Meet Pineau d’Aunis: the obscure, peppery Loire Valley grape that once captured the heart of English royalty. Producing pale, light-bodied, energetic red wines bursting with wild raspberry, watermelon, and a signature crack of white pepper, it is the ultimate substantive alternative to rosé. Dive into the fascinating medieval history of this grape—connected to Eleanor of Aquitaine herself—and discover the low-intervention producers spearheading its modern revival.

Arianna Occhipinti didn't just join the natural wine movement—she helped define it for an entire generation. Beginning her winemaking journey at just sixteen years old, she has spent nearly two decades illuminating the vibrant, elegant potential of native Sicilian varieties like Frappato and Nero d’Avola. By championing biodiversity, dry-farmed contrade, and a low-intervention cellar philosophy driven by gravity and native yeasts, Occhipinti crafts wines of incredible precision and vitality. Step inside her Vittoria estate to discover how she balances ancient traditions with modern vineyard challenges, from orange-essence pest control to pasta made from her own vineyard cover crops.