Arianna Occhipinti Nero d'Avola Siccagno 2023 SF Chronicle with background notes of spice

with background notes of spice and fresh flowers

whose bottles are nearly impossible to find — so this is a rare chance to taste the source

The nose is slightly bitter

Method traditional sparkling wine

Arianna Occhipinti Nero d'Avola Siccagno 2023 SF Chronicle with background notes of spiceSiccagno means dry farmed, which in southeastern Sicily is a statement of intent. No irrigation, no propping the vines up through the heat, just roots that go looking for water in limestone and sand. Nero d'Avola usually gets made big and jammy; Arianna Occhipinti goes the other way, using her contrade in Vittoria and two years in large Austrian oak casks to draw out structure and savor instead of sheer weight. Farming is organic, harvest is by hand,