Cummo 'Nerosse' Frappato Sicilia IGT 

This is a decidedly X-rated wine. For those who want to travel through the aromatic evocations of the inimitable Frappato. A rare, fruity find from Sicily, Frappato bursts with aromas of sweet red berries and incense spice. It’s sometimes blended with Nero d’Avola to add complexity. Frappato is one of Sicily's very special, rare red wine varieties. It was once a mainstay in Marsala but has come into its own as a delicate, dry red wine. You'll sometimes find Frappato blended with Nero d'Avola in wines labeled with Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG. The Nero d'Avola adds more texture (tannin) and richer, darker fruit flavors. Frappato marries well with roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato. Additionally, you’ll find it perfect for fall harvest foods like roast turkey and cranberry sauce. 

Frappato is the perfect shoulder-season wine because you can serve it chilled or alongside rich, spice-driven foods. Frappato grows mainly in western Sicily's Trapani province in and around the Marsala region. There's a rare red Marsala that uses Frappato as a base wine! Beyond this, Frappato grows in the south in Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, blended with Nero d'Avola. Despite blending with Nero, expect these wines to have light and aromatic flavors because of the region's sandy soils. In total, Frappato is a very rare grape, with estimates under 2,000 acres worldwide – and nearly entirely on the island of Sicily. Sicily has more wine vineyards than any other Italian region and thousands of growers. 

Winemaking on the island of Sicily is older than the bible. Evidence from 6,000 years ago shows how wineries and winemaking are an integral part of Sicilian life. Still, the creation of Sicilia DOC in 2011 created a massive boost in quality across the island's wines. It’s a region you can’t afford to ignore. You’ll find exceptional wineries on the three corners of the island. 

GRAPE

100% impressed.

FARM

9 months in concrete tanks; 3 months in bottle.

Tasting note

Intense dark blood red color that does not disperse on the nail. Hints of fairly ripe red fruits. Little balance in the mouth. Multimedia persistence. Fruity and quite light. Among the lighter red wine grapes you can get your hands on in Sicily. Blueberries and sour cherries, as well as some flowers. Not too heavy tannins. An unusual habit these Italians have is to serve the red wine so unimaginably hot, but what else is there to do but drink it.