2023 Azienda Agricola Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Rosso 1.5L Magnum, Sicilia IGT, Sicily, Italy Billecart-salmon tucked into the misty redwoods

tucked into the misty redwoods and situated on a slope with soils of weathered sandstone and shale loams

planted by Jean-Jacques Morel

with notes of poached pears on an impressively concentrated palate

I had no say in the pick timing  but I was very familiar with the site and his farming and was excited to try my hand with Pinot from a Vineyard I was already  connected with

2023 Azienda Agricola Arianna Occhipinti SP68 Rosso 1.5L Magnum, Sicilia IGT, Sicily, Italy Billecart-salmon tucked into the misty redwoods70% Frappato 30% Nero d'Avola. From certified organic estate vines, averaging 20+ years old and planted on chalky, sandy soils. The bunches are harvested by hand, destemmed and co fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in concrete tanks. Maceration lasts approximately two weeks. The wine is aged in concrete tanks for 6 months and bottled unfiltered. Sulfur use is modest. "SP68" is the Strada Provinciale 68, the country road on which the Occhipinti