Crisp, Aromatic White Wine from a Rising Star in Sicily + World Class Sicilian Reds

Arianna Occhipinti “SP68” Bianco (IGT Terre Siciliane 2017)
Special Price: $108/6-pack (~$18/bottle)

Among the stony hillsides and jagged coasts of Sicily lie acres of citrus and olive groves, fields of grains and herbs, and, of course, vines, all proliferating in the Mediterranean sun. But of the 74 Italian DOCG — the most stringently controlled designation of origin for Italian wines — there is only one that is situated in Sicily. It is Cerasuolo di Vittoria.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria covers a small, triangular patch of Sicily’s southeast coast to around 25 miles inland. It spans the hill country between the cities of Ragusa and Gela, with the city of Vittoria at its center. It is an ancient land, once settled by the Dorian Greeks and part of the Magna Graecia. Organized wine production occurred there at least as far back as the 7th Century BCE — possibly even further.

Today, it is where Arianna Occhipinti calls home. The estate began in 2004 as a mere 2.5 acres in the ”Fossa di Lupo” area of northern Vittoria and has slowly expanded to 54 acres. Arianna has lived a life of wine from an early age. She started at 16 in her uncle Giusto Occhipinti’s cellar at COS, one of Vittoria’s most revered vintners and a significant influence on her approach to winemaking. After attending oenology school in Milan she released her first wine at the tender age of 22 and has since gained an almost cult status.

As it is with most high-level producers, Arianna believes wine is essentially made in the vineyard. Cultivation at the estate is practicing biodynamic. New plantings are massale selections only. Fruit is always hand-harvested and sorted twice. In the cellar, spontaneous fermentation is achieved with native yeasts and minimal sulfites are used. Arianna’s driving philosophy is to produce elegant wines that speak of place while respecting the environment. Indeed, she lives by the idea that, “We do not inherit the land from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

SP68 Bianco is named after the road that runs near Arianna’s home vineyard in Vittoria. It is a blend of 40% Albanello and 60% Zibibbo (aka Muscat of Alexandria, believed to be one of the oldest genetically unmodified vines still in existence). Vines averaging 15 years old grow on medium density red sands and chalk over limestone from the southern extent of the Apennine mountain range. The fruit is co-fermented in concrete tanks with a 15 day maceration on the skins. It is then aged six months in concrete before bottling without filtering.

The first thing you’ll notice about SP68 Bianco is its glowing, deep yellow color from the extended skin contact. The aromatics are off the chain with melon, candied-grape, randy flowers, and just a hint of salted black licorice. A sip is round, bone-dry yet honied, with a vigorous finish, again telling the tale of extended skin contact. Add an extra layer of cool to your next outdoor gathering. You won’t find a more complex white wine for under $20. It’s definitely going to be one of our go-to summer white wines for as long as it lasts.

---

More Wines from Arianna Occhipinti

All prices based on the purchase of a 6-pack (mix and match) 

~$30 “SP68” Rosso (IGT Terre Siciliane 2017) RED

Made using the same fermentation and aging methods as SP68 Bianco, the blend here is 70% Frappato and 30% Nero d’Avola. In Vittoria, the Frappato grape is the softer and fruitier foil to Nero d’Avola’s power and weight. It performs this function well in SP68, offering loads of pure, bright cherry fruit and easy-drinking smoothness coupled with a touch of muscle and blackberry from the Nero d’Avola.

 

 

~$44 “Siccagno” Nero d’Avola (IGT Terre Siciliane 2016) RED

Nero d’Avola, the noble grape of Sicily, is generally all broad-shouldered, with robust tannins, and plenty of acidity to balance out its bold fruit. In Arianna’s hands it drinks more like a Premier Cru Burgundy. “Siccagno” exudes delightful aromatics of rose petals, juicy plums, and smoked blackberries with just a quiet suggestion of mint. A sip is generous, yet elegant, with a persistent finish. A sip makes you want to take another sip. From vines on average 35 years old. Aging takes place in large, 25 hectoliter Slavonian oak barrels for 22 months and then a further two months in the bottle.

