BB' ('Bombolieri') mixes the ethereal finesse of PT and the power of FL, unveiling deep aromas of dark cherries, hazelnuts and iron that mingle with airier shades of wild violets, black tea, and balsam herbs. Youthfully grippy tannins frame a staggeringly brisk and pure, Nebbiolo-esque progression, with bitter orange and tilled soil complementing crunchy red and black fruits, Vermouth-like botanical herbs and iodine shaping a long and punchy finish that suggests excellent cellaring potential. From a 40 year-old parcel lying on pebbles over layers of white limestone.

The Arianna Occhipinti 2021 Frappato Vino di Contrada BB comes from the Contrada Bombolieri, a one-hectare site with a thin layer of white sand soil at the surface and a mix of compact limestone rock underground. The wine ferments in cement with native yeasts with 20 days on the skins and then ages in oval cement vats for 20 months. This wine shows a superior level of clarity and fruit delineation that gives the bouquet extra intensity and lift. This mid-weight Frappato (with 2,634 bottles released) ends with a note of sweetness, and the powdery tannins are very fine. - Monica Larner