Hello again
First blog for 2019.
Labels…. I see and hear about people buying wines all of the time because of the labels. Its obviously a great marketing tool at a certain price point to distinguish one wine from another on extremely crowded and competitive supermarket shelves to make them stand out.
Of course some of them are good, no, some of them are even great wines however more often than not at a certain low price point the label is truly the best thing about the wine!
HOWEVER…….
This is not always the case, but you do need to research your wines a little before you are just buying “that shiraz” or “that Chardonnay” because of the cool label.
Which brings me on to, in my opinion the masters of the modern art wine labelling, but I hasten to add also fabulous wine makers.
There have been many blogs, published articles about Donnafugata, but I thought I would take a slightly different slant and concentrate on the superb labels and artwork. These are not just well labelled bottles to sell the wine, its about the story, the passione! and of course great winemaking. I have included all of the tech info, tasting notes and pairing ideas for each wine from Donnafugata too.
The name Donnafugata refers to the novel by Tomasi di Lampedusa entitled Il Gattopardo (The Leopard). A name that means “donna in fuga” (woman in flight) and refers to the story of a queen who found refuge in the part of Sicily where the company’s vineyards are located today. An adventure that inspired the corporate logo: the image of a woman’s head with windblown hair that dominates every bottle. Donnafugata labels are also works of art created or inspired by Gabriella Rallo, as are the names of the wines, and homage to art and literature.
Giacomo and Gabriella Rallo created Donnafugata in 1983, and were then joined in the business in 1990 by their children José and Antonio. They are one of (if not) the most successful wineries, internationally, from Sicily.
Before you start to explore the wines and the serious ART (wine bottle labels) here are a few images from my visit to Donnafugata. If you are visiting Sicily make sure you contact them for a tour and a tasting…. you will not be disappointed. I had emailed them and arranged for exactly this. Laura was an absolute delight and extremely knowledgeable and passionate about all aspects of the winery.
Winery in Marsala, Western Sicily.
The Ranges of wines in Catagories
The Barrel room cellar is a literally a Cathedral of Wine, wines calmly resting, waiting patiently to one day provide lots of wine joy to all of us!
You need to visit to experience the true expression of Art and wine.
So on to the wines and the labels.
There are 21 wines currently in the range, all of them below. They also have grappa and olive oil too.
Yes 21 wines below… IT IS WORTH THE READ! I promise! These are fabulous wines and labels.
“Donnafugata are a homage to art and literature. Unique and inimitable, they represent a way of being, a style. Inspired by Gabriella Rallo they are designed by Stefano Vitale, an exceptional artist with a unique stroke, capable of making the personality of each wine shine”
White Wines.
Prio
An autochthonous single variety with marked scents of citrus
Prio 2017 has a brilliant straw yellow color. The nose offers a fragrant bouquet with marked citrus scents of grapefruit and citron combined with notes of Mediterranean scrub. The palate is fresh and perfectly reflects the nose.
Food & wine
Perfect when paired with raw fish, mixed fried fish, stir fry veggies.
Excellent at 9 – 11°C/48 – 52°F°
Denomination
Sicilia DOC Catarratto
Grapes
Production zone
Label & Original artwork.
Joy, happiness, this is the meaning of prio in Sicilian dialect. It is the unexpected and authentic joy of a woman, sitting on a beach at sunset on a day in early summer, sweetly kissed by a butterfly that lands on her face. A lively and sensual label like the Catarratto signed Donnafugata
Anthìlia
The most enjoyed Donnafugata wine in the world
Anthilia 2018 has a straw yellow color. The nose presents a fresh and fruity bouquet with notes of white-fleshed fruits (apple) combined with scents of wildflowers. On the palate we find the evident fruity note again, refreshed by agreeable sapidity. It finishes with good persistence.
Food & wine
Perfect when paired with tomato and basil bruschetta, seafood pasta, blue fish. Try also with cesar salad.
