Grillo, Sicily, Italy

#SicilianWinemakingRoyalty. Ariana Occhipinti started her own winery 15 years ago, after learning all she could from her uncle (the ‘O’ in COS wines) and with her own natural instincts and curiosity in her arsenal, she set sail. These grapes are from the foot of the Iblei mountains, north of her home turf in Vittoria. The organically farmed vines reside on bounding hillsides, surrounded by pine forest, giant oaks & ancient olive trees. The soils here are sandy, calcareous marl of ancient origin, which takes the heady minerality & wafting eloquence to the grillo to intoxicating heights. Macerated with the skins for two days and spontaneously fermented in concrete tank, the wine was then aged for a year in Austrian oak. A heavy gold, citrus blossoms galore, salt cube, wild mint, RIPE apricots, dried honey & everything you want to be when you grow up. Drink as the sun kisses the horizon & you kiss the back of your own hand in respect.