Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé 2021

Donnafugata

2021
Wines Sweet

Donnafugata, meaning ‘fleeing woman’, belongs to the Rallo family who has been making wine in Sicily since 1851. During the 1980s, they started championing the potential of the island’s native varieties while experimenting with international ones. They now own four estates located on the hills east of Marsala, Vittoria, Pantelleria and the slopes of Etna. Their masterpiece is ‘Ben Ryé’, a Zibibbo Passito from the island of Pantelleria. In 2017, they started a collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana aiming to create a series of special wines, combining Donnafugata’s expertise with Dolce & Gabbana’s distinctive style.

Ben Ryé is a modern take on Moscato Passito. The name derives from the Arabic 'Son of the Wind', after the local Sirocco. Vines are planted on sandy slopes of volcanic origin. The dried grapes were destemmed and selected by hand before they were added to the fresh must in several batches. Aged in stainless-steel tanks for eight months with at least a further 12 months in the bottle. Amber in colour, Ben Ryé is wonderfully fresh and complex with intense aromas of apricot, candied citrus zest and notes of Mediterranean thyme and rosemary. The palate is well-defined and intense, with pleasant sweetness balanced perfectly with fresh acidity and great minerality.

Delivery
Items are expected to be delivered within 4 weeks
Producer
Donnafugata
Region
Italy, Sicily
Variety
Zibibbo
Bottle Format: 75cl

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Price
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Case of 6
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£275
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£213.15
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Italy
Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Blessed with consistently bright sunshine and reliably moderate rainfall, the classic Mediterranean climate is ideally suited to the needs of wine-bearing grape vines. The soils, and the mountains from which they came, are of particular interest when it comes to studying Sicilian viticulture.

Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest active volcano at 10,930ft (3330m), is responsible for the mineral-rich, dark soils which characterize the Etna DOC. Vineyards are now being planted higher up on the volcanic slopes, to capitalize on the cooler air and richer soils there. Fifty miles (80km) south, the Iblei Mountains stake their place in eastern Sicilian wine. On their lower slopes and the coastal plains below them, the DOCs of Siracusa, Noto and Vittoria sweep from east to west, forming a crescent which mirrors the arcing coastline.

Wine Appellations

IGT: Sicilia; Terre Siciliane; Avola

DOC: Etna; Noto; Marsala; Pantelleria; Sicilia; Vittoria

DOCG: Cerasuolo di Vittoria Indigenous Grapes varieties White: Carricante; Cataratto; Grillo; Inzolia; Malvasia delle Lipari; Zibibbo Red: Alicante; Frappato; Grecanico; Nerello Mascalese; Nerello Cappuccio; Nero d’Avola; Perricone; Syrah

Grape Varieties

In terms of red-wine varieties, the most common after Nero d'Avola is Grecanico, accompanied by small quantities of Alicante (Grenache), Perricone, and Frappato, the latter being the key ingredient in Sicily’s only DOCG wine Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Sibling varieties Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio are also small players in terms of volume, but are of vital importance around Mount Etna. In regard of white wines the principal grape varieties are: Cataratto, Inzolia, Grillo, and Carricante