Arianna Occhipinti Sicilian Wine

 

Arianna Occhipinti

at her vineyard in Vittoria

FRAPPATTO

OCCHIPINTI

Arianna Occhipinti is a young producer Sicilian calling itself "natural", a girl with clear ideas who knew how to shine within a few years thanks to a production with a defining style certainly different from the vast majority of Sicilian wines, and this does not just because its wines fall into the ranks of the natural so-called , the wines are the opposite of what you can imagine thinking of Sicilian and southern wines in general , often marmellatosi, iperfruttati, slow and heavy. Arianna produces its wines from grapes grown following the dictates of ' biodynamic agriculture , its wines fall, in fact, in the selection of wines Triple A , vinification occurs without the temperature control and with only native yeasts, everything ago is that the its wines are certainly more healthy as it does not contain residues of chemical poisons and moreover, each vintage but even every bottle is not identical to the other because the natural wine is anything but certified to a standard, it certainly can happen to be dealing with a volatile wire, but it is easy to postpone when you think you're drinking something unconventional and inevitably unique.

The vines cultivated by Arianna Occhipinti are Frappato which produces purity of the wines, coupled with Nero d'Avola red instead born SP68, the Albanello and Muscat that together give life instead to white SP68. From the vineyards of Nero d'Avola was born Siccagno, unique interpretation , diametrically different from the usual undergone by the most famous Sicilian grape. Siccagno is a red wine of great elegance, freshness and extraordinary drinkability. Ruby red color concentrated but not impenetrable, expresses aromas of blackberries and other fruits blacks, vegetal notes and undergrowth. It needs a little time to indulge, he does it on the Mediterranean notes, balsamic hints of eucalyptus, refined, warm, wide mining, driven by a vital freshness and a fine tannin, the finish is in perfect balance, long finish. Aged for 18 months in barrels of oak.

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Arianna gets her hands dirty .. In a most Delightful way !!!

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93 pts.Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: August, 2016Arianna Occhipinti has outdone herself with the 2014 Il Frappato. This is a wine of character and personality. It flaunts those slightly rustic edges with charm and confidence. The bouquet opens to ripe blueberry, raspberry and dried cassis. The quality of fruit shows good integrity and balance. You don’t notice any of the raw or unclean smells you sometimes get with wines made in such a natural and non-interventionist approach. The nose is pristine. In the mouth, Il Frappato delivers vibrant acidity and snappy fruit flavors. More than any other wine, this vintage and this producer can claim to have produced something close to a Pinot Nero with an all-Sicilian soul.

91

91 pts.Wine Enthusiast: August, 2016This earthy red opens with funky but appealing aromas of tilled soil, crushed black olive and ripe berry. The juicy, medium-bodied palate provides crunchy tart red cherry, succulent raspberry, ground pepper, energizing mineral and a gamey note. Ripe tannins and bright acidity provide the framework.

90

90+ pts.Vinous: December, 2016Dark ruby-red. Perfumed aromas and flavors of candied violet, red currant, aromatic herbs and orange peel. Finishes very long and floral, and richer and deeper than the SP68 Rosso, but with its same prickly palate sensation. I normally love this wine and find it is Occhipinti’s best wine, and in fact a second bottle was much deeper and richer, so my score is an average of the two single scores.

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OCCHIPINTI SP68

70% Frappato / 30% Nero'd Avola

       

Learn How to Cook Sicilian

with Daniel Bellino's

GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

"Recipes From My SICLIAN GRANDMOTHER"

AVAILABLE on AMAZON

RECIPES

CAPONATA

TIMBALLO

PASTA con SARDE

RAGU SICILIANA

and more ...

