COS : Rami 2016

A Complex Sicilian White Wine with a Mineral Finish

Azienda Agricola COS was born in 1980 as a project between 3 school friends, who decided to form their own wine business. Giambattista Cilia (C), Giusto Occhipinti (O) and Pinuccia Strano (S) first began making wines for fun, using land that they rented from their parents. Since then, COS has grown to become a globally recognized ambassador of Sicily's unique terroir. Through wines of exceptional quality, the team at COS brought, perhaps for the first time, international attention to the appellation of Cerasuolo di Vittoria in southern Sicily and to the native Frappato variety found there. The team at COS were also one of the first to pioneer biodynamic and "natural" winemaking in southern Italy, thereby paving the way for other winemakers to switch to the same. The Rami IGP 2016 by COS is made with grapes from the Fontane, Bastonaca and Vittoria regions of southeast Italy. The blend comprises 50% Grecanino and 50% Insolia, both native varieties of Sicily. The vines are 12 years old on average and they grow in red soils of Pliocene subalpine sands and siliceous limestone. These vines are planted at a density of 5,000 vines per hectare at an altitude of 230 meters above sea level. The wines are produced through spontaneous fermentation on skins in terracota amphorae, with exclusively indigenous yeasts. The amphorae are kept buried underground in order to maintain the same temperature and to allow the fermentation to benefit from the natural energy transferred by the earth. The wines are matured in concrete tanks and bottles before release.

The Rami IGP 2016 by COS displays a gorgeous straw-yellow color in the glass, with golden reflections. A complex bouquet of wild herbs, almonds, apricot and candied lemons reveals itself on the nose, while the flavors in the mouth are quite consistent with these aromas. On the palate, this wine offers an excellent acidity and a gorgeous volume. Powerful tannins continue into a persistent finish, which is marked by a mineral, iodized aftertaste. A fantastic food-pairing wine that will go beautifully with a wide range of dishes, including ravioli stuffed with cheese and grilled seabass. To consume between 2018-2022.