From: Sicily, Italy
Varietal: Frappato
Taste and Critical Acclaim: In the glass, this wine shines a vivid ruby red with violet highlights. On the nose, a pleasantly fragrant bouquet of fresh red fruits, raspberries and blueberries practically bounce out of the glass. The palate is lively, fruity and smooth, with refined tannins and a distinctive minerality that finishes long, high and dry, inviting another sip and then another glass!
Vinous 90 pt
Blueberries, lavender, wet stone and a hint of blood orange from an inviting bouquet as the 2021 Frappato Sabbie di Sutta blossoms in the glass. There's a pleasant inner sweetness here, complemented by silky textures, as a perfumed mix of red and blue wild berries cascades across the palate. This finishes long, leaving a gentle stain of minerality and tannins, which creates a dry yet nicely refreshing punctuation to the experience. This is simply a pure and fruity Frappato at it's best.
Pairing: Excellent partner for pasta dishes with tomato sauce, sweet and sour vegetables, or with the classic Neapolitan pizza. Pairing: Excellent partner for pasta dishes with tomato sauce, the classic Neapolitan pizza, sweet and sour vegetables— not to mention take-out Chinese! Sweet & sour chicken/pork, lemon chicken, fried rice, roast pork, fried won tons, Peking duck (check out Kay Chun’s Peking Duck With Honey and Five-Spice Glaze recipe) five-spice chicken, all are magic alongside this charming red.
About. Just a few miles from the southernmost tip of the Italian peninsula, in a corner of Sicily that smells like Africa, is the lively agricultural center of Vittoria, home to Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico. The surrounding territory, set between two rivers, is characterized by its fertility and typical Mediterranean climate. The large Bonincontro vineyards are found in the heart of this area historically devoted to making high-quality wines. The characteristic sandy texture soils are ideal for raising the native grapes of Frappato, which are organically grown here with the guyot vine training system.
The winery. Founded in 1898 on the slopes of Mt Etna, Nicosia is a historic, fifth generation family-owned winery rooted in the land and dedicated to producing great Sicilian wines for wine lovers across the world. Nicosia wines strive to be a tribute to the heart of Sicily, obtained from native vineyards and international varieties that find an ideal terroir on the island, with expressions of excellence.
They, like the majority of Sicilian wines we enjoy today, embody the light and warmth of its Mediterranean climate, the strength of its people, and the untamed, exuberant character of the Etna volcano that has both powerful nature and regenerative strength.
Mt. Etna, one of the tallest and most active volcanos in the world, creates an incredible and unique environment for viticulture. In the last 20 years Etna DOC (est. 1968) has become one of the most exciting appellations in Italy.
Cantine Nicosia is one of the original wineries to settle on Etna, and one that still shepherds their own grapes from vine to bottle. In addition, ffCantine Nicosia has obtained several organic certifications and are also part of VIVA for sustainability. As of now, Nicosia has achieved 10 different certifications, including but not limited to: organic, carbon neutral, vegan and energy efficient.
The grape. Frappato is an age-old variety typical of Southeastern Sicily dates back to the seventeenth century. It has fairly elongated bunches and grapes with an intense red, almost violet color, and produces wines known for their heady fruity aromas, freshness and mellow palate.
