2011OcchipintiFrappato2011 Arianna Occhipinti, Il Frappato, IGT, Sicily, Italy.
The latest Frappato from Arianna Occhipinti is the most concentrated and dense version to date with a fuller and richer palate and delivers heightened intensity but with her trademark silky tannins and elegant balance. This wine certainly is a masterful feat and wonderful effort in natural craftsmanship for which we all celebrate Ms Occhipinti for, she is making some of the most exciting wines in Sicily and has a worldwide following, I even spotted her wines in the small Swedish town of Vaxjo at a hipster wine and beer bar last year! Without question Occhipinti is a much loved superstar, and her flagship Il Frappato is one of the must have wines in the world these days, and the 2011 is not going to disappoint and should bring even more new fans to her growing collection. The 2011 Frappato starts with a nose of wild berries, sweet herbs, dried flowers and a hint of meatiness leading to a palate of poached plum, baked figs, spiced cherry and savory notes before revealing more delicate notes of strawberry, loganberry, iodine, thyme, fennel and lavender. This 12.5% alcohol wine has good focus and zest, but it is noticeably thicker in the mouth than past vintages, this is not a bad thing, just a difference, and there is everything to love with pure fruit, earthy charm and lingering length giving lots of joy. This wine changes dramatically with air, bringing more acidity to the front and unfolding like a fine Pinot Noir, especially after a few hours, be sure to keep very cool and give this wine time to open up, I found it much better the second day even, but it really shines with food adding complexity and subtlety to the meal. This wine reflects it’s maker, it is wild, earthy, graceful, exotic and totally groovy, be sure to get some before it disappears!
($40 Est.) 92-93 Points, grapelive

 

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