Type: Red - Sicilia IGP
Alcoholic content: 13,5-14% alc/vol.
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d'Avola; Tannat and other varieties finalize the blend. Trained in the counter-espalier system and pruned in spurred cordon. Average planting density, 5,000 rootstocks per hectare (2,024 an acre); production of about 5 tons per hectare (2 tons an acre). Terrain of medium consistency.
Wine-making:The estate harvests Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d’Avola in September. The grapes are macerated with their skins and vinified in stainless steel vats for about 12 days at 26-30°C (79-86°F). After malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in French-oak barrels, both new and previously used, for 12-14 months and aged in bottles for at least 18 months.
Description: The two varieties fuse in fine style. The Cabernet gives the Nero d'Avola a touch of mint, enriching its substantial supply of scents. Notes of licorice, cacao, cherries and bilberries against a sweetish background. The flavors are well-structured, full, absorbing and remarkably persistent.
Food & Wine: Serve with red grilled or oven-baked meats, roasts, goat and lamb. Also try with porcini mushrooms and mature cheeses.
Two dishes: Cosce di coniglio alla maggiorana (haunch of rabbit with marjoram). Pappardelle (wide noodles) al Bagoss (an aged cheese from the valleys around Brescia).
Serve: When served in large, relatively tall goblets with wide mouths, the wine can be uncorked a few minutes before serving; otherwise open the bottle two hours earlier. Excellent at 18°C (64° F).
Curiosity: If you remember Alain Delon in the famous film that Luchino Visconti made from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's Il Gattopardo, you will see that this wine reflects the elegance and ambition of that "revolutionary." The label refers to the wineries at Contessa Entellina but they are placed on a cloud as in a mirage. "Viaggio a Donnafugata," composed by Nino Rota for Visconti. First vintage: 1990