Arianna
Occhipinti
Nepotism Gone Right
Born in 1982, Arianna grew up watching her uncle Giusto Occhipinti transform Sicilian wine at COS estate. At 16, she joined him at VinItaly and "fell in love with the wine culture and people." She studied enology at the University of Milan—but quickly found the technical approach clashed with everything her uncle taught her about organic viticulture, hand-harvesting, and native yeast fermentations [^153^][^162^].
She had to "unlearn" the laboratory methods and return to Sicily to learn "literally from the ground up." At 22, she started with just one hectare of abandoned vines in Fossa di Lupo, along the ancient Strada Provinciale 68—the wine road connecting Gela to Kamarina three millennia ago. The SP68 wine is named after this road [^147^][^153^].
Red Sands & Iblei
The vineyards sit in a long valley between the Iblei Mountains and the sea—land that was once underwater. Deep limestone (ancient sea floor) lies beneath a layer of red sand. This unique combination creates the distinctive character of Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Sicily's only DOCG [^147^][^154^].
From one hectare in 2004, Arianna has expanded to 25-40 hectares across 10 contrade. Biodynamic since 2009, she grows indigenous varieties—Frappato, Nero d'Avola, Zibibbo, Albanello, ancient olive groves, and Tumminia wheat. She built a new cellar in 2014 with concrete tanks so wine can "breathe" during fermentation [^148^][^149^].
Uncle Giusto, COS
Fossa di Lupo, Age 22
Full Conversion
Concrete Tanks
Global Icon
Il Frappato
"It is tart, sanguine and elegant. It is Vittoria and the Iblei mountains. It is the wine that most resembles me, courageous, original and rebellious." From 40-year-old vines, aged in concrete and Austrian oak. Pale but profound—blood orange, rose petal, Mediterranean garrigue. The wine that sparked Frappato's renaissance [^147^][^150^].
Unlearning & Teaching
Wild fermentations with native yeasts. No filtration, minimal or zero sulfur. 30 days maceration, 6 months in concrete. Gravity-fed cellar. But more than technique—Arianna dreams of starting a school for young winemakers "where the most important teacher would be the land," just as she had to learn after her formal training [^148^][^154^].
Chaza & Hospitality
"Chaza" (Sicilian for piazza) is her new hospitality project—two houses, Casa Grande and Casa di Pietra, surrounded by vines and olive groves. "An invitation to experience a different Sicily, far from stereotypes. A Sicily of earth, wind, seasons, and essential gestures." Visitors walk the contrada, taste persimmons from the tree, understand that time slows down here [^147^].
"Frappato took me by the hand and accompanied me as I built this path. At the same time, I believe it needed someone to harvest it with love and pride."— On Her Traveling Companion
The Collection
From the entry-level SP68 to the legendary Grotte Alte—wines that "breathe" and "tell stories" of Sicilian soul [^147^][^148^][^154^].
SP68 Rosso & Bianco
The gateway wines. Rosso: 70% Frappato, 30% Nero d'Avola. Light (12.5%), clean, delicate but decisive. Bianco: Albanello and Zibibbo—dry, crisp limestone character with aromatic Zibibbo twist. Fermented and aged in concrete. Named for the road that passes her property, the ancient wine route [^148^][^153^].
Il Frappato
"The wine that most resembles me." 100% Frappato from 40-year-old vines. Tart, sanguine, elegant. Blood orange, rose petal, wild strawberries. Concrete tank fermentation, then Austrian oak barrels. 12.5% ABV. "He has peasant origins, which is why he loves his roots and the past he carries within" [^147^][^150^].
Grotte Alte Cerasuolo
"Questo per me è la sintesi della mia Sicilia" (This is the synthesis of my Sicily). The only DOCG wine—60% Nero d'Avola, 40% Frappato. Named for the limestone ridges where vines grow. More structured but never heavy. The essence of Vittoria terroir—ancient sea floor, red sands, Iblei wind [^147^][^154^].
PT "Pettineo" Frappato
From Pettineo single vineyard, old contrada with sandy soils. More complex and structured than entry-level Frappato. Deep red fruit, earthy, spicy, firm tannins, salinity. One of her most outstanding releases—a contemplative, vineyard-specific expression [^148^].
Passo Nero
Unique dry passito—Nero d'Avola grapes are dried before bone-dry fermentation. Dense yet lifted. Figs, tamarind, black cherry, cacao, mountain herbs. Resembles a Sicilian amaro. Dark, haunting, wild. Perfect for ending memorable dinners. 94 points [^148^].
Il Siccagno
From old vines, showing how this often-misunderstood grape can produce structured wines with deep soulfulness. Fermented and aged in concrete. Part of her portfolio proving that Nero d'Avola need not be overly extracted or heavy—elegant, transparent, true to its roots [^148^].