Perhaps you are looking for something different to quench your thirst for summer wine and want an alternative to Rosé. How about considering a chilled red wine? In Sicily that would be Frappato wine because it can be served either chilled or at room temperature.
Frappato is an indigenous red grape to the Sicilian regions of Ragusa, Siracusa, Vittoria, and Etna. DNA testing shows that Frappato may be a cross of Sangiovese with another variety. The wine made from this variety tends to be lighter in body, elegant and very easy drinking. Often one finds Frappato blended with Nero d’Avola. Frappota is combined with Nero d’Avola because it gives freshness to the wine. Frappato plays a vital role in Sicily’s only DOCG wine, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, which consists of 30 to 50 percent Frappato and 50 to 70 percent Nero d’Avola.
Valle Dell’Acate winery lies in the southeastern section of Sicily. The Jacono family founded the winery at the end of the 19th century. Now in its sixth generation, the winery continues the family’s heritage and tradition of producing wine in the Vittoria region.
The winery is part of the Sicilia DOC, a group of 400 wine producers, whose mission unites winemakers throughout Sicily to promote the region and let the world know about the Wines of Sicily.
The vineyards for the Frappato are located approximately 100 meters above sea level. The soils are dense and black and packed with white stones.
Frappato Wine
The 2017 Valle Dell’Acate Il Frappato DOC Vittoria exhibits aromas of raspberries with hints of sage and delivers a tart yet refreshingly light wine with flavors of raspberries and other red fruits. It makes for a perfect summer wine as well as a year-round wine that pairs with white meat such as turkey or pork.
Note that the featured image shows the Il Frappato against a background of the soil type for the Frappato vines. This photo combines two photos courtesy of Valle Dell’Acate.
Common to the wine industry, this writer received a hosted Frappato wine sample. While it has not influenced this review, the writer believes in full disclosure.