Donnafugata : Ben Ryé 2022

Tasting characteristics and serving tips for Donnafugata Ben Ryé 2022

Tasting

Color
Brilliant, the golden color is adorned with vivid amber highlights.

Nose
The nose reveals its complexity through fruity fragrances (apricot, yellow peach, orange zest, mango, papaya) as well as notes of Mediterranean scrub.

Palate
Ideally combining richness, vibrancy and balance, the palate unveils delectable aromas of aromatic herbs and honey.

Cellaring

Ben Ryé 2022 can rest in the cellar until around 2052 to fully express all its aromatic nuances.

Serving

For optimal enjoyment, serve at 57°F (14°C).

Food and wine pairings

This Sicilian wine pairs beautifully with pastries such as chocolate or jam tarts. It is also excellent with blue-veined cheese and foie gras.

An Italian Passito di Pantelleria showcasing the delicate balance between vibrancy and lusciousness

The estate

Founded in 1983, the Donnafugata estate (“woman in flight” in Italian) recalls in its name the exile of Queen Maria Carolina of Naples to the lands of a local prince during Napoleon’s capture of Naples. Giacomo Rallo, the founder of this estate located in northwestern Sicily, is the fourth generation of a family that, since 1851, has produced wines renowned for their high quality. Spread across five different sites, the Donnafugata estate owes its uniqueness to a great diversity of terroirs, giving each cuvée a distinctive style that reflects the richness of Sicilian terroir.

The vineyard

Ben Ryé is a Passito di Pantelleria wine made from vines over 60 years old. Some, over 100 years old, are ungrafted and have survived phylloxera. They are pruned in the alberello (bush vine or goblet) style, half-buried in a small crater, a pruning method inscribed by UNESCO on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Vintage

Beginning under steady weather, the year 2022 was marked by intense heat in June, leading to ripening with varying precocity depending on the terroirs.

Winemaking and aging

After manual harvesting, the grapes are carefully selected on sorting tables before being gently crushed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Dried grapes are added to the fresh must in several batches to release sweetness and freshness during maceration. The winemaking process (fermentation and maceration) lasts more than a month. Aging in stainless steel tanks lasts 5 months before bottling, after which the wine undergoes additional aging of at least 8 months before release.

Blend

Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria)