Two Very Affordable Sicilian Wines From Rockstar Twenty-Something Winemaker Arianna Occhipinti

Sicily is one of the oldest winegrowing regions in the world having been colonized by the wine-loving ancient Greeks and Romans who spread winemaking wherever they went.

The same way as Bordeaux has Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and Burgundy its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Sicily has its own native grapes, too. Two classic Sicilian grape varieties are Frappato, a red grape, and Grillo, a white grape. Both these grapes make delicious aromatic and complex wines with their own expressive character. They are fun and versatile to drink year-round, especially during summer.

• Grillo is best compared to Chardonnay (some producers even blend the two), as it is rich and full-bodied, and offers extra with its alluring floral scents.

• Frappato is akin to Pinot Noir, not a heavy wine but fruity and aromatic with bright cherry and strawberry flavors. It makes for really charming wines. Like Pinot Noir, Frappato is a delicate grape and can be finicky to grow.

Thanks to a new generation of Sicilian wine producers, today, who are producing top quality wines from these two grape varieties. One of the brightest young winemakers, whose wines are perhaps more sought-after than any Sicilian wines in the US right now is Arianna Occhipinti.

Now in her late-20s, Arianna has been making wine for the past ten years, initially under the tutelage of her uncle, Giusto Occhipinti, of COS estate, a leading light among fans of traditional Italian wines. She debuted with the 2004 vintage under her own label at the ripe age of 21!

Arianna farms all her vineyards biodynamically. She is well recognized as a proponent of natural winemaking, and also a champion of Sicily's indigenous grapes, including Grillo and Frappato.

Aside from her 10-hectare estate vineyard, Arianna also makes wines from grapes grown by her close friends under the label Tami'. The Tami' vineyards are planted with vines that are at least ten years old and also farmed organically and biodynamically. With the intent of making wines that are enjoyable upon release, Arianna applies a short maceration of one week and then six months aging in stainless steel before bottling.

Freshness, charming fruit, and purity of flavors are what these wines from Tami' deliver. They are great values and made as authentic as possible by the meticulous Arianna Occhipinti.


Sicilia Bianco IGT Grillo, Tami' 2011 $17.00 (click to buy!)


Sicilia Rosso IGT Frappato, Tami' 2011 $16.00 (click to buy!) 


Olio di Oliva Extravergine "Gheta", Arianna Occhipinti 2012 500ml $25.00 (click to buy!)

Central Kitchen

Central Kitchen in The Mission opened a year ago but has been a local cause célèbre of late, thanks to the power of a recent San Francisco Chronicle review. The review's glowing take on the food was drowned out by the reviewer's ballistic rant on the blaring loud music.

As chance would have it I happen to be at Central Kitchen the night before the SF Chron review came out. The music was indeed loud but never distracting and unsurprising for the vibe of the place. The resto attracts a young, hipster, Mission grazing crowd drawn to this kind of scene. If there was any issue with the music, it would be the poor acoustics of the building (an old sausage factory). To be honest, crowd noise bothers me a lot more, alas, that seems to escape restaurant critics. Suffice it to say our group of four didn't have a problem conversing till midnight without resorting to shouting, unlike at places like A16 or Nopa where crowd noise is deafening.

As soon as I saw Wind Gap's Trousseau Gris on the list by the glass I didn't hesitate. Sharp and crisp, almost like a fino, it's a mouthwatering, bracing start.

Someone in the group pointed to a dish that must be ordered. Indeed, I would come back to Central Kitchen just to have another plate of the snap peas, chickpeas and chorizo. Rustic yet also a refined balance of flavors and textures.

I guess we where behaving goodly because the chef sent out a complimentary dish of an ethereal potato stew that showed the more ambitious refined tendencies of the kitchen.

I brought along a bottle of 2009 Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico which was warmly received by the staff. Made in Sicily by the great Giusto Occhipinti, the rich and elegant character of this Nero d'Avola and Frappato blend was a versatile match with the dishes. I got raves from everyone for bringing the bottle.

At the other end of the building the music and the energy was thumping even more at Trick Dog, an attached bar which like the restaurant has an industrial, early 20th century look to it. The cocktails are killer. I had a drink after leaving Central Kitchen, I think it was Pennies from Heaven, which was very good.

The sconces at Trick Dog are part of the old factory look. Nice touch.

Serving as decor above the bar, cast-iron Trick Dog mechanical banks, a vintage Americana that's apparently the bar's inspiration. You insert a coin in the dog's mouth, press a button and the dog leaps through the hoop held by the clown and deposits the coin into the barrel. Cool.



Central Kitchen (Trick Dog is next door)
3000 20th Street
San Francisco, CA

Wine of the Week: COS 2009 Cerasuolo di Vittoria--Best of Sicily

2009 was a tremendous vintage in southern Italy. The vintage produced some of the best wines in Sicily, including the 2009 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico from COS, the acclaimed estate co-owned by Giusto Occhipinti, Arianna Occhipinti's uncle and early mentor. COS has long been recognized as one of the greatest Sicilian wine estates. The Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico is their most classic release.

In search of adventure during their youthful days, Giambattista Cilla (C), Giusto Occhipinti (O), and Pinuccia Strano (S), formed COS in 1980 to make wine for pleasure. At that time the three Sicilians were Italy's youngest winemakers.

In Cerasuolo di Vittoria in the Sicilian province of Ragusa in the island's southern coast, the three friends rented their parents' vineyards and began harvesting, pressing grapes, and making wine under their own label. Operating with this independence of spirit, without an oenologist, basing winemaking decisions on experience, intuition, and imagination, COS became a lifelong project of expressing the terroir, passion, and culture of this part of Sicily in its most authentic form.

COS applies biodynamics to viticulture to maintain balance and harmony in the vineyard and to express its character. In the cellar, in order to not impart any characteristic flavors, cement tanks are used in the vinification and the wines are aged in neutral oak casks (botti) and clay amphoras.

Today COS is making wines that are the purest expression of Cerasuolo di Vittoria, the only DOCG appellation in Sicily. In their wines we discover that this particular area of Sicily has one of the greatest terroirs, producing wines with indigenous grapes that are as delicious and complex as any you would find from world's greatest vineyard sites.

The 2009 Cerasuolo di Vittoria, made from a blend of Frappato and Nero d'Avola is stunning, one of the finest vintages for this classic wine from COS.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico DOCG, Az. Agr. COS 2009 $31.00 (Click to buy!)