Excellent at 9 – 11 °C/48 – 51°F°
Denomination
Sicilia DOC White
Grapes
- Catarratto
- the predominant variety; the blend is complemented by other autochthonous and international varieties
Production zone
The label depicts the face of a woman, mysterious and fleeting like the Elymian civilization. Anthilìa is the name given to the city of Entella on the top of the Rocca in Roman times. Today, Anthìlia is the name of a win that is identified with the ancient territory where it has its roots. It is the first wine to have been conceived at Donnafugata and still remains to this day in the hearts of many admirers.
Lighea
An aromatic Mediterranean white
Lighea 2017 has a brilliant straw yellow color with greenish reflections. The nose offers a rich and fragrant bouquet with classic notes of orange blossom combined with citrusy scents (citron, bergamot) and nuances of Mediterranean scrub. The nose is perfectly reflected on the palate, enlivened by a fresh mineral vein.
Food & wine
Recommended with all types of oily fish, baked pasta in white sauce, fried fish.
Excellent at 9 – 11°C/48 – 52°F°
Denomination
Zibibbo Sicilia DOC
Grapes
Production zone
“From the disheveled tresses the color of the sun, seawater flowed over the green, wide-open eyes.” Thus Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa describes Lighea, the bewitching siren and principal figure in his novel. She has inspired the creation of a complex and innovative wine and an equally original label. “It was not easy to print this label”, Gabriella (founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo) recalled, “and preserve the thousand shadings of colors of Pantelleria Island, painted in the original drawing.”
Sul Vulcano Etna Bianco
A small production, with great mineral elegance.
Elegant notes of aromatic herbs, citrus fruits and flint. Fresh and savory, Sul Vulcano 2016 presents fine notes of aromatic herbs, citrus fruit and flint. In the mouth it is embracing, fresh and savoury, characterized by distinctive minerality and remarkable persistence. A wine of great elegance and complexity.
Food & wine
Perfect with crustaceans, vegetarian first courses and porcini mushrooms.
Excellent at 10-12°
A goddess-volcano stands out on the Etna Bianco label by Donnafugata “Sul Vulcano”. Its intense colors, red, yellow, iridescent blacks, are those of the highest active volcano in Europe. An ancient, powerful and feminine deity: “the Mountain” as Etna is called by the locals. “Sul Vulcano” is a declaration of love: a pure wine with a marked minerality that makes you breathe the energy of this unique place located in the center of the Mediterranean.
La Fuga
The Chardonnay from the night harvest
Brilliant straw yellow, La Fuga 2017 offers a fragrant bouquet with notes of tropical fruit (pineapple) and white peach, combined with floral scents. In the mouth it amazes with its intense sapidity combined with a pleasant vein of acidity.
Food & wine
It matches well with Risottos, herbed chicken, savoury pies and fish second course.
Excellent at 10 – 12°C/50 – 54°F°
Denomination
Contessa Entellina Doc Chardonnay Sicilia
Grapes
- Chardonnay
Production zone
Gabriella Anca Rallo (founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo) thought of “fleeing” and beginning a new life, passing from the arts to the land. Gabriella is a woman with the wind in her hair who is never at rest. Gabriella invented La Fuga, a label that not only suggests movement but also sunshine and the land.
Vigna di Gabri
The cru wanted by Gabriella Rallo
Vigna di Gabri 2017 has a brilliant straw yellow color with light green reflections. The bouquet is intense and goes from floral scents (elder and acacia) to notes of white fleshed fruits (peach) combined with hints of Mediterranean maquis. The palate is enlivened by a fresh savory streak. A fine and elegant white, with an intriguing personality and surprising longevity.
Food & wine
Perfect when paired with seafood pasta, flans, baked fish.
