WTN: Oh Oh Occhipinti

[Jenise]

2014 Arianna Occhipinti Sicilia SP68
Not a Nero d'Avola fan at all, but apparently the combo with frappato works wonders as we loved this wine. Bright, bold, and just a bit earthy.

Yeah, no, not a big Nero d'Avola fan either...but I think of Occhipinti's wines more along the lines of those Etna Rossos that are blowing me away these days. Her Nero/Frappato is excellent.

Had a decent version by Gulfi on New Year's Eve----beautiful wine with the entire meal.

Trouble is, it's the same old tale: Occhipinti gets "discovered" by the sommeliers, the price rockets skyward, and you can't get any even if you can afford it.

Yeah, I really like the SP68, too; I think I preferred it to the pure Nero d'Avola Siccagno, probably, yeah, because it's vivified and lightened by the Frappato. And it's less expensive. For now, at least, it's not hard to find here (Eataly regularly carries it, as well as the wines of COS, another Sicilian fave.) Price is another matter...

[David M. Bueker]

Trouble is, it's the same old tale: Occhipinti gets "discovered" by the sommeliers, the price rockets skyward, and you can't get any even if you can afford it.

So true. I have not been able to get any for several years. Of course given the prior pricing I wasn't going to spend a lot to ship the stuff.

I still have two bottles left of the 2013 vintage. I enjoyed my first bottle of it. I paid about $18 per bottle in Raleigh.

[Jenise]

I still have two bottles left of the 2013 vintage. I enjoyed my first bottle of it. I paid about $18 per bottle in Raleigh.

Good price, JC. This one was $26 locally at a store where I always expect to pay full MSRP or possibly 5-10% more, but it's owned by a true geek and I super appreciate that he's there and into wines like this.

[Jenise]

Yeah, no, not a big Nero d'Avola fan either...but I think of Occhipinti's wines more along the lines of those Etna Rossos that are blowing me away these days. Her Nero/Frappato is excellent.

This one is the Frappato/Nero 50/50 blend, unless she makes more than one.

[David M. Bueker]

I still have a mag of the 2010 Frappato. Probably needs drinking this summer (or last summer).

I love Occhipinti's wines. Affordable and they have a unique personality - and a fascinating one at that. They're just too difficult to get here in monopolyland.

[Jenise]

Patchen! Otto, too! This is starting to look like an AFWE meeting!