Pale ruby red in colour with an elegant bouquet of raspberries, cherries and mint on the nose. The palate is fresh with nuances of white pepper from the time in oak. The wine has silky tannins with a balanced and persistent finish.
In 1983, the Rallo family founded Donnafugata to champion the potential of Sicily's indigenous varieties. In the decades since, their unwavering dedication to this founding principle has resulted in “some of Sicily's top wines, if not all of Italy's” (Eric Guido, Vinous). The family has made wine in Marsala since 1851, where their ancient cellars tunnel beneath the city. They were one of the first families to make high-quality table wine when sales of traditional Marsala started to decline. Today, Donnafugata has five estates in Sicily: the historic Rallo family cellars in Marsala, a modern winery and 343 hectares at Contessa Entellina in the hills east of Marsala, 42 hectares in Vittoria towards the south-eastern point of the island, 68 hectares on the island of Pantelleria, and 35 hectares on the slopes of Etna. The Donnafugata wines fuse Sicilian tradition with a modern approach.
The grapes for this wine are grown in vineyards on the north side of Etna, in five districts between Randazzo and Passopiscaro, at altitudes of 730-750 metres above sea level. Soils are volcanic, deep and rich in minerals, and allow strong root growth. Vines are trained to Vertical Shoot Position, and are planted at a density of about 4,500 plants per hectare.
Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes underwent selection on a vibrating table, separating out any green or overripe grapes. Fermentation took place in stainless steel with maceration on the skins for 8 to 10 days at 25 °C. The wine was aged for 12 months, split between stainless steel tanks and French oak (second and third passage barriques). There was a further 10 months in bottle before release.
Perfect with grilled lamb cutlets, wild mushroom risotto, or aged Pecorino.