Excellent at 10 – 12°C/50 – 54°F°
Denomination
Sicilia DOC
Grapes
- Ansonica
- blended with
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Viognier
Production zone
“Vigna di Gabri” is not a fantasy name, because the wine bears the name of Gabriella (founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo), who originally wanted to create it and strongly believed in the full flavored fragrance of Ansonica. The graphics, already renewed on the occasion of the wine’s 25th Anniversary, with the 2017 vintage, pick up and emphasize some elements present in the original illustration by Stefano Vitale: a master-label that tells the link between Gabri and her Cru. The introduction of the Burgundy bottle also wants to enhance the preciousness and elegance of this wine which is one of Donnafugata’s most beloved wines.
Chiarandà
A Chardonnay with a Mediterranean soul, elegant and long-lived
Chiarandà 2016 has a straw yellow color. The nose offers a complex bouquet with scents of fresh tropical fruit, aromatic herbs, and toasted hazelnuts. The palate is ample and well-structured, with pleasant savoury notes and a long mineral finish. An important white with a long and satisfying persistence and great aging potential.
Food & wine
Perfect with lobster, cream of vegetable soup and smoked fish, we suggest it also with roast quail.
Excellent at 11 – 13°C/52 – 55°F)°
Denomination
Contessa Entellina DOC Chardonnay
Grapes
- Chardonnay
Production zone
The wine made its debut in 1992 as Chiarandà del Merlo from the names of the two vineyards where the Ansonica and Chardonnay grapes were grown. Ten years later the name has been simplified to Chiarandà and the label has been enriched with a female figure that suggests complexity and refinement.
Sparkling Wines.
Donnafugata Brut 2013
A metodo classico with surprising elegance
Marked by a mild winter, with good rainfall (767 mm of rainfall, a slightly higher figure compared to seasonal averages), which was followed by a cool, ventilated spring.
Food & wine
Pleasant for an aperitivo, excellent paired with finger food, seared scallops, sole meunière.
Excellent at 6 – 8°C/42 – 46°F°
Denomination
Vino Spumate Sicilia DOC
Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
Production zone
Donnafugata Brut Rosè
Vintage rosè with a pleasant delicacy and structure
Marked by a mild winter, with good rainfall (767 mm of rainfall, a slightly higher figure compared to seasonal averages), which was followed by a cool, ventilated spring.
Food & wine
A rosé table wine, excellent with raw or cooked crustaceans and fish tartare. We recommend it with thinly sliced prosciutto crudo San Daniele.
Excellent at 6 – 8°C/42 – 46°F°
Denomination
Vino Spumate Sicilia DOC
Grapes
- Pinot Noir
Production zone
An elegant woman, her face lit with a slight smile… how can we not help thinking of Mona Lisa or Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci and the many Italian portraits of women in the 1500s. A perfect balance of the elements, including, art, culture, nature. Compared with the very elegant original sketch, made on a wooden board, we just added a few touches of gold foil into the perlage, as beams of light that let us predict all the fine liveliness of its content.
Rosé Wines.
Lumera
An unconventional rosè, the fruit of a targeted selection of red grapes
Brilliant pink, Lumera 2017 offers an ample and fragrant bouquet with fruity notes of wild strawberries and pomegranate combined with delicate flowery scents of violets. The palate is fresh and savory with good structure and pleasant persistence of fruity notes.
Food & wine
Match with hot and cold seafood antipasti, raw seafood (especially crustaceans) and first courses based on vegetables. We also recommend it with fried fish, fresh cheeses and second courses of roasted fish.
Excellent at 10 – 12°C/50 – 53°F°
Lumera is an evocative name, in full Donnafugata style. It’s the beloved woman, the sublime being who inspires joy and fullness of life. It’s the woman portrayed on the label, it’s the wine that bears her name. Lumera is the protagonist of a Sicilian poem that celebrates courtly love and experiments a form, the Dolce Stil Novo, which decidedly anticipates the Italian language. “Or come pote sì grande donna intrare / Per gli occhi mei, che sì piccioli son? / e nel mio core come pote stare […], ma voglio a lei Lumera asomigliare […]
Red Wines.
