Frappato 2024

This Frappato comes from the Mogli vineyard in Acate, in the province of Ragusa, in south-eastern Sicily. Part of the Vittoria DOC, it thrives at 70 metres above sea level on the red sands typical of this terroir close to the sea, over a tuffaceous subsoil that helps regulate the vines' water supply.

The grapes are harvested by hand and taken to the cellar in small carts. After destemming and crushing, fermentation takes place in 114 and 150 hl stainless-steel tanks, with short pump-overs to preserve the integrity of the fruit. It lasts around 7 to 8 days at controlled temperature, followed by a post-fermentation maceration of 10 to 13 days. Malolactic fermentation and ageing continue in stainless steel, with no oak.

This wine reveals notes of rose, candied violet, wild strawberry, wild cherry, raspberry, candied orange, citrus zest, thyme, eucalyptus, delicate smoke and balsam. The palate, light and supple, favours crunchy, juicy red fruit. Carried by lively acidity, it unfolds very fine tannins and a fresh, saline, balsamic finish.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, home of the Dolce Vita, but how difficult it is to understand how its wine world is organised! The key to understanding the Italian appellation system is to see it as several small countries rather than one homogeneous country, because each region has its own appellation system. Yet Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavours and styles, as well as bottles full of surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a great quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most useful and commercially best-known names: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others... But let's talk a little history: winegrowing in Italy dates back to the earliest antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and changed the grape varieties planted, later calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and some regions were already standing out for the excellence of their produce. The Romans also planted many vineyards across Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquests. Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The mountains of the north have a fairly harsh mountain climate. The plain in the "middle of the boot" has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. The "southern part of the boot" has a Mediterranean climate with very hot, very dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces an enormous variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of them native to its soil. It is a country just as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!