'Grotte Alte' is Arianna's only DOCG wine, in this case Vittoria's most famous, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, comprising a classic blend of Nero d'Avola and Frappato. It is named for the limestone ridges on which the Occhipinti estate lies, straddling and combining both Mediterranean and mountain influences, with red and sandy clay soils over limestone at about 280 meters. Coming from a selection of older vines and with a longer maceration and several years of barrel aging, the Grotte Alte is essentially the very 'grown-up', appellation-designated version of the SP68 red (and, during its evolution, if Arianna feels that it's not up to the highest standard, the wine is blended into the SP68). The result is a full-bodied, dark-berried wine that is the essence of the Mediterranean, possessing a mineral and saline quality from the influence of limestone soils. Arianna calls it "perhaps it is the most ambitious of [her] wines. Elegant and proud."
Darkly alluring, savory and nearly sultry, the 2019 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Grotte Alte grumbles up with a blend of crushed ashen stones and black cherries complicated by exotic spice and dusty dried roses. It splashes easily across the palate, energized by a core of zesty acidity. Tart red berry fruits and mineral tones saturate throughout. This leaves a fascinating blend of tangerine and sour melon that keeps the mouth watering for more despite its grippy tannins as wild blueberry notes fade. The Grotte Alte remains a testament to the height to which Cerasuolo di Vittoria can achieve.