Tasting a new grape is a lot like meeting a friend of a trusted friend: Hello, new grape! Unless you give me a reason not to, I’m certain I’m going to love you.
I was especially predisposed to love Frappato, one of Southern Italy’s rare and special wine varieties. Lighter and more aromatic than Nero d’Avola (the premier grape of Sicily, and one of its frequent blending partners), Frappato has been gaining in reputation as a must-try for lovers of Pinot Noir.
But just as one tries not to let gossip or preconceptions color the experience of meeting someone for the first time, I am determined not to compare Frappato to Pinot Noir, but instead let it be its own thing.
As if to underline its individuality, w/o Frappato comes in an unusual apothecary-style stubby glass bottle. (Sealed with a prodigiously compressed cork which takes every ounce of my arm strength to extract…the wine equivalent of the bone-crushing handshake, I suppose.)
This Frappato certainly continues to come on strong, displaying a paint-box hue of purple-red. The nose is astoundingly fruity. I serve it chilled–as the label recommends–and still bright cherry, plum, and violet aromas come flowing over the rim of the glass. It’s fresh in every sense of the word: Vibrant in its fruit flavors, and somewhat cheeky in its approach.
What follows is a medium-bodied, very dry sip dominated by flavors of raspberry, red cherry and juicy pomegranate. The acidity is medium and matches the luscious perfect-ripeness of the fruit. As it warms up, it attains floral and spicy notes of pansies, cinnamon, and cardamom. The tannic structure is young and intense, leading to a drying and slightly bitter finish.
I don’t find in this wine the nuance or the delicacy of good Pinot Noir. Nor is it exactly easy to drink or to pair. It’s not a “chillable red” to throw in the cooler for your next picnic. (When too cold, it exudes a grape-y, Concord aroma that masks its delicate spice.) It’s also…not complex enough to pour into a fancy glass and contemplate for an hour. The fruit is overwhelming, the tannins are challenging.
There’s nothing in this wine that doesn’t taste good. And yet–to extend the metaphor–this bottle Frappato is like that one friend with the big personality. The person who’s always entertaining to listen to, but can sometimes be abrasive. The person whose company is best enjoyed in small doses.
This youthful, ebullient wine is the project of Sicilian winemaker Dino Taschetta. It’s made with sustainability in mind: Organically grown, vegan, and packaged in 100% recycled glass.
w/o Frappato is a WSJ Wine club selection from a mixed case of Italian wines. Check out my previous post for more reviews from this series.
Bottle: w/o Frappato Terre Siciliane IGT (2023)
Variety: Frappato (100%)
ABV: 13.5%
Suggested retail: $19.99
My rating: 7.7 (out of 10)
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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