Andrea Occhipinti started his eponymous winery to focus on indigenous Lazio grape after falling in love with the area when he attended oenology school there. After graduation he stuck around, eventually acquiring a small amount of land on the shore of Lake Bolsena. The lake is actually an enormous caldera and thus the soils where he tends his vines of Grechetto Rosso and Bianco, Procanico and Aleatico are volcanic.

This part of Lazio, very close to the Tuscan border and just north of Rome, isn't exactly known for great winemaking. But Andrea saw enormous this potential in the exceptional terroir and the little known local varieties. His tireless experimentation - the use of amphora, skin contact, red/white coferments - has raised the bar significantly. These are some of the most exciting wines of Central Italy, an area that as a whole, because Andrea and others, is seeing a bit of a renaissance.

And no, Andrea is not related to the more famous Occhipinti’s in Sicily. But he does share with Arianna an almost preternatural ability to convey terroir through gentle and thoughtful winemaking. Andrea’s wines are filled with a nervy energy and minerality that are unmistakingly volcanic. His wines are soulful in a way that makes them deeply satisfying. This is also one of the great food areas of the world and the transparent nature of these wines make them exceedingly pairable.

These are the types of wine that when you first taste them you feel like you need to share them with the other wine lovers in your life. Made in small quantities, the wines are rare as they are beautiful. Andrea is just starting to get some buzz in the states so there is no better time to hop on The Andrea Occhipinti Bandwagon. These will surely become harder to get and more expensive in the future so don't miss out on our great pricing below.

Andrea Occhipinti Lazio Sottobanco 2022 $29.99
Made from 100% Procanico grapes and spends at least 3 days on the skins giving it a beautiful golden hue. There is purity to the aromas and flavors of white flowers, honey crisp apple skin and chamomile. The wine remains balanced through its freshness and saline minerality.

Andrea Occhipinti Lazio Alea Rosa Rosato 2022 $29.99
Made from Ciliegiolo the nose is imbued with subtle floral notes of rosewater and freshly cut herbs that are matched with a juicy palate of pink grapefruit and cherrystone rounded out with a long, salty citrus finish. A delicious and unmistakably Italian rosato.

Andrea Occhipinti Lazio Alkes Rosato 2022 $29.99
Ciliegiolo is a variety related to the more widely known Sangiovese. Like its cousin this delivers bright tart cherries along with Mediterranean herbs and a hint of salt. Fresh and lifted this drinks more like a light red so chill this down for a perfect aperitivo.