Sul Vulcano Etna Rosso
A surprising volcanic red
Light ruby red, Sul Vulcano Etna Rosso DOC offers an elegant bouquet with notes of wild berries (strawberry and red currant) and flowery scents, along with delicate spicy nuances of cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect harmony between aroma and taste, with good freshness and harmonious tannins. A long, balanced finish.
Food & wine
Perfect with mediterranean antipasti and first courses based on eggplant or mushrooms, meat and roast stew. Pairing options are numerous: from North-American cuisine (chicken wings, hamburgers) to moderate spicy Asian dishes (beef stir-fried, dumplings) to fusion cuisine like Tex-Mex based on meat and beans.
Excellent at 18°
Denomination
Etna Rosso DOC
Grapes
Production zone
A goddess-volcano stands out on the label. Its intense colors, red, yellows, iridescent blacks, are those of the highest active volcano in Europe. An ancient, powerful and feminine deity: “the Mountain” as Etna is called by the locals. “Sul Vulcano” is a declaration of love: a pure wine, fragrant and elegant, that lets you breathe the energy of this unique place located in the center of the Mediterranean.
Fragore
The Etna cru, volcanic elegance
Pale ruby red coloured, Fragore presents an ample and profound bouquet featuring spices (sweet tobacco and nutmeg), floral notes (violet) and wild berries merging with mineral (flint stone) and balsamic notes. On the palate it reveals extraordinary complexity and elegance characterized by outstanding minerality and important tannins. Remarkable long finish.
Food & wine
Legumes, mushrooms and tasty meats. Fragore perfectly matches turkey and barbecue ribs. Try it also with Asian food as Peking duck, beef and pork hot pots.
Excellent at 18 °C°
Denomination
Etna Rosso DOC – Contrada Montelaguardia
Grapes
Production zone
Donnafugata is “projected” towards the future, like an object launched into space, attracted by invisible gravities. Illustrator Stefano Vitale captures this perpetual motion perfectly in the latest label of Fragore that represents the volcano’s roar. Donnafugata continues its journey towards the most remote corners of Sicily: east to Vittoria and then up to the highest point on the island, on the Etna volcano.
Bell’Assai
A fragrant red that amazes with its immediate pleasantness.
Brilliant ruby red with violet reflections, Bell’Assai offers a fragrant bouquet with intense flowery notes of violets and roses combined with scents of fresh red fruit (strawberries and raspberries). In the mouth it surprises with its great freshness, a perfect harmony between aroma and taste, supported by soft tannins. A fragrant red that amazes with its immediate pleasantness.
Food & wine
We suggest it with salumi, tasty fish dishes such as soups or guazzetti, try with tuna sushi.
Excellent at 16°C (60°F)°
Denomination
Vittoria DOC Frappato Sicilia
Grapes
Production zone
Bell’Assai is a girl with personality who offers to the sweet Sicilian breeze the fruits of the vineyards and the scents of the countryside. She represents the spirit of those enterprising families with the love for beauty which have always been animating the territory of Vittoria. An artistic label with which Donnafugata wants to celebrate the love for the beautiful.
Floramundi
A refined Cerasuolo di Vittoria with a flowery soul
Intense ruby red with brilliant purple reflections; it offers intense fruity aromas, black cherry and plum notes stand out; the bouquet opens with delicate flowery nuances and characteristic spicy notes of black pepper. The palate is supported by freshness and softness that make it juicy and a real pleasure to drink. Fine and well integrated tannins. Floramundi 2017 expresses the harmonious balance Cerasuolo di Vittoria can achieve.
Food & wine
Tasty first courses, grilled meat, important fish baked in the oven. Try with pulled pork and meat dumplings.
Excellent at 15- 16°C (59-61°F)°
Denomination
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG
Grapes
Production zone
Floramundi is a fantastic figure of a woman who is giving the gift of wonderful interlacements of flowers and fruits with velvety tones. It is a dialogue between two souls, the elegant and sophisticated one of Floral Liberty, of which Vittoria is rich in testimonies, and the fascinating and suggestive one of the tradition of the Pupi Siciliani (Sicilian Puppets). A dialogue between Nero d’Avola and Frappato to listen to with pleasure. A refined artistic label for a prestigious denomination: Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG.