 

~$80 “Grotte Alte” (Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico 2014) RED

The most ambitious of Arianna’s wines, as well as the most scarce — fewer than 500 cases are produced. “Grotte Alte” is named after the limestone ridges of Vittoria. The blend is 50% Frappato and 50% Nero d’Avola from vines averaging 40 years old. Aging takes place in large, 25 hectoliter Slavonian oak barrels for 32 months and then a further four months in the bottle. Berry fruit salad with layers of spice, cherry licorice, and herbs define the heady aromatics. On the palate, bright fruit gives way to a lengthy, mineral finish. The elegance and finesse of “Grotte Alte” make it difficult to believe it comes from one of the warmest and sunniest spots in all of Italy.

 

- - -
Posted on 2019.06.13 in Saturday Sips Wines, Italy, Sicily  |  Read more...

 

Sunny Provence — Domaine de la Tour du Bon and All the Colors of Bandol

Although relatively small, Bandol is easily Provence’s most recognized appellation. It’s sun-soaked southerly terraces brushed with Medditerranean breezes are ideal for cultivating Mourvèdre. Mourvèdre is a grape variety with one of the longest growing cycles, but when fully ripened has the potential to create some of the most substantial and long-lived wines on our pale blue dot.

Domaine de la Tour du Bon sits in the northeastern corner of Bandol, about five miles from the coast as the crow flies. Their 42 acres are a mix of red earth, clay, sand, and gravel that all rest atop a limestone plateau near the village of Le Brûlat. The bedrock of limestone is a key factor in producing complex wines with great length and freshness to balance out all of their sunny ripeness.

Agnès Henry is the winemaker and owner of Domaine de la Tour du Bon. Although the estate has been in the family since 1968, it is Agnès that has cemented its current acclaim. Indeed, one of the most respected French wine publications, Le guide des vins Bettane & Desseauve, places Domaine de la Tour du Bon as one of the top producers of the appellation.

Crafting wines with power and charm is not simple, nor is it easy. Some of the domaine’s success comes from incredibly low yields, on average even less than what is allowed in Burgundy’s Grands Crus. Cultivation is practicing organic and fruit is always hand-harvested. In the cellar, Agnès employs minimal intervention with the aim of producing soulful wines that speak of place.

 

All prices based on the purchase of a 6-pack (mix and match) 

 

~$29 Bandol Rosé (2018)

Provence is famous for its rosé wines but many of the best come from Bandol. From vines averaging almost 40 years old, the 2018 vintage of Bandol Rosé is a blend of 50% Mourvèdre, 32% Cinsault, 10% Grenache, and 8% Clairette. The juice is obtained by direct pressing and is macerated on the skins for two hours. The wine is then raised in tank for six months before release. This is the pinnacle of rosé, brimming with floral and zesty fruit aromatics, partnered with a vigor and length that transcends the typical summertime patio sipper.

 

~$31 Bandol Blanc (2018)

A rare white Bandol. The blend is 75% Clairette, 15% Ugni Blanc, and 10% Rolle from very low yielding vines (30 hl/ha). The juice is obtained by direct pressing and fermentation is done at cooler temperatures before six months of aging in tank. Malolactic conversion was not allowed in 2018 to keep the wine crisp and fresh. The result is a wine fragrant with citrus and flowers. In its youth it will provide exotic fruit flavors, gaining a honeyed-waxiness as it matures. It’s full-bodied but not heavy on the palate with a mineral finish that shows a hint of fennel.

 

~$34 Bandol Rouge (2016)

The classic red wine of Provence, or as Agnès puts it, true “blood of the earth.” The blend is 53% Mourvèdre, 27% Grenache, 10% Cinsault, and 10% Carignan from extremely low-yielding vines (22.6 hl/ha). The fruit is 90% destemmed before fermentation with native yeasts. Aging is done in foudres for 18 months before bottling without filtering. The Grenache adds a light cherry fruit to balance out the striking power of the Mourvèdre while the small additions of Cinsault and Carignan work to bind the two main varieties. On top are complex and intoxicating aromatics. This wine practically begs to be paired with beef ribs.

 

~$76 “En-Sol” (IGP Méditeranée 2017) 

Inspired by a meeting with Italian wine producer Elisabetta Foradori (whom you surely know by now if you read these emails), “En-Sol” is the expression of 100% Mourvèdre from ridiculously low-yielding vines (16 hl/ha) that is macerated with native yeasts in clay amphorae (tinajas from Spain) and untouched for six months. The wine is then racked to stainless steel tanks for another three months before bottling without filtering. If you have tasted Elisabetta’s amphorae-raised wines with us you’ll understand the level of freshness, finesse, and vitality that “En-Sol” offers with its own Medditerranean vibe.

- - -
Posted on 2019.06.06 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Provence  |  Read more...

 

The Champagne Society June 2019 Selection: Champagne Philipponnat

Champagne Philipponnat Royale Réserve Non Dosé
Price for The Champagne Society members: $64

The Champagne region is France’s northernmost production zone. It is at the very limits of vine cultivation. The finest vineyard sites, both in soil and microclimate, are an important factor in determining the quality of wine produced. Champagne Philipponnatis particularly advantaged in this regard. Their 42 acres lie mainly in the Grand and Premier Cru villages of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Aÿ, Mutigny, and Avenay-Val-d’Or, all part of the subregion of Vallée de la Marne, noted for its powerful Pinot Noir grown on south-facing slopes. Philipponnat is especially recognized for their small but prized parcel, Clos des Goisses — one of the most powerful and distinctive sites in all of Champagne.

As might be expected, Champagne Philipponnat Royale Réserve Non Dosé is produced from a large proportion of Pinot Noir (65%). The rest is mainly Chardonnay (30%) and Pinot Meunier (5%). The Champagne Society is receiving the current release wine, consisting of 71% 2014 vintage juice and the remainder reserve wines that are aged in wooden barrels using the solera system to incorporate older wines without losing freshness. As this cuvée’s label indicates with the term “Non Dosé,” there is no added sugar after disgorgement.

Philipponnat claims to be the first Champagne House to clearly label its bottles with the main year used in blending, the dosage, and the date of disgorgement. In this case, we know the wine to have been disgorged in August of 2018, putting it right in the suggested window for drinking (although it can be aged for several years).

Perhap Philipponnat’s Cellar Master describes this wine best: “This cuvée reveals the wine’s basic sensory qualities through its total absence of sugar and offers a subtle blend of aromatic precision (citrus notes, orange zest), minerality and vinosity. A dazzling and genuine expression of the Philipponnat style.”

Led by Charles Philipponnat since 2000, Champagne Philipponnat remains a small house with a hands on approach at all levels. Over the past two decades under Charles’ leadership, they have built new production facilities and have steadily worked to improve viticulture through a more sustainable approach. Champagne Philipponnat is widely considered one of the top producers of sparkling wine in the world.

- - -
Posted on 2019.06.01 in France, The Champagne Society, Champagne  |  Read more...

 

Newly Arrived 2016 Vintage Burgundy from Domaine Stéphane Magnien — Classic Pinot Noir from Hallowed Soils

Domaine Stéphane Magnien holds 11 acres in total. To give you a visual representation, this is almost the amount of land that comprises the entirety of the Detroit Institute of Arts campus — one block bordered by John R, Kirby, and Farnsworth streets, and Woodward Avenue. Clearly not that much in agricultural terms. But for Stéphane Magnien, it’s all about the location. Those 11 acres are in some of the most prestigious climats in the world, including Grand Cru plots in Charmes-Chambertin and Clos Saint-Denis.

