"BB" Bombolieri Vino di Contrada IGT Sicilia 2022
The "BB" Bombolieri Vino di Contrada IGT Sicilia 2022 from Occhipinti is a single-varietal Frappato from the most limestone-rich Contrada around Vittoria, pale in tone and without perceptible tannin.
CHF 58.50
Prices in CHF, including customs duty and all import charges, plus shipping CHF 15 (free from 12 bottles or CHF 300) — no further charges on delivery.
Available for Switzerland
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About this wine
Character
Bright, light cherry red with subtle violet highlights, while the nose is intense and dark: morello cherry, cassis, blackberry and sweet cherry, alongside a wild side of warm leather, horse saddle and a touch of liquorice. The spice spectrum ranges from coriander seed and fennel to sage and oregano, through to black and pink pepper, juniper and allspice; alongside notes of undergrowth, moss and a sparing grating of dark chocolate.
Terroir and origin
The Contrada Bombolieri near Vittoria has the highest limestone content of the nine Contrade Arianna Occhipinti has farmed since 2004. Beneath a mere 25-centimetre layer of sand lies limestone rock; depending on whether sand or clay mixes with the limestone, the surface alternates between white and brown patches. Irrigation water has never reached these vineyards.
Grape variety and vinification
Single-varietal Frappato from 25-year-old vines trained in the traditional bush-vine (alberello) system. Harvested during the first ten days of October 2022. Fermented in concrete tank with natural yeasts, with the skins remaining in contact with the must for 20 days. The wine then ages for 20 months in oval 20-hectolitre concrete tanks.
On the palate
Direct in structure, carried by astringency and a highly lively acidity. Alongside this, tangy morello cherry, a touch of dried fruit and rum-soaked raisins, plus floral hints of dark blossoms. Silky and filigree, at 12.0% alcohol by volume and entirely without perceptible tannin.
Food pairings
Braised rabbit with Mediterranean herbs, duck with cherry sauce and dishes built around mushrooms.
Special features
At 21, Arianna Occhipinti bought her first hectare of abandoned vines and has farmed biodynamically since 2009. Frappato is her life's work: an indigenous variety documented in Vittoria since 1812.
