Arianna Occhipinti, Terre Siciliane Nero d'Avola Siccagno 2017 ( 750ml)

100% Nero d’Avola from a sandy, chalky vineyard located 270 meters above sea level and planted to Alberello at a density of 6,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is 35 years. Fermented using indigenous yeasts after a maceration period of 40 days on the skins, the wine then spends 16 months in large, 25hl Slovenian oak casks and an additional six months in bottle before release.

Occhipinti is located in Vittoria, in the southwestern corner of Sicily, and winemaker Arianna Occhipinti’s reputation seems to grow with every vintage. Her first vintage was 2004, though it wasn’t until 2005 that her wines were internationally distributed. Arianna has a total of 10 hectares of Nero d’Avola and Frappato vines that, since April of 2009, have been farmed using biodynamic methods, which she believes has added to the overall expression of the soil. The grapes, planted largely on chalky soils, are trained using albarello or guyot and are left to vigorously grow leaves so as to maintain freshness. Fermentation for Frappato takes place in stainless steel while the Nero d’Avola is fermented in large plastic tubs though her goal is to eventually ferment everything in cement. Maceration for the Nero d’Avola is 30-40 days and longer for the Frappato.