The house and cellar are in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis, the center of the estates holdings, and date back to the 18th Century. Today, it is fourth-generation winemaker Stéphane Magnien that has assumed the mantle of producing transparent and elegant wines that speak of place. Stéphane took over the estate in 2008 but it was his father, Jean-Paul Magnien, that was the first to bottle the wines under the family name. Indeed, we still have a few bottles from the spectacular 2005 vintage when the domaine’s labels held both the father’s and the son’s names.

Vineyard work at the domaine is carried out by hand and Stéphane takes pride in the fact that their plots have never been subjected to any herbicide harmful to the soil, allowing beneficial organisms to thrive. Strict green harvesting helps to control yields and maintain concentration. The grapes are meticulously sorted at harvest time. Winemaking is traditional and minimal-intervention, with fermentation using wild yeast in stainless steel tanks. In general, aging is done for 12 months in barrels (10% new oak) and then 2 to 3 months of aging in stainless steel tanks. Everything at the domaine is done with the objective of producing wines with aromatic concentration, character of the appellation, elegance, freshness, and finesse.

---

2016 Wines of Domaine Stéphane Magnien

All prices based on the purchase of a 6-pack (mix and match)

~$59 Morey-Saint-Denis “Vieilles Vignes” 

100% Pinot Noir from the “Clos Slon” and “Cognes” climats totalling 1.1 acres. The vines from these two parcels are located on clay/limestone soils and planted in 1950 and 1970. Annual production is 2,500 bottles.

~$62 Chambolle-Musigny “Vieilles Vignes” 

100% Pinot Noir from vines planted between 1902 and 1903 from a 0.6 acre plot in the vineyard Les Athets. The plot is located east of the village on stony subsoil. Annual production is 1,400 bottles.

~$89 “Les Sentiers” (Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru)
$207 1.5 Liter Magnum

100% Pinot Noir from a one acre plot located adjacent to the Grand Cru Bonnes-Mares. The plot is characterized by deep clay and limestone soils planted in 1927 and 1980. Annual production is 2,000 bottles.

~$89 “Les Faconnieres” (Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru)

100% Pinot Noir from a 1.4 acre parcel of old vines planted in 1952 and 2002 in the Premier Cru of Les Faconnières, one of the best situated climats in Morey-Saint-Denis, located beneath the Grand Cru of Clos de la Roche and between the Premiers Crus of Les Millandes and Les Charrières. Annual production is 3,200 bottles.

$171 Clos Saint-Denis (Grand Cru)

100% Pinot Noir from 0.8 acres in the center of Clos-Saint-Denis. The limestone shelf of this plot planted in 1971 and 1973 produces smaller berries and subsequently higher concentration. Annual production is 1,550 bottles.

$180 Charmes-Chambertin (Grand Cru)

100% Pinot Noir from 0.5 acres planted in 1980 and 1986. The shallow soil of the plot is characterized by a substrate of gravel and yellow clay. Annual production is 900 bottles.

- - -
Posted on 2019.05.30 in Saturday Sips Wines, France, Burgundy  |  Read more...

 

Extreme Corsican Terroir Expressed in an Everyday Red Wine

Domaine Giacometti “Cru des Agriate” (Patrimonio Rouge 2016)
Special Price: $113/6-pack (~$19/bottle)

We knew that Domaine Giacometti’s “Cru des Agriate” Patrimonio Rouge was a Corsican beauty when we brought it in last autumn. But after drinking several bottles on multiple occasions with pizza and friends, we knew we had to get more as soon as possible. The 2016 vintage has just arrived and it remains one of the most expressive under $20 wines available.

“Cru des Agriate” Patrimonio Rouge is primarily Niellucciu fermented with indigenous yeasts and then aged for 13 months on fine lees in stainless steel tank. While the grape variety Niellucciu is thought to be a strain of Sangiovese likely introduced to the island by the Genoese sometime around the 13th century, it has clearly been adapted to Corsica. “Cru des Agriate” exudes a heady bouquet of herbal maquis and lusty flowers over smoky cherry fruit. A sip is ripe, juicy, and downright poundable, finishing with a twist of pomegranate sap. It’s like a staid Chianti Classico went on a Mediterranean sailing vacation and came back with a shaggy beard and suntan. Compared to the previous vintage, the 2016 has perhaps a bit more texture and minerality on the finish.

