I really enjoyed COS when I had the chance to try them, but everyone has been saying that COS's neice(? or some close relative) Arianna Occhipinti is making at least their equal, and possibly better wines. So I ordered a couple to try. The SP68s are slightly cheaper than the Frappato but frankly the extra price is well worth it.
2012 Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Bianco Sicilia IGT
12% abv. Light gold. A very grapey/Muscat aroma. The palate is dry and really quite powerful and structured. It's a nice wine, but not really an easy one. I guess we often think that such an aromatic wine must also taste easy and soft but that is rarely the case with the truly good dry Muscats. But if you have something on your plate with a little bit of fat on it, this will go down very well. Very nice! (But it is a bit reductive right after opening so decanting for a couple hours is something I'd recommend.) But I still think that when I want a dry Muscat I'll still go for Domaine de Blanes or Treloar.
2012 Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Nero d'Avola Frappato Sicilia IGT
12,5% abv. Nero d'Avola & Frappato. Nice, but no more than that. Despite the relatively low alcohol the nose has a bit of a stewed fruit, too dark and raisiny character. The palate is much better: pleasantly restrained, not sweet but racy and lively instead. Clean, refreshing finish. It's very easy to drink but not so easy to sniff! It's a perfectly decent wine but not one that I really was excited by.
2011 Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia IGT
12,5% abv. I feel like I have crossed into Plato's world of ideas and found the essence of raspberry. Such a pure, exquisite raspberryness just does not exist in the real world - except in this wine. Despite this pure, sweet scent, the palate is actually relatively lean, quite tannic and refreshingly acidic despite the hot area. But I guess Frappato retains good structure even in hot climates. Lovely wine and very much worth the extra 8-9 or so £s, but if opening now, give it several hours of air.