Arianna Occhipinti, a revered Italian wine producer with a growing global following, cultivates 18 hectares of certified organic native grape varieties. Her journey began tending two hectares of vines on her parents’ estate during her university days, where she was disheartened by the heavy reliance on chemistry and laboratory work. In contrast, her uncle Giusto Occhipinti of the renowned Sicilian COS estate embraced natural winemaking, a philosophy Arianna came to embrace wholeheartedly. Her wines are characterized by an earthy, almost unfiltered quality, emphasizing finesse over power.

This historic contrada, a term used to refer a small district of the countryside, is located beyond Serra San Bartolo ridge; historically it has always produced very elegant wines thanks to a deep layer of marine sand (50-60 cm), with little presence of limestone rocks on the surface. Our Chiusa di Pettineo vines are nearly 60 years olds. Originally planted in a head trained or albarello system from which the previous owner then transformed into a trellised system, now with the vines climbing between the trellises into monumental heights. The wines of the Pettineo are usually fruit-driven with a more silky tannin yet possessing quite lively acidity.

And the grape? Frappato, our long historical variety of Vittoria, to which I am particularly attached to since the beginning of my path, can present itself as delicate, austere, and bloody. In any case, I would like Frappato to be considered as an instrument available to transmit the terroir, and not the sole purpose. Only what we tread, smell, perceive around us every day, goes straight into the wines. That is our purpose.

Winery Notes