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Swimming n Eats on Capri

SALUMERIA CAPPRI

Salumeria e Rosticceria

aka ITALIAN DELLI

I've got to say, Salumeria Capri Rosticceria has some of the best food in all of Capri .. I've eaten at a number of restaurants on Capri and the food they make at this little Salumeria is as good as any, and better than many, "I Kid You Not," it's that good. I got food from here every day (5 days) I was on Capri on this last trip, and loved everything I got here. The first day I picked up an Arancini (just to hold me over to dinner) and a bottle of water. The Arancini was awesome, so the next day when I was planning on going swimming at the Faraglioni I stopped off here to get another great Arancino. When I got there, I saw some tasty looking Melanzane Parmigiano (Eggplant Parm) and asked Mamma about it. She said she made it, so I asked for a portion along with my Rice Ball. I also picked up a bottle of water and a 1/2 bottle of Aglianco al Benevento (some local wine) to complete my boxed lunch for the beach. I paid then made my way on the 25 minute walk down to the Fragalioni that passed gorgeous homes and hotels on the Via Tagara before heading down the pathway to Da Luigi and the beach at The Fraglioni (with spectacular views along the way). I had a great time at the beach; swimming and enjoying my tasty boxed lunch from Salumeria Capri .. By my this day there I was treated like family. This was a great find that I recommend highly. Don't miss it!

Great Homemade RICE BALLS EGGPLANT PARMIGIANO, CROQUETTAS and more..

Beach Da LUIGI at The Famous FARAGLIONI Rocks on CAPRI

This is where I go swimming at least 1 day on each trip to  CAPRI ...

It's a bit expensive at 25 Euros (about $27 US) as compare to staying on the

beach for free at MARINA PICOLA or MARINA GRAND and other beaches on Capri,

but I like to treat myself to the incredible beauty of this spot each time I visit the 

beautiful ISLE of CAPRI ...

This was my Tasty LUCNH from SALUMERIA CAPRI

that I ate at the BEACH at FARAGLIONI ...

MAMMA'S EGGPLANT PARMIGIANO, ARANCINI (Rice Ball),

Italian Mineral Water, and a nice 1/2 bottle of AGLIANICO di BENEVENTTO,

a local wine from East of NAPOLI .. (cost about $12)

I have to say that this was without question one of the Best Most Enjoyable Lunches

I've ever had in my entire life .. What could be better but to be on the

Isle of Capri, at one of the most beautiful beach spots in the entire World at the

famed Faraglioni Rocks of Capri ..

                    My Caise Lounge at Da Luigi, at Faraglioni CAPRI .. 25 EUROS                                       and worth every Penny ..

Yes that was one of the most wonderful days and best lunches I've ever had.

A DAY I Shall Never Forget ... Basta !

Want to Make ARANCINI ?

A SICILIAN RICE BALL ?

Recipe in

GRANDMA BELLINO'S COOKBOOK

At the SALUMERIA CAPRI

"BEST PLACE to EAT in CAPRI"

A receipt from a lunch at

SALUMERIA ROSTICCErIA CAPRI

Me in CAPRI

at Da LUIGI

at FARAGLIONI ROCKS

June 2015

Path to Da LUIGI, CAPRI

TOMATO MOZZARELLA PANNINO

from SALUMERIA CAPRI

My Tripadvisor Review of SALUMERIA ROSTICCERIA CAPRI

5 STARS

Sophia Loren with PIZZA

Che BELLA ?

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Lucky Luciano New York Italian Meatballs Recipe

JOHN'S of 12th STREET

The MOVIE

WORLD PREMIER

SPECTACLE THEATER

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

New York

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JOHN'S

JOHN'S of East 12th Street

New York, NY

John's is one of the last of a dying breed of Old School Italian Red Sauce Joints .. John's has been a beloved East Village Italian New York Institution since 1908, making it one of 

New York's oldest Italian Restaurants of which only a few of many remain. John's is one of them.

John's serves classic Old School Italian American food, including classics like; Clams Posillipo, Baked Clams Oreganata, Lasagna, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Manicotti, and more, including now rare items such as Speedino alla Romano and Veal Sweetbreads.

The wonderful Turn of The Century decor of John's has been lovenly and painstakingly preserved with its 1908 decor still intact. John's is lively and the old school waiters help round out the total picture of Italian Food with great old 1908 decor and animated service from the Black Bowtied Waiters.

Over the years John's has seen the like of; John Lennon, Joe Jackson, Ray Davies, Carol Burnett, Montgomery Clift, Ron Silver, Rockets Redglare, Tom Crruise, Mimi Rodgers, and many other celebrites pass through its doors. Why don't you pass through too? It's great old Italian New York experience.

