2023 COS Pithos Rosso Nero d'Avola Frappato, Sicily

COS Pithos Rosso Nero d’Avola Frappato from Sicily is one of the island’s most distinctive and characterful wines, a blend that captures both the aromatic lift of Frappato and the deeper, more brooding side of Nero d’Avola through the lens of amphora ageing. COS, founded in nineteen eighty by Giusto Occhipinti, Giambattista Cilia and Cirino Strano, has long been a pioneer of organic and biodynamic viticulture in Vittoria. Their philosophy is rooted in the belief that the purest expression of the land comes from minimal intervention, old vines, and patient, gentle winemaking. Pithos Rosso embodies this approach: a wine raised entirely in clay amphorae known as qvevri, a method that preserves freshness and texture while enhancing the wine’s earthy, mineral soul.

The vineyards sit around Vittoria on red sandy soils over limestone, a combination that naturally produces wines of lift, brightness and fine tannin. Frappato brings red cherry, strawberry, rose, herbs and an almost translucent purity. Nero d’Avola contributes darker berry fruit, structure, spice and a savoury, slightly wild edge. COS ferments the varieties together, often with a portion of whole bunches, in buried amphorae. Ageing continues in amphora, allowing slow, gentle oxygen exchange that shapes texture and finesse without pushing oak flavours into the mix.

The nose is wonderfully expressive, offering red cherry, strawberry, pomegranate and blood orange from the Frappato, alongside blackberry, plum skin, dried herbs and subtle spice from the Nero d’Avola. Beneath these layers sit hints of rose petals, fennel seed, warm terracotta, red earth and a mineral edge that speaks to the amphorae and the limestone beneath the vines. With air, more complexity unfolds: orange peel, tea leaf, subtle balsamic tones and a faint smoky whisper.

The palate is bright yet grounded, silky yet structured. Juicy red and dark fruits glide across fine, powdery tannins, carried by lively acidity that keeps the wine energetic and mouthwatering. Flavours of cherry, raspberry, mulberry, spice, dried herbs and savoury earth evolve in steady, elegant layers. The amphora ageing brings a gentle grain to the texture, a kind of quiet grip and minerality that lingers long into the finish. The wine is both delicate and earthy, vibrant and contemplative. It will drink beautifully now yet continue to evolve over five to seven years.

At the table it pairs superbly with chargrilled vegetables, Sicilian caponata, roast chicken, lamb with herbs, mushroom dishes, tuna steaks, pizza with nduja, pasta alla Norma, aged pecorino or Mediterranean tapas. Chill it lightly in warmer weather to highlight its aromatic lift.