Donnafugata : Ben Ryé 2021

The freshness and sweetness of a Passito di Pantelleria wine

The estate

Founded in 1983, the name of the Donnafugata estate, "fleeing woman" in Italian, recalls the exile of Queen Maria Carolina of Naples at the home of a local prince, as Napoleon seized the city.
Giacomo Rallo, the founder of this estate in north-west Sicily, is the fourth generation of the family which, since 1851, has produced wine renowned for its great quality.
Spread over five different sites, the Donnafugata estate takes its individuality from its many various terroirs, which confer into each wine a unique style reflecting the richness of the Sicilian soil.

The vineyard

Ben Ryé 2021 is a Passito di Pantelleria wine that comes from vines aged over 60 years old. Some, older than 100, are ungrafted and survived phylloxera.  They are grown using the rare practice of vite ad alberello – cultivating head-trained bush vines – where they are half buried in a small crater. The practice is inscribed by Unesco as an intangible cultural heritage.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in Sicily was slightly less rainy in Pantelleria. The weather conditions, ideal for flowering and the grape setting, led to the production of a quality wine.

Winemaking and ageing

Following the harvest, the grapes were carefully selected on sorting tables before being gently pressed. Fermentation took place in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature. Raisins were added to the fresh wine must in several lots to release sweetness and freshness over the course of maceration. The winemaking process (fermentation and maceration) took more than a month. Ageing in stainless steel vats took 5 months before bottling, when the wine had an additional 8 months of ageing minimum before going on the market.

Blend

Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria)

Characteristics and tasting tips for Ben Ryé 2021 from Donnafugata

Tasting

Colour
A beautiful golden colour with bright amber highlights.

Nose
The nose is intense, mingling fruity apricot notes, yellow peach and candied orange peel, with tropical touches of mango and papaya, followed by fragrances of Mediterranean brush.

Palate
Intense and enduring, the palate gives a lovely balance between freshness and sweetness where fruity scents and aromatic herbs combine with delicate honey touches.

Storage

Ben Ryé 2021 can be laid down for more than 30 years to release all its aromatic nuances.

To serve

For the best tasting, serve at 14°C.

Food and wine pairing

This Sicilian wine goes perfectly with pastries such as chocolate or jam tarts. It also goes excellently with blue cheese or foie gras.