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MEATBALLS

RECIPE

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LUCKY LUCIANO

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 SUNDAY SAUCE

LEARN HOW to MAKE MEATBALLS alla SINATRA

RECIPE  in SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

MAKING MEATBALLS at JOHN'S of 12th STREET

JOHN

aka MIKE ALPERT

Real Name MYRON WEINER

R.I.P.

MYRON SHOWS GUY FIERI How to MAKE MEATBALLS

SECRET RECIPES

SEGRETO ITALIANO

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JOE MASSERIA HITS VALENTI

LUCKY LUCIANO Does The DIRTY WORK 

Outside JOHN'S of 12th STREET

Smarting over the recent attempt on his life, which had left two bullet holes through his hat and another two holes through his coat, Joe Masseria plotted bloody revenge in epic Italian Renaissance fashion.

Chief Assassin

The target of his wrath was Umberto Valenti, a seriously wily character who had blasted those bullet holes through Masseria’s hat and coat. According to the New York Times in 1915, Valenti was:

A former Black Hand extortionist, it was rumored that Valenti had killed over 20 men, a number of whom had been Masseria’s closest advisors. The thirty four year old Valenti was the chief assassin of Salvatore “Toto” D’Aquila, the New York Mafia’s supreme ruler, a Mafioso who was locked in vicious mob war with Masseria and his chief strategist Giuseppe “the Clutch Hand” Morello.

However, Masseria’s seemingly supernatural bullet dodging powers had given the hard noised, but superstitious, Valenti second thoughts. Second thoughts that had him suing for peace and walking into an ambush in one of New York’s most storied Italian restaurants, John’s of 12^th Street, on August 11, 1922, a restaurant that has been used as a set on Boardwalk Empire and the Sopranos.

Well Dressed Gunmen 

Whether or not Valenti sampled the chicken parmigiana before being croaked has been lost to the winds of history. However, some time around noon, Valenti and six laughing companions emerged from their luncheon. Walking eastward, smiles turned into frowns. Suddenly, Valenti spooked and bolted towards Second Avenue as two slick, well-dressed gunmen whipped out revolvers and fired. Gangland legend holds that one of the shooters was none other than Charley “Lucky” Luciano, Masseria’s newest protégé (the other shooter was probably Vito Genovese).

The FEAST of The 7 FISH

Italian Christmas

Pandemonium on 12^thStreet

As the shots flew, pandemonium broke loose on 12^th Street. Whirling around, the feared assassin drew a revolver just as a bullet flew through his chest.

A teenage witness told the New York Times:

Luciano’s Escape

Despite Valenti’s death, the friendly Luciano and his pals weren’t done yet. A crowd formed to block the gunmen’s escape so the mobsters opened fire, hitting a street sweeper and a little girl visiting from New Haven Connecticut. The shots dispersed the crowd, and the hitmen disappeared into a nearby tenement.

Should I Bring Pajamas? 

Masseria was arrested for the murder.  During his arrest, he supposedly grinned and asked the police:

… whether he would need a nightshirt remarking, that the last time he slept in the station house they forgot to give him a pillow or pajamas.

For a job well done, Joe Masseria elevated Luciano to a leadership position at his headquarters in the Hotel Pennsylvania. All murder charges were eventually dropped, and Masseria, on his way to becoming Joe the Boss, set his sights on Valenti’s overlord, Toto De Aquila, New York’s boss of bosses.

However, John’s of 12^th had another infamous last meal lined up twenty years later. The victim would be Carlo Tresca.

BASTA la PASTA !!!!

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Best CAIO PEPE Ever

 

SOPHIA LOREN

   

A Plate of CAIO PEPE PASTA at CACIO PEPE Roma, Italy

     

Making CACIO PEPE at Da DANILLO ROME

The Menu at CACIO PEPE, ROME ITALY

CACIO PEPE is 8 EUROS

or 6 Euros for a Half portion

BEST CACIO PEPE Recipe EVER !!!

