2019 Arianna Occhipinti 'Grotte Alte' Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

50% Nero d’Avola and 50% Frappato from 46-year-old vineyards in the single contrada (vineyard) ‘Fossa di Lupo.’  Organically farmed and hand harvested. Destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts with a month-long maceration. Aged for 30 months in a 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak botte before being bottled unfiltered. Very small production. This is Arianna’s only DOCG wine!  

95 points Eric Guido (Vinous): "Darkly alluring, savory and nearly sultry, the 2019 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Grotte Alte grumbles up with a blend of crushed ashen stones and black cherries complicated by exotic spice and dusty dried roses. It splashes easily across the palate, energized by a core of zesty acidity. Tart red berry fruits and mineral tones saturate throughout. This leaves a fascinating blend of tangerine and sour melon that keeps the mouth watering for more despite its grippy tannins as wild blueberry notes fade. The Grotte Alte remains a testament to the height to which Cerasuolo di Vittoria can achieve. Drink: 2025-2038. (Jun 2024)"

94 points Raffaela Mosca (Decanter): "A blend of 50% Nero d’Avola and 50% Frappato from 46-year-old vineyards in contrada 'Fossa di Lupo'. A bit shier than the vini di contrada in this phase, anise, sandalwood and a Burgundian whiff of animal musk superimposed over earthy red cherries and red roses. Layered but youthfully tight, blood orange and savoury minerals take centre stage, followed by pinpoint tannins and a touch of stemmy herbal freshness, while a kiss of oak spice frames the long and racy finish. Grotte Alte spent over 32 months in large French oak casks. Drinking Window: 2024-2034. (Dec 2023)"