Deliberately held back a couple of years to see if there was any further development....and the answer is no - still, as good as I remember. 90 minute decant. Translucent red. Vibrant, juicy cherry fruit with a hint of spice and invigorating acidity. Concentration of flavour in a light framework. Really good if just a little too one dimensional to hit the 90+ excellent mark. Unusual and worth hunting out - but a more recent vintage I would suggest. Clearly for drinking youngish; this particular vintage over the next year. My last.
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Pretty, bright and pleasurable, but substantial. Ripe lifted cherry fruit. Soft tannins. I'll plan to drink my last in the next year to enjoy the ebullient fruit
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Truly beautiful aromatics, expressive maraschino cherries and currants. Last time slightly tart and lean on its own, this time a few variations of homemade pizza makes it the perfect companion, freshness and acidity being the most important factor here. Love it, love it, love it!
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Arianna Occhipinti's wine is as down to Earth, sexy, friendly, and spicy as she is. If you get a chance to meet her and her wines, please do yourself that favor. 89-90
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The fruit seems to be less expressive now than half a year ago. Fresh tart acidity, slightly short on fruit and length compared to the sweeter, fuller '11 (best vintage we had so far). Perhaps these babies are at their best as fruity as possible, right after release?
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Well made wine. Medium body, some acidity and fruit which came through after a while on the finish. Great story - young, female winemaker making great wine from the south of Sicily. I'd like to try her Frappato. This is a mix of Nero d'Avola and Frappato
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Lovely, expressive nose. Lots of strawberries, dark cherries and blackcurrant, layered with spicy notes very close to southern france. Lavendel, incense, "garrigue". Light-medium body with fresh acidity and low tannins. Perhaps a bit short.
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Much better balance and fresness than the 2009. Pure and fresh quetsche nose with a subtle tangy salty notes as well. Dark cherry, floral with laurel. Lively, always a pleasure to drink.
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Clear, light red. Delicate, Pinot-like aroma of strawberry and raspberry. Also some earthy notes. Medium body, smooth, very good acidity, a bit dry finish. Good stuff.
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Charming and expressive cherry candy notes, bit like new wave beaujolais, but more italian cherry than gamay raspberry notes. Also very mineral, and nothing artificial here. Lovely freshness, balance and structure. The aromas stay for a nice while, and finish slightly herbal. Great drinkability at 12,5%. We love the style of Arianna Occhipinti.
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Typical Sicilian styled wine - very nice bled. I think for the money this was a great bottle. The bouquet is has a candy red fruit quality to it which is nice. It is not overly complex but as a simply quaff this is a good bottle. A good way to bridge new-world drinkers to an old-world country, as this was very modern in style.
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Pretty ruby color, good complexity with a mix of floral red fruit and spice, licorice, soil. Medium body with a lot of freshness and energy, but also smooth. I can see why the producer has a lot of fans.
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Light-bodied, has some acid, a touch of pepper. But has a very off-putting oversweet red berry fruit profile that makes it taste disjointed Sour aftertaste.
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Light ruby color, with an incredibly inviting nose. Candied raspberry leads the way, framed by lilac and licorice notes as well. Hints at carbonic fermentation. The palate is bright and lively, with a mixture of red and black fruits from top to bottom. Not overly complex, but a downright charming wine that's impeccably balanced. Night 2: This wine turns weird. It's got a citrus peel and effervescent aspect to it, almost as if it underwent 2ndary fermentation overnight. Perhaps a biproduct of a low sulfur regime?
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Similar aromas to the Tami' Frappato, with earthier, funky fruits. The palate is large and very creamy, with thick dark fruits. It's still tart and grippy, though. The finish is tart, more grippy fruit, but a bit large.
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Aromas of fresh and ripe red and dark berry fruit, herbs (perhaps attributable to whole cluster), earth and a touch of spice. Medium-bodied; velvety smooth in the mouth with soft tannins with good freshness and juicy acidity. I'm usually not much of a Nero d'Avola fan (even when it is blended with Frappato), but this was quite good showing good purity and balance. Good length.