BEST CACIO PEPE Recipe EVER !!!

in The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

Best Carbonara Ever

HOW to MAKE SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

GENNARO CONTALDO

SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

HOW to MAKE PERFECT SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

ANTONIO CARLUCCI

WHER to GO For The BEST CARBONAR in ROME, ITALY

Da Danilo

Vaunted as the best carbonara in Rome, this was the first good carbonara I ate here. Beautifully presented with crispy bacon shards placed on top and swirled throughout the spaghetti, this carbonara is neither too heavy, nor too light, neither too rich, nor too eggy. A little bit goldilocks, this carbonara is just right. The spaghetti is cooked al dente, at first it might seem too much so, but they know what they are doing. Booking is essential.

Via Petrarca, 13. Esquilino area. Tel: 06 772 00111 trattoriadadanilo.it

Da Enzo

Busy and bustling you couldn’t get a more Roman trattoria. The service is brisk but fun, “Why are you in Rome? English teachers? Can we have lessons?” The last time I went, we were early enough and lucky enough to get a table without a reservation, and by the time we left the queue outside was enormous. Another rigatoni alla carbonara, this pasta dish is cheesy and peppery with the eggy sauce left at the bottom to mix in yourself. Crunchy strips of salty guanciale (just how I like them) completed the dolce/salato, or sweet and savoury, effect. Yum!

Via dei Vascellari, 29. Trastevere Tel: 06 581 2260 daenzoal29.com

Da Sergio

Recommended by my friend Silvia as her especial favourite, Da Sergio is a smallish trattoria hidden away in the side streets around Campo dei Fiori. For those of you who like your food a little more on the rustic side, this is the sort of carbonara for you. Homely and rich with less attention paid to the presentation and more focus on the flavours. Maybe the pasta sauce isn’t quite as silky smooth as some of the others, maybe the spaghetti is not so al dente, but overall a carbonara here is a dish that tastes of home.

Vicolo delle Grotte, 27. Campo dei Fiori area. Tel: 06 686 4293 

Flavio al Velavevodetto

Rigatoni alla Carbonara is served in this Testaccio institution. Generous strips of crispy bacon in a seemingly too bright yellow sauce that reflects the quality of the eggs. With a good balance of flavours, this carbonara was voted the 2nd best in the city, and the best pasta of the day by my fellow diners. Don’t worry about the big portion size in the photograph: it was taken of a large communal bowl!

Via di Monte Testaccio, 97. Testaccio Tel: 06 574 6841 flavioalvelavevodetto.it

L’Arcangelo

The food here is something finer and offers a little more than the average trattoria. However, for their carbonara they stick with tradition. The rigatoni are cooked to perfection and slicked in a silky, glossy sauce. Italian friends who dined with me agreed that this was the real thing. So good, none could possibly go to waste; one friend even fare la scarpetta – wiped his plate clean with bread (literally, “do the little shoes”). What better endorsement could there be?

Via Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli, 59. Prati Tel: 06 321 0992

SOPHIA LOREN

"Everything You See I Owe to SPAGHETTI" !!!

PERFECT SPAGHETTI CARNONARA

Da DANILLO

ROMA, ITALY

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Instagram Saint Josephs Day Feast

 

Author DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE on Instagram

@xpicassox

SAINT JOSEPHS DAY Dinner 2017 at CACIO VINO Restaurant in New York City.

Our SICILIAN-AMERICAN FOOD WINE & TRAVEL GROUP

Our Traditional SICLIAN MEAL for SAN GIUSEPPE :

MACCU ( Fava Bean Soup), SICILIAN PIZZA, Pasta con Sarde,

and PASTICCERIA SAN GIUSEPPE SFINCI

In MEMORY of OUR DEAR FRIEND

VINCENT TITONTE

John Turturro with Opera Singer Vincent Titone

Cookbook Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

and Vincent Titone at a Sicilian American Group Dinner

Grandma Bellino's Italian Cookbook

RECIPES FROM MY SCILIAN NONNA

by Daniel Bellino "Z"

Favorite Recipes of Sicilian Dishes

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Brunello Madonna Piano Abruzzese

MONTALCINO VINEYARD

 

 

 

 

 

BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO

 

VALDICAVA

 

 

 

 

 

TUSCAN COLLECTIBLES

 

BRUNELLOValdicava

 

MADONNA del PIANO

 

VINCENZO ABRUZZESE

 

 

SUNDAY SAUCE

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