Nero d'Avola, Frappato, Albanello and Moscato varieties are cultivated without manipulation, and pure and essential liquids are obtained, capable, however, of bringing the warmth of the local soil as a dowry.

The "SP68" Rosso wine is made from Frappato and Nero d'Avola varieties, from vineyards trained on guyot and resting on red limestone soils. In the vineyard the dictates of organic farming are followed, excluding the use of chemicals or synthetic substances and helping only a little copper and sulfur. In the cellar, spontaneous alcoholic fermentation is carried on in concrete tanks for 30 days with daily pumping over and punching down. The liquid does not undergo clarification or filtration before bottling.

"SP68" Rosso di Occhipinti presents itself in the glass with an intense and bright ruby color. The nose, engaging and territorial, squares hints of carob, herbs, juniper and small red fruits, and returns a profile made of warmth and finesse. The masterfully balanced sip is smooth and tasty, constantly balanced by just the right amount of freshness and delicate tannic friction. Indispensable must.