Winemaking is possibly at its most extreme in the dry, scrub-covered landscape of Corsica’s Désert des Agriates. It is there, in the appellation of Patrimonio, that the isolated estate of Domaine Giacometti coaxes wonderfully balanced wines from this rugged swath of land on the northern end of the island, near the tiny hamlet of Casta, and just west of Cap Corse — the island’s most prominent peninsula.

While one might expect wines from such a hot and arid place to express as overripe, in the right hands the wines can be models of freshness and grace with a subtle herbality whispering of the mints, laurels, and myrtles of the aromatic maquis shrubland that blankets the coast.

There are two driving characteristics of the Casta climat that help shape the unique expression of terroir in Giacometti’s wines. First is the granite and clay soils that impart elegance and delicacy to the wines. The second is a steady wind called the Libecciu, most prominent during the summer. This wind not only moderates the temperatures during the heat of the growing season, it also helps reduce the risk of disease in the vineyards.

Laurent Giacometti purchased the domaine in 1987 with his son, Christian, taking over vines that had been planted in 1966. Today there are nearly 75 acres planted to Niellucciu, Sciacarellu, Vermentinu, Garnacha, and Syrah. The third-generation of Giacomettis, Simon and Sarah, now run the operation. The first goal of the estate is to create wines that express place. To accomplish this lofty pursuit the family focuses on organic farming and minimal intervention in the cellars.

---

 

More from Domaine Giacometti

 

All prices based on the purchase of a 6-pack (mix-and-match)

$25 “Sempre Cuntentu” (Vin de France Rouge 2017)

100% Sciaccarellu fermented with indigenous yeasts and then aged for nine months on fine lees in stainless steel tank. DNA research has found that Sciaccarellu is identical to the Tuscan grape Mammolo, named after the flower viola mammola, or sweet violet in English. “Sempre Cuntentu” exudes exceptionally expressive aromatics of candied strawberry, cherry, and redcurrant mingled with myrtle and eucalyptus. Silky ripe fruit is enhanced by an invigorating acidity finished by a long and shimmering texture.

$27 “Sempre Azezzu” (Vin de France Rouge 2015)

100% Syrah fermented with indigenous yeasts and then aged for 12 months on fine lees in 500 liter barrels. While the Giacomettis mostly like to work with the regional varieties, they chose to plant a tiny plot of less than one acre of Syrah with the aim of producing a wine with the unique expression of Casta within the frame of an international grape variety. Along with a varietal purity in the aromatics and on the palate, “Sempre Azezzu” hints at the herbal maquis of the island while oozing generous aromas of bright fruit, flowers, and spice. A sip is lively and fresh with wild berries and a lengthy mineral finish. In a blind tasting this wine might be confused with an approachable version of Northern Rhône’s Saint-Joseph, also known for its granite soils.

$27 Cuvée Sarah (Patrimonio Rouge 2016)

Named after Christians’s daughter Sarah who now helps run the winery. The wine is comprised of 100% Niellucciu harvested from 45 year old vines and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless tank. The wine is aged for 12 months on fine lees in 500 liter barrels from two to seven years old. Aromatically complex with ripe fruits, sweet spices, and undergrowth, a sip is full-bodied, elegant, and supported by ripe, pleasant tannins.

~$32 Cuvée Sarah (Patrimonio Blanc 2017)

The white version named after Christians’s daughter Sarah is made from 100% Vermentinu from vines that are 42 years old. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and then aged for 10 months, all in demi-muids. It is then transferred to stainless tanks where it ages a further five months. The result is a lush and exotic wine that proudly broadcasts the aromas and flavors of ripe Vermentinu, with a side of herbs, all the while keeping a salty, crisp balance.

- - -
Posted on 2019.05.23 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Corsica  |  Read more...

 

previous   -   next