Sherazade
The red you don’t expect, ideal for the aperitivo
Sherazade 2017 has a brilliant ruby red color with violet reflections. The nose offers a pleasantly fruity bouquet with fragrant notes of red plum and cherry, combined with light spicy scents. The palate is fleshy and perfectly reflects the bouquet revealing an extraordinary freshness. The well-integrated tannin, completes this fragrant and pleasant wine.
Food & wine
We suggest it with fish soup, pizza or classic tomato spaghetti.
Excellent at 15 – 16°C/59 – 61°F°
Denomination
Sicilia DOC Nero d’Avola
Grapes
Production zone
Sherazade, fascinating female protagonist of the Arabian Nights has a fruity flesh voice, wrapped in a spicy drape, that tells you the fairy tale of this masterpiece of Oriental literature. An intensely Mediterranean label in lush Donnafugata style that gives you an unforgettable tasting.
Sedàra
A glass of quality, perfect for everyday drinking
Ruby red, Sedàra 2016 offers a fruity bouquet with scents of blackberries and blueberries combined with a light spicy note of black pepper. The palate displays good structure with suave tannins and pleasant freshness. A soft red, versatile for food pairing, perfect for every day.
Food & wine
Serve with lasagne, chicken cacciatora, BBQ, seared tuna.
Excellent at 16 – 18°C/61 – 64°F°
Denomination
Red Sicilia Doc
Grapes
- Nero d’Avola
- blended with
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Syrah
Production zone
Dedicated to the irresistible and ambitious Angelica Sedàra with green eyes, the fashinatig Claudia Cardinale, protagonist of the film “Il Gattopardo” (The Leopard) directed by Luchino Visconti. The label, also in the new version, refers to the Contessa Entellina winer
Angheli
A soft red with an international taste
Ruby red, Angheli 2015 is characterized by an enchanting bouquet with notes of red fruits, blackberries and plums, combined with intense balsamic and spicy scents of chocolate and liquorice. Fragrant on the palate with soft tannins. It finishes with good persistence. A red with an international taste with great balance between structure and pleasantness.
Food & wine
Perfect when paired with charcuterie board, meatball in tomato sauce grilled meat and chops.
Excellent at 16 – 18°C/ 60 – 64°F°
Denomination
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Sicilia Doc
Grapes
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
Production zone
“… of loves and ladies, knights and arms…”. Would that be Angelica of Orlando Furioso fleeing on the horse portrayed on the label? Donnafugata has many “women in flight;” each of these has a past of history and tradition but, for sure, a future of softness and seduction.
Tancredi
An elegant red. An affordable luxury
Deep ruby red, Tancredi 2015 is characterized by a fragrant bouquet with notes of red fruit (cherry and plum) combined with delicate tertiary scents of sweet tobacco, chocolate and spices (black pepper). In the mouth it offers a structure with important and well-integrated tannins. An enveloping and persistent finish.
Food & wine
It will find its best pairing T-bone steak, gourmet burgers and game. Delicious also with beef Stroganoff
with mushrooms.
Excellent at 18°C/64°F°
Denomination
Terre Siciliane IGT
Grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Nero d’Avola
- Tannat
- and other grapes
Production zone
If you remember Alain Delon in the famous movie that Luchino Visconti made from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s The Leopard, you will see that this wine reflects the elegance and ambition of that “revolutionary” man. With the vintage 2015, the labels offers a new illustration by artist Stefano Vitale who has dedicated this artwork to Giacomo Rallo, visionary captain of Donnafugata. The winery of Contessa Entellina is always there, in the clouds, almost like a mirage. In the upper right, the beloved village of Sambuca di Sicilia where some of the vineyards contribute to the blend of Tancredi. All the places where the memory of this man remains indelible and where his dreams have become reality.
Mille e Una Notte
An icon of Italian excellence
Intense ruby red colored, Mille e una Notte 2015 is characterized by an ample bouquet, with fruity notes (blackberry and black mulberry) and balsamic (liquorice) and spicy scents followed by hints of cacao. The palate is soft and embracing, surprising with an extraordinary silky tannin. A remarkable long persistence on the finish.
Food & wine
We suggest it with Slow-cooked rack of lamb, pappardelle with pork ragout, roasts, tournedos Rossini.
Excellent at 18°C/64°F°
Denomination
Red Sicilia Doc
Grapes
- Nero d’Avola
- Petit Verdot
- Syrah
- and other grapes
Production zone
The palace illustrated on the label is Palazzo Filangeri di Cutò where Queen Maria Carolina took refuge fleeing from Naples, the house lovedby the writer Tomasi di Lampedusa.
Gabriella captures the image and embeds it into a “Mille e una Notte” sky. A tribute to the masterpiece of oriental literature capable of recounting a thousand and one tales.
Sweet Wines.
Kabir
A very pleasant naturally sweet wine
Bight straw yellow with golden reflections, Kabir 2017 is characterized by a rich and fragrant bouquet with scents of ripe fruit (nectarines) combined with flowery notes of orange blossom and delicate savoury nuances. The nose is perfectly reflected on the palate, combined with a fresh mineral vein that balances the pleasant sweetness well. A good persistence on the finish revealing hints of pink pepper and nutmeg.
Food & wine
Perfect with anchovies, goat’s cheese, ice cream and fruit-based desserts.
Excellent at 12°C/54°F°
Denomination
Moscato di Pantelleria DOC
Grapes
Production zone
From the Arabic term “The Great,” this is the name Donnafugata chose for its Moscato di Pantelleria, for its broad and noble perfumes. The label speaks the language of the island, expressing the colors, the freshness and the aromatic richness of Zibibbo. A label evoking the heroic soul of the viticulture of an island battered by wind and waves.
Ben Ryè
One of the most appreciated sweet Italian wines in the world
Ben Ryé 2016 offers an extraordinary rich bouquet with outstanding aromas obtained from the dried grapes: apricots and candied orange peel. It presents delicate hints of Mediterranean macchia. The palate is very fresh and intense, balancing perfectly the sweetness followed by a long and satisfying persistence.
Food & wine
It matches with caramelized duck, foie gras and blue cheeses. It goes well with pastries and gourmet chocolate like gianduja. Extraordinary alone, as a meditation wine.
Excellent at 14°C/57°F°
Denomination
Passito di Pantelleria DOC
Grapes
Production zone
From the Arabic term “Son of the Wind” because the wind sweeps constantly around the grape clusters on Pantelleria. And the island’s winds bring with them a profusion of fragrances so powerful that you can touch them. An author label telling the love, the care and the effort of heroic viticulture on an island unique and fascinating. A fresh and enchanting portrait that reveals its essence.
I know this has been quite a long piece but thought I really needed to give Donnafugata justice as ALL of their wines have amazing labels. I hope some are of you are still reading at this stage!!
I have no affiliation to the winery and I am not being paid for writing this piece.
I am good friends with Donnafugata and they always send me a great box of wine for Christmas, and the least I can do is give them a huge shout out for their stunning wines and a bit of info into the labels, the passion and the wines.
They are much more than labels, they are an expression of the wine from the family, terroir, the artist and of course the wine itself.
They are a large international brand and you should be able to buy in most markets locally. Please take the time and try some Donnafugata.
INFO:
Donnafugata : https://www.donnafugata.it/en/the-company/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnafugataWine
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnafugatawine/
Credits:
All photos are my own or from the Donnafugata website or from the book “Inseguendo Donnafugata” an amazing book they also sent me at Christmas.
If you would like to visit Donnafugata please follow his link: https://visit.donnafugata.it/en-us/
Pietrovini Life through Red,White & Rosé Glasses🍷 