Frappato. . . another Italian export!
In my never ending quest to expand my palate, I relaxed last Sunday afternoon with a bottle of Frappato Di Vittoria or Frappato for short. On the advice of local wine expert Kristin Jonna, I ventured out last week and found a bottle of this Sicilian export. Needless to say, Kristin was again correct in leading me to a truly unique wine experience.
Frappato di Vittoria or Frappato is a red Italian wine grape varietal planted primarily in Sicily. The Frappato grape produces a light bodied wine. It is most commonly seen as a component of Sicily's only DOGC (Denominazione di Origne Controllata) wine, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, which consists of 30-50% Frappato and 50-70% Nero D'Avola. www.planeta.it/ENG/Cerasuolo_ing.pdf
To complicate things a bit, the red Frappato/Frappato di Vittoria is also known under the synonyms Frappato Nero, Frappato Nero di Vittoria, Frappatu, Frappatu di Vittoria, Nerello, Nerello di Catania, and Nero Capitano. Frappato is also the name of a white Italian grape variety. This Frappato is less common than Frappato di Vittoria and is only known under the synonym Frappatu.
Last week was a long week for me, so on Sunday I wanted to "veg" and enjoy something "delightful". Kristin told me that this would hit the spot. She was right!
The Valle Dell' Acate Vittoria Frappato in the glass had a deep ruby red core with copper highlights on the ends. The nose was that of candied red berries and a hint of cough syrup. The palate for me was all "strawberry licorice". The only downside to the wine was its short finish. This is not an overly complex wine. It is though a delightful, light-bodied, fruity, dry red wine. I have read that it is enhanced a bit by being served "chilled", something I did not try, but will certainly attempt in the near future. As always. . . expand that palate of yours and enjoy some of the world's hidden gems! Cheers!
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