Cerasuolo di Vittoria 'Grotte Alte' Arianna Occhipinti 2022
Winegrower's winesThe Grotte Alte by Arianna Occhipinti is a Cerasuolo di Vittoria obtained from a long aging in large oak barrels. It has aromas of the sea and sour cherries in spirits, with intense hints of oriental spices including cumin and cinnamon, while on the palate it is soft and elegant, with a long pleasantly salty finish.
The Cerasuolo di Vittoria “Grotte Alte” from the Arianna Occhipinti winery is a deep, bold, and elegant red wine produced in the Fossa di Lupo area of Vittoria, in the province of Ragusa. In this part of southeastern Sicily, which is divided between the mild Mediterranean climate and the temperature variations of the nearby Iblei Mountains, one of the most representative expressions of this prestigious winery is born. The “Grotte Alte” is made from a blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato grapes from vineyards with an average age of about 40 years, cultivated partly on trellises with guyot pruning and partly as bush vines, on limestone cliffs with fine sub-Apennine sands located at an altitude of 280 meters. The winery is a family-run business, personally managed by Arianna Occhipinti, who works following the principles of organic farming with great respect for the territory and its biodiversity.
The “Grotte Alte” Cerasuolo di Vittoria is produced with carefully selected grapes, generally harvested in early October. The bunches are gently crushed and destemmed in the winery to then undergo alcoholic fermentation, using exclusively indigenous yeasts, in cement tanks with a long maceration on the skins of about 30 days. The wine is then racked and aged in Slavonian oak barrels for at least 32 months, before being bottled without filtration and allowed to mature in the bottle for an additional 4 months.
The Cerasuolo di Vittoria “Grotte Alte” from Arianna Occhipinti presents itself with a deep ruby red color. On the nose, intense aromas of ripe fruit appear, including cherry, blackberry, and plum, floral notes of dried violet and myrtle, hints of oriental spices, cardamom, and licorice, finishing with herbaceous, vegetal, and saline nuances. On the palate, it is juicy, enveloping, and taut at the same time, characterized by fine tannins and a saline freshness reminiscent of the sea. This red from the Occhipinti winery is an expression that recalls the territory, with a marked personality, made as it once was with artisanal methods.