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Picked up a bottle at Dig, the new Potrero Hill boutique, and popped and poured it to accompany grilled sardines, lamb shoulder, eggplant and corn with Tony and Marina. Deep purple color, warm and inviting fruity nose. Fresh and well-rounded without any discernible oak. Slightly effervescent, not unlike lambrusco, though I can't tell if this is by design or a flawed bottle. Either way, a refreshing, light-bodied tipple. The kind of wine that would get raves at $15, but is more fairly priced at $22. Would buy again.
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App: Blackish purple Aroma: Marzipan start. Fruity nose with a touch of alcohol Good body with high acidity, and available tannins. Loads of bitterness. Spicy palate with a herbal touch. Good length
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The nose has very good intensity and changed from ripe red fruit, to prunes to notes reminding of porto. The palate has also intense red fruit well balanced by a good freshness.
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12/28/2014 - Robbin Sinatra wrote:
I really like this, so did Mom. Light and smooth.
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10/7/2014 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deliberately held back a couple of years to see if there was any further development....and the answer is no - still, as good as I remember.
90 minute decant. Translucent red. Vibrant, juicy cherry fruit with a hint of spice and invigorating acidity. Concentration of flavour in a light framework. Really good if just a little too one dimensional to hit the 90+ excellent mark.
Unusual and worth hunting out - but a more recent vintage I would suggest. Clearly for drinking youngish; this particular vintage over the next year. My last.
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8/24/2014 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent TN with my last bottle
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8/19/2013 - cweiss Likes this wine:
Pretty, bright and pleasurable, but substantial. Ripe lifted cherry fruit. Soft tannins. I'll plan to drink my last in the next year to enjoy the ebullient fruit
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9/5/2012 - Finare Vinare wrote: 90 Points
Truly beautiful aromatics, expressive maraschino cherries and currants. Last time slightly tart and lean on its own, this time a few variations of homemade pizza makes it the perfect companion, freshness and acidity being the most important factor here. Love it, love it, love it!
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8/19/2012 - MindMuse wrote: 90 Points
Arianna Occhipinti's wine is as down to Earth, sexy, friendly, and spicy as she is. If you get a chance to meet her and her wines, please do yourself that favor. 89-90
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8/8/2012 - Finare Vinare wrote: 89 Points
The fruit seems to be less expressive now than half a year ago. Fresh tart acidity, slightly short on fruit and length compared to the sweeter, fuller '11 (best vintage we had so far). Perhaps these babies are at their best as fruity as possible, right after release?
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7/22/2012 - Winevestor wrote: 91 Points
Well made wine. Medium body, some acidity and fruit which came through after a while on the finish. Great story - young, female winemaker making great wine from the south of Sicily. I'd like to try her Frappato. This is a mix of Nero d'Avola and Frappato
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5/30/2012 - peblin wrote: 90 Points
Lovely, expressive nose. Lots of strawberries, dark cherries and blackcurrant, layered with spicy notes very close to southern france. Lavendel, incense, "garrigue". Light-medium body with fresh acidity and low tannins. Perhaps a bit short.
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4/30/2012 - jwsobeck wrote:
Real nice - not overly complex, juicy but with great acid.
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4/28/2012 - bkaasin wrote: 89 Points
Fantastisk bra vin til prisen. Lys og klar rødfarge. Saftig og fruktig (kirsebær og moreller). Bra lengde og fylde. Kommer til å kjøpe igjen og igjen.
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4/22/2012 - french16 wrote:
Much better balance and fresness than the 2009. Pure and fresh quetsche nose with a subtle tangy salty notes as well. Dark cherry, floral with laurel.
Lively, always a pleasure to drink.
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4/4/2012 - Biggsy wrote: 87 Points
Pale ruby red with quite a straightforward plummy nose. Full of red berry fruit and spicy tannins, fresh at the start becoming creamier on the finish.
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4/1/2012 - murre123 wrote: 91 Points
Nose: flowers, lots of dark berries and hints of glue
Mouth: light wine, dark berries, funky grassy finish. Really good, would definitely buy again.
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3/5/2012 - defnefferson wrote: 88 Points
Really pleasant, easy-drinking, earthy red with nice acidity. I don't know that I'd do it again @ $26.
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2/28/2012 - cweiss wrote:
Light in everything but flavor. Pretty red fruits, just enough funk.
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2/17/2012 - asheio wrote: 88 Points
Clear, light red. Delicate, Pinot-like aroma of strawberry and raspberry. Also some earthy notes. Medium body, smooth, very good acidity, a bit dry finish. Good stuff.
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2/16/2012 - peblin wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful, lightweight. Lovely fruit in combination with funky, syrah-like notes.
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1/24/2012 - Finare Vinare wrote: 90 Points
Charming and expressive cherry candy notes, bit like new wave beaujolais, but more italian cherry than gamay raspberry notes. Also very mineral, and nothing artificial here. Lovely freshness, balance and structure. The aromas stay for a nice while, and finish slightly herbal. Great drinkability at 12,5%. We love the style of Arianna Occhipinti.
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12/2/2011 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 87 Points
Typical Sicilian styled wine - very nice bled. I think for the money this was a great bottle. The bouquet is has a candy red fruit quality to it which is nice. It is not overly complex but as a simply quaff this is a good bottle. A good way to bridge new-world drinkers to an old-world country, as this was very modern in style.
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11/28/2011 - MJHDC wrote:
Pretty ruby color, good complexity with a mix of floral red fruit and spice, licorice, soil. Medium body with a lot of freshness and energy, but also smooth. I can see why the producer has a lot of fans.
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11/22/2011 - cooberp wrote: 84 Points
Light-bodied, has some acid, a touch of pepper. But has a very off-putting oversweet red berry fruit profile that makes it taste disjointed Sour aftertaste.
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11/14/2011 - nlassow wrote:
We second the effervescent aspect upon immediately tasting. Somewhat high on the acid but overall well balanced with a bright finish.
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10/23/2011 - troutmonster wrote:
Light ruby color, with an incredibly inviting nose. Candied raspberry leads the way, framed by lilac and licorice notes as well. Hints at carbonic fermentation. The palate is bright and lively, with a mixture of red and black fruits from top to bottom. Not overly complex, but a downright charming wine that's impeccably balanced.
Night 2: This wine turns weird. It's got a citrus peel and effervescent aspect to it, almost as if it underwent 2ndary fermentation overnight. Perhaps a biproduct of a low sulfur regime?
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10/7/2011 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 87 Points
Similar aromas to the Tami' Frappato, with earthier, funky fruits. The palate is large and very creamy, with thick dark fruits. It's still tart and grippy, though. The finish is tart, more grippy fruit, but a bit large.
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10/6/2011 - wickedwax wrote:
Aromas of fresh and ripe red and dark berry fruit, herbs (perhaps attributable to whole cluster), earth and a touch of spice. Medium-bodied; velvety smooth in the mouth with soft tannins with good freshness and juicy acidity. I'm usually not much of a Nero d'Avola fan (even when it is blended with Frappato), but this was quite good showing good purity and balance. Good length.
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8/26/2011 - yeastbeast wrote: 85 Points
Picked up a bottle at Dig, the new Potrero Hill boutique, and popped and poured it to accompany grilled sardines, lamb shoulder, eggplant and corn with Tony and Marina. Deep purple color, warm and inviting fruity nose. Fresh and well-rounded without any discernible oak. Slightly effervescent, not unlike lambrusco, though I can't tell if this is by design or a flawed bottle. Either way, a refreshing, light-bodied tipple. The kind of wine that would get raves at $15, but is more fairly priced at $22. Would buy again.
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8/23/2011 - admid wrote: 86 Points
App: Blackish purple
Aroma: Marzipan start. Fruity nose with a touch of alcohol
Good body with high acidity, and available tannins. Loads of bitterness. Spicy palate with a herbal touch.
Good length
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6/13/2011 - gilrbo wrote: 86 Points
The nose has very good intensity and changed from ripe red fruit, to prunes to notes reminding of porto. The palate has also intense red fruit well balanced by a good freshness.
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