Sicilian Wines

Sicilian Wines represented by NMArrigo in Malta and Gozo

COS

Thirty years ago three friends from the Vittoria area of south eastern Sicily were preparing to start their university education. The friends, Giambattista “”Titta”” Cilia, Giusto Occhipinti and Cirino Strano, were all from wine making families. When Titta’s father saw that the three had nothing to do until school started in several months, he gave them several tons of Nero d’Avola grapes and with his help, the three made 1400 bottles of very alcoholic wine. They chose the name COS for their winery name, taking the first letters of each last name (Cilia-Occhipinti-Strano). In 1980, the trio became the youngest winemakers in Italy when they bought Joseph Cilia’s old family winery. Located in the historic town of Bastonaca, the vineyard measured just over a mere three hectares. Their first harvest on October 5 produced only 1470 bottles; nevertheless, this marked the beginning of their adventures and the radical restructuring of the region of Cerasuolo di Vittoria.
In 1985 Cirino chose medicine over winemaking, selling his share to his sister, Pina, who stayed ten years until she left to marry the owner of Ristorante Sakaleo in nearby Scoglitti.

Today, COS is run by Guisto and Titta, both graduate architects. The company has expanded significantly and now produces approximately 160,000 bottles per year using biodynamic viticulture methods. The facility includes a beautiful inn, Locanda COS, on the grounds of the vineyard/winery.
Fascinated by ancient cellar practices, COS decided to work with amphorae, clay jars that were used by the ancient Greeks.
The first shipment came from Spain in September 2000, and thus, Pithos was born and a new COS identity was created. 2007 was the first vintage bottled in the new cellar. The old oak barrels were replaced by 150 amphorae, one of the largest collections in the world, and they began making Pithos Bianco with the local Grecanico grape. Today, COS is synonymous with Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Their love of the region and its singular terroir produces some of the finest wines Italy has to offer.

COS remain committed to making wine without any pesticides, or anything that can impeded the natural harmony of nature.
The choice is not ideological, but ethical.

Find out more at www.cosvittoria.it

Wines :

Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico DOCG
Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico delle Fontane DOCG
Frappato IGP
Maldafrica IGP
Nero di Lupo
Pithos Rosso DOC
Pithos Bianco IGP
Zibibbo in Pithos
Ramì IGP
Contrada IGP
Aestas Siciliae