Passito

In Pantelleria, a volcanic island located between Sicily and Africa, Stefano and Simona boasts 2 hectares of vineyards and produce only 2000 bottles a year. The vine is the zibibbo, prince among the aromatic varieties, the vines are grown on a very low bush, modeled by the wind, on small terraces bordered by dry lava stone walls.

Dedicated to Donna Plautilla A. ancestor of our family who lived in the second half of the eighteenth century (1759-1809) and dedicated to all the women of Montefalco, the true guardians of the Sagrantino Passito tradition. The women were entrusted with the task of detaching the Sagrantino grapes from the stalks, the “sbacatura” for the subsequent vinification and it was a job that was done by the fire after dinner, in the cold evenings of late autumn. Images of true poetry for a wine that is itself poetry. The harvest of Sagrantino destined for drying takes place in the first days of October and is very meticulous. The clusters are treated with extreme care because they absolutely must not break, they are placed in small boxes whose bottom is covered with a layer of vine leaves (vine leaves). Only suitable bunches are harvested, those with the most sparse berries that can better withstand the long drying period on the “Camorcanne”, racks where the bunches are placed side by side, without overlapping. The drying can last even more than two months, depending on the weather conditions. Once the right sugar content is reached, the vinification is the same as for other wines: temperature control, frequent pumping over, racking, soft pressing and racking. The final wine yield is very low, only 35% of the initial quantity of grapes. Unlike the Rosso and the dry Sagrantino it does not age in wood, but in steel barrels for a period of thirty-six months. Then follows the refinement in the bottle. The bottles produced are all numbered by hand.

This sweet wine has a unique style. The red color is impenetrable, the scent evokes blackberries, dried fruit and cinnamon, the taste is of a singular balance. In fact, the dense texture of tannins imprisons acidity and sweetness and everything is confused, creating a gustatory sensation of harmonious fullness. It is thanks to the drying of Sagrantino grapes on racks that such a concentration is obtained. Originally Sagrantino grapes were used only for the making of this sweet wine, drunk on the occasion of religious ceremonies in the villages of the area.

The Donnafugata Sweet Pochette is an innovative packaging that reproduces a cardboard handbag, perfect for storing and carrying two bottles. The refined accessory contains a prestigious Ben Ryé Passito and Kabir Moscato di Pantelleria Doc. A gift idea with a look at the female world.

Bright amber yellow, the nose expresses a wonderful olfactory profile composed of notes of apricot and peach, dried figs and honey, aromatic herbs and mineral notes. Intense and bewitching aromas, solar and Mediterranean, which open to an immense taste for complexity, perfect in the fusion of sweetness, flavor and softness. Very long, interminable, poignant. Strictly at the end of a meal, “Ben Ryé” is a perfect accompaniment to blue or very aged cheeses and foie gras. Also excellent on ricotta desserts and dry pastries.

A passito that contains the essence of Verdicchio, what is most holy in the saint: for this reason the derivation of the name from the expression Santa Sanctorum. The Passito Wine is the result of the processing of dried grapes in the vineyard, which retain only the pure soul of the Verdicchio grape, and which then ferment slowly in small oak barrels.

Golden yellow tending towards amber. On the nose yellow flowers, candied fruit, peaches in syrup and pine nuts. Soft on the palate, tending to sweet, allowing apricots and baked pears, notes of vanilla and a slightly almond finish. Serve at 14 ° with dry sweets, almond paste, cheeses or cheesecakes, foi gras or alone as a meditation wine. Alcohol: 14.5% vol.

Color : intense golden yellow. Nose : floral aromas and notes of dried fruit. Taste: sweet, warm and enveloping. Serving temperature: 10 ° C. Pairings: medium-aged cheeses, desserts. AWARDS: 4 Grappoli, Bibenda 2014 - Best debut, Gold guide Veronelli wines 2014