$65.00
Giusto Occhipinti of COS is a benchmark producer in the Vittoria appellation of Sicily, and certainly one of the most important, influential, producers in all of Sicily; if not Italy as a whole. The winery was founded in 1980 by three friends, Giambattista Cilia, Giusto Occhipinti, and Cirino Strano. The initials of their last names form the winery’s name.
The winery itself dates back to the 1880’s, during a period in which there was a huge demand for Sicilian wines. Phylloxera had already devastated many of the world’s top wine-growing regions but it had not yet reached the island at the time.
Coming back to Giusto, he has this to say about his vineyard: “the vineyard is like our life’s savings in the bank, so we must protect it.” For them, protecting it means that they work organically and biodynamically in order to support the health of the soil. In fact, they have never used any synthetic or chemical additives in the vineyard since the outset in 1980.
Why do we like it?
This 2019 Vittoria Rosso is made from a roughly equal blend of the most important red grapes of the island: Frappato di Vittoria and Nero d’Avola. Aged in large Slavonian barrels, it shows a cherry-red colour with a floral nose of raspberries and fragrant red fruits. What will strike you is the amount of freshness the wine has, along with the incredible elegant tannins for a wine of that region. The finish is juicy and ethereal. We have tasted a couple of 10 year old bottles, and each of them was incredible!
Grape Frappato di Vittoria & Nero d'Avola
Country Italy
Region Sicily
